(Jon) Bon Jovi's money orientaded behaviour destroyed the fun?

Aloha !

I talked about this with Thierry a couple of days ago. Before this tour was supposed to start we were both very excited about how this tour would be fantastic because of the return of Jon's vocals, the amount of shows we planned on doing together and the fun we always have on the road.

However, as soon as ticket prices were anounced a lot of that changed. A lot of complaining was done, a lot of actions were taken by Jon (oh wait that didn't happen because he's a man who has no balls), and then nothing. We don't do any shows together, it's all way too expensive and our priorities seem to have changed. For 1 show at the O2 arena you used to be able to buy 3 concert tickets in Europe.

Now that it's roughly 3 weeks before the shows in Giants Stadium will happen, roughly 4 weeks before the series of concerts at the O2 Arena will happen, I can't help but feeling a bit let down by all of this. Don't get me wrong, I'm still looking forward to the shows, but nowadays it's merely the fun of travelling, meeting people and afterparties I'm looking forward to instead of the Bon Jovi shows. Setlists have been overly static and there's just nothing spontaneous about it anymore. Bon Jovi are getting towards that status of the Eagles. Playing everything to perfection (as far as they're capable of doing that...) yet zero emotion in it all, and when it happens it sort of feels like it's acted. I know there haven't been any negative reviews about the shows and every bootleg sounds great, yet...I don't know... The shows in Honolulu were a great start but after that Jon quickly went back to his same old behaviour of not giving anything to the fans.

When Thierry said to me how he felt strange because he wasn't excited at all, I had to agree. Are we alone in this or do more people feel the same? This board has never been so quiet during a tour as well, it feels like pretty much everyone stopped bothering with Bon Jovi, including Bon Jovi themselves? Where has the buzz gone to?

Salaam Aleikum,
Sebastiaan

It is true

Im only doing one show at the O2 as it is too damn expensive and I would rather have a week away in the sun for the price of a weekend in London.

They've certainly lost something. Normally, I'd be fighting the urge to splash out on a ticket or two but I honestly can't be bothered.

Had you not mentioned it, I wouldn't have even been able to tell you that the UK shows were taking place in 4 weeks time tbh as there's no inclination at all for me to even consider buying a ticket. Over-priced and over-hyped. I only hope they stick to their promises of full albums and rarities for the die-hards who are going.

As for the Dave fiasco where he's missing an O2 show to possibly pick up an award, I'm sorry, that's just pure unprofessionalism. How many times have you seen sports teams/personalities, movie stars or musicians collect an award via a pre-recorded video clip and apologise for not being there due to pressing commitments elsewhere? It's perfectly acceptable for him not to attend the awards ceremony if he's on tour, no matter how prestigious the awards are but he's chosen to prioritise that over a band performance. It's a bit of a joke and very disrespectful to your audience in my opinion.

You know that is quite well put; I’m more looking forward seeing Summer London and friends than the show itself. Hell..I even think eating at a Jamie Oliver restaurant in London as big a highlight for myself as the BJ shows. I never stopped to think why it changed and that’s probably because the change didn’t come that suddenly. I remember not being very excited in Helsinki 2008 when they hit the stage (and even less after the show…you know why).

I’m not expecting a lot for the 02-shows but that’s because I don’t want to build the expectations too high..and I secretly hope that when the house lights go out and our boys hit the stage I’ll feel like I did in Manchester on that lovely day sunny day in 2006. That has to be the best show I’ve ever been to, by any band or artist.

I bet one reason (among the ones that are obvious) is that so many of us here have followed the band actively through this board for 10 years and before this board even existed that people have grown out of the excitement of seeing them live. There’s a time for everything and for me I think the time for being REALLY excited about this band was lost somewhere between 2006-2008 and sadly I have no clue why or where.

Last time I felt excited about Bon Jovi was in 2001. Nowadays I won't pay to see them live.

Ice

You know guys, this is rock and roll, not rocket science. At some point, over-analysis takes all the fun out of it. It hasn't even been 3 weeks since my last show in Charlotte, and I absolutely can't wait for the first show in NJ two weeks from tonight! Maybe I'm just easier to please or maybe it's because I'm one of those stupid new fans, but I've had a hell of a good time at the shows I've been to . . . in spite of the things that I'd change if I ran Bon Jovi . . . and I'm ready for MORE!

Yet this coming from the guy whose spending a lot of money to see them not in London which would be closer but at giants and in canada. Sorry but you can't bitch about "overpriced" shows when you've got an opportunity I would love to have Seb (seeing Jovi at Giants) but simply have never been able to afford to.

That to me would be a once in a lifetime opportunity. Something I've wanted to do for the past twenty years. And yet, you've got it and all you wanna' do is gripe?

Wish we could all be in your position. You're a lucky bastard Seb. I'm jealous, so do me a favour and try and enjoy it, eh?

For the record, totally psyched about the 02 shows!

Ok, that came out as pissed off and wasn't meant to but seriously, the only people who have destroyed the fun is yourselvrs.

I never think about the cost of a show once it's booked and getting down over a setlist to a show you've never been to is just stupid.

If the band is playing with the heart everyone says they have, yet you don't believe it, then your just as bad as Jungleland.

Aloha !

I get where you're coming from but you misunderstand it all.

Like I said, I can't wait to get on that plane to go to America or Canada. I've been reading wikipedia pages, been looking at pictures of the landscape of Canada, been looking into what museums I will visit in New York, been having some fun on Facebook with the people I will finally meet this summer. I am psyched for that and am looking forward to it. But in the end, it's the holiday I'm looking forward to and Bon Jovi is just the bonus, whereas when I started planning this trip I thought Bon Jovi would be the thing I'd look forward to and New York would be the bonus, if you know what I mean?

So I'm looking forward to completely different things as compared to 2008 when me and Thierry were absolutely psyched for the show in Frankfurt. Ever since we made plans to do Frankfurt (which was a last, erm, week decision), we were having fun on MSN and just cracking jokes about nothing in particular. There was talk on how Richie played this, Thierry pretty much showing me every YouTube video available and on how they changed arrangements etcetera. None of that is there now. We're not experiencing the same buzz like we used to have.

Saying I should not complain about ticketprices for the O2 simply because I can afford Giants makes no sense to me. I don't get that at all. I'm not seeing them in New Jersey "because I think the O2 Arena is too expensive". I'm seeing them in New Jersey because this will most likely be the last time I'll be able to have time off to do it, and because I'd always wanted to see New York and Canada. I'm not flying to America out of a protest for the O2 shows, because that'd make no sense at all and I don't understand why you seem to think so.

Salaam Aleikum,
Sebastiaan

I can understand your feelings.
I started the same discussion shortly after the release of TC on some german fan boards. I'll try to translate a few of my toughts and write them down here.
For me it begins with the last releases. Exspecially "Lost Highway" and a big part "The Circle" didn't grab my attention. I'm not a fan who dislikes all the post-2000 albums but most of these records is played a way too safe and too radio-friendly. When I see the potential which David (musicals) and Richie (guest-performance by BB King before TC) show, it really hurts. I can't understand, how these great musicians can be satisfied with a song like WWBTF and talk about it like it is some of the best songs they've ever done.

Another point is, when I hear all this talking about "we are a band for all generations,...", I sometimes think if they really have an idea of what they are talking about because when you look at these high ticket prices, you can't be serious about it. I'm a student and I'm lucky if I can visit one of their concerts. But you know, it's a lot more fun, when you go to a concert with good friends and have a great show/night. So when I go to a friend and ask her/him if she/he wants to come with me to a Bon Jovi show, she/he will ask about the prices and will surely be shocked by my answer. Not only pupils or students can't pay these ticket prices for a more or less good place in the arena, even people who work, don't accept to pay these prices of 100+x €/$. By the way I want to point out that I went to AC/DC or Bruce and that I paid nearly 80 €, but there are price-categories and price-developments, I can follow in some way.
The "too-safe-argument" which I use before, can be named for their live-performances as well. When you ask me about my favorite musicians or music groups, it comes down to three names: Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen and Die Toten Hosen (great german band, maybe I will present them in the other music-section some day ). The last two, Bruce and DTH, always give their audiences 120% of energy and passion and you have the feeling, that they are kind of thankful to have the possibility to perform in front of you. Luckily I attend to some true magical Jovi shows (Düsseldorf 2006, Munich 2006/08 ) where I honestly think that the band has the feelings, which I describe before. But when I see the MSG DVD and Jons gestic, when he looked back to the audience at the end of the show and touched his heart, I don't see this gratitude and for me it feels like he was acting. It all seems like a play where every song or mimic is planed step by step before. Bruce for example feels the audiences and their reactions during the show and reacts spontaneous with some setlist changes. That's a lot closer to my definition of a rock'n'roll show.

I hope I will see them on the road in the year 2011 and that I will find my faith in this band again.


PS: When somebody here wants to read the text, which I posted on the german fan boards, you can write me a pm and I will send it to you.