February 18, 2017 Bridgestone Arena, Nashville

Back during the start of the BWC tour the guys here were complaining about having too many ballads in the main set (WITW, Memory, BOR, IBTFY, Amen, and The Fighter with at least 4 or 5 of them appearing on some nights). Now Jon has jerked sharply to the other direction and has only thrown exactly one in the shows so far; he can't seem to find the right balance, or rather, is afraid to further butcher anything. Diamond Ring anyone? Maybe it's another psychological issue on his part that we're on the black about?

I think it will take until the first week of March or worse 2018 to see any notable change in the setlists.

While I understand Jon needs to grip the mic stand trying to hit higher notes, there's no excuse for mainly standing still singing other parts. His age shouldn't be a huge factor. He's a fit 55.

Runaway Tours is now his comfort zone. He's unfortunately, looking less and less the rock star.


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He clearly worked with a vocal coach to get away from singing through his nose and to start annunciating the words better.

I truly think him standing at the mic has everything to do with this new style of singing. It seems to me that he does it so he can completely focus on how he's singing and to save his energy for his vocals.

It's a shame because Jon has always been known as one of the best frontmen and now he's just a shadow of his old self.

I try not to judge today's Jon to the 80's and 90's but when I look back at those years whether it's a live show, an interview, or even just watching Access All Areas, I'm like Fuuuuuuuuck where did that guy go... It's all different from head to toe... If it wasn't for those years, I wouldn't be here typing this right now...

Some of the old school guys who used to post here like Seb, are done with it, some might have outgrown it... I still enjoy the form of it... For one it doesn't move me like it used to. When I was a kid, Jon and Richie weren't even people. I saw them as Elvis and The Beatles.. It's not like that anymore... I'm older, Jon's older, and the celebrity isn't what it once was.

I do like other bands besides Bon Jovi and I think most of those other bands, aren't as good as Bon Jovi once was in their prime either but that's okay, I can still like them... When I listen to other artists, I'm not comparing them to Bon Jovi of the 80's and that's what I do when I listen to the current Bon Jovi... Teardrop To The Sea doesn't compare to Living On A Prayer but neither does Viva La Vida by Coldplay imo... However, I still enjoy all three songs for different reasons...

I do like to mix the old with the new in order to balance the new... The internet has given me so much in terms of old school material... It's a never ending search... My collection was a tenth of what it was before the internet...

After the WAN album and tour, I was done with the band for a while... Not because it sucked, but because I needed a break. I do it all the time... After so much time had lapsed, I got into collecting soundboard and A+ audience recordings from the NJ tour... I was so into it... It brought me back... As this was going on, Burning Bridges came out of nowhere. I really dug a few of the songs and still do... I get it though... It's more or less a Jon 3rd solo album, it's a mood album, it's a bunch of recycled material... The album gave me hope that Jon could still be a decent recording artist. His voice is shot live but he sounds decent in the studio... So now I'm listening to BB one day and then throwing in some of the classic live Jovi tracks from the 80's. Found an amazing audience version of the Boys Are Back In Town from the NJ Tour. I'm balanced and back into the band again...

So then THINFS come out and I generally feel the same about it as I did Burning Bridges... I don't listen to it as it's Bon Jovi... I listen to it like it's a different band... It's like if Jon Shanks released an album and hired Jon to sing on it... That's kind of the view I take on it... It's different and I like it... No new Bon Jovi material will ever sound the way it once did... My only hope is for vault material to pop out one day...

Although I'm collecting all the Soundboard Concerts from this tour, I know I'll never listen to any of them. Probably at the end, I'll put together a compilation of the best ones or something but it's just more about the hobby.

I'm looking forward to my shows next month and once the tour is done, I'll put it all away for a while before I take it back out again and look for new older stuff to keep the balance going...

That's where I am with this band currently.. It's not all good but it's not all bad either...

I don't get the whole obsession of Jon not running around... Not every artist runs around and they still put on great shows... The Beatles were like statues and they were amazing....

That's nonsense. It's nothing to do with him not running around. He's like a mannequin. Referencing a band that ALWAYS stood still is pointless.

Jon's vocals are mostly poor - he's complimenting that by barely moving? Nobody expects acrobatics. But If you can't sing like a rock star - act like one. Do something.


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Blood On Blood:
https://youtu.be/Tqje0pI6Qh0

God Bless This Mess:
https://youtu.be/SYkSsxFwEuo



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I honestly don't think Jon is as healthy as his looks would indicate. He's made a comment in an interview to the effect that he prays a lot every day because it " soothes" him but the only thing he ever asks for for himself is good health. People generally don't pray for things they have/ take for granted. Then he commented that the band would tour if everyone was healthy enough to do so.

I believe he's giving all he's got to give.

Oh God, reading those comments made me kind of sad and nostalgic...like if somebody has died or something.

Maybe if he hadn't smoked like a chimney for the last 20 years and had focused on protecting his most prized gift he would be in better shape.