If it was Jon in rehab

This is my analogy. I use the example of baseball here in America. Let's say I have brought tickets in advance then I found out that my favorite player is not in the lineup. Maybe its because of a injury or because of the opposing pitcher, Should I be entitled to a refund?

I bet there are people that don't know Richie is not there because all they know is that Jon is the singer and its his band. The average person would not automatically say Richie Sambora if you said Jon Bon Jovi. In the case of the RS when someone says Jagger they automatically think of Keith.

That's just my opinion. I understand people wanting a refund but it just doesn't happen. Its up to each individual to decide what to do.

Would you be happy paying the full price to see Bon JOvi with a replacement guitar player and second front man?

This is all very true but it all boils down to who the audience comes to see. Yes, Bon Jovi is a band with four members but at the end of the day, the majority of the audience come to see Jon, without a doubt. There would be no questions asked, the shows would be cancelled. If you think, that there are upset fans over Richie not being there? This would be nothing if it was Jon.

With all due respect, Deb, I don't think it's the same at all. With sports, there's always the possibility of injury or in certain sports (like baseball) of a star player being given a day off. That's why sports teams have more than the required number of players on the team. Even Broadway has understudies, and you know when you buy your ticket that at any given performance you may or may not have all of the usual cast members. I doubt very many of us said "gee, I hope all the guys are there for my shows" when we bought our Bon Jovi tickets. Also, missing ONE show is one thing. Missing an entire leg of a tour (and possibly more) is an entirely different thing.

It all comes down to this. If you think a lead singer and lead guitarist are equally important, then you stand a good chance of being pissed about how things have gone down. If you thing the lead singer is on one level and everyone else - even if you really like them - is a step or two down, then you probably aren't all that fussed.

And I'll say this again, the fact that the casual fans don't know the difference does NOT make it right, in my opinion.

I agree with you totally and no that doesn't make it right

but I would be more severe by saying that looking at the replies here beside a few fans not casual fans but die hard fans are for too many of them not seeing a problem neither ...if it's richie no big deal if it's jon then the story is not the same

I am not a RICHIE partial fan blinded follower but all this is leaving me speechless ...

that rehab story was for me a major reality check about the bon jovi fandom .. wow ...

Pretty much. It also comes down to favoritism, I think. Richie is my favorite member of the band, so that's why I'm more sad about it (not distraught, though). If David was absent, I probably wouldn't mind as much. I still think David is a great pianist and irreplaceable in the band, and would wish him a speedy return in such a situation, but I like Richie more. Just personal preference. The same probably goes for those who would say David or Tico is their favorite member.

First and foremost, I don't think there is anyone that doesn't hope and wish Richie well, and doesn't want to see him back onstage with the rest of the band as soon as he is well and able to be there. Sadly, we have all seen Richie not play well at various times in recent years, which has not been easy to watch since we all also know how damn good he is when he is well and healthy.
The best analogy I can make for the purposes of this thread only, is to compare watching Journey to watching Bon Jovi without Jon. Back in the early 80's before BJ was really on the scene, Journey at least here in the US was considered to be the firstof the huge "corporate" rock bands. Journey was blessed, or cursed depending on who you ask, with a frontman who had an amazing and pretty unique voice. In these years this band, that had existed well before Steve Perry became their singer, truly became his band.
Abruptly in the middle of a tour it all stopped because SP was hurt, had a meltdown, got stage anxiety all of which have been bandied about for years as reasons for the ending of the tour.
Steve Perry never came back as Journeys lead singer. In the years since they have put other singers in his place but never with the success they had with SP. I was a fan of Journey. I have never been able to bring myself to watch them live without SP. For me, Journey just isn't Journey without that voice. The songs, no matter how well sung and a couple of their singers have indeed been great vocalists, just lose something for me without SP.
I think that it's the same with Jon.Are there singers out there that could do BJ sungs as well or in some cases better than Jon technically at this point??? Absolutely, but the songs would lose all their meaning and magic without Jon's voice and performance on the stage.
Is it going to be weird and different to see the band without Richie?? Yes it is. In 26 years I've never seen a BJ band show with no Richie. Are there a couple of songs that I will almost hope not to hear because I equate them so much with Richie?? Yes there are. Will I accept on a temporary basis a very competent guitarist playing Richies riffs?? Yeah, I can live with that, because I believe absolutely, that it's a temporary thing.
Could I go watch BJ with Jon not singing??? HMMM Nope couldn't do it.

I agree with Terri in that one cannot compare a major league baseball team to a small band of four (major) members.

And, yes, it has all come down to Jon's decisions, regarding the show going forward, as well as, refunds, etc.

I do think that fans should have been given options in the matter of refunds.

Especially, the fans who purchased the "VIP" tix and were expecting to see Richie's guitars, etc. backstage. Plus, spending that amount of money, thru the FC, the purchaser of those tix, should be treated with more respect - not saying that ALL fans should not be treated with the same respect, though, just trying to make a bit of a point, that's all.

If Jon could not perform, as others have said, the show/concert would be postponed or canceled, period - the reasons for that are beyond obvious.

I do understand the point of your thread, though ...

I really think this is the part where people let their love of Bon Jovi blind them to reality. Of course if Jon was in rehab the tour would be postponed, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER BAND. The lead singer is the central and most recognizable part of almost any band (barring the VERY RARE exception.) As for Richie, I love Richie Sambora, but he is not on Keith Richards level name-wise. Mick and Keith are the Stones, that's why when Keith went down they postponed the shows. But quite frankly, if Charlie Watts went down, they would bring in a tech drummer and go on. Sadly, that is what the other members of Bon jovi are to most people. And to Terri's point, I don't think it makes it right, but promoters and venues do. If they think people will still show up, they will make it that much harder to postpone shows.

This isn't directed to anyone in particular, but does see the irony that a vast majority of this board gets mad when people think Jon is the whole band, yet basically discount Jon, Tico, Dave, and Hugh and talk about how band is nothing without Richie?