Jon solo live in Florida in July?

And I can't tell of you're serious or not. It's going to be more or less the exact same sets as he has been doing this past year. "classic rock songs and Bon Jovi hits" soooo.... Who says you can't go home, teenage wasteland, pretty woman etc.

I'm serious, but not on a "ooh, super rarities" level or anything like that. This is the first time in a very long time that JBJ is doing a straight solo-show (not charity or fan club or Tiger Jam or corporate or etc.) and I wonder if that's a portent of things to come.

Lorenza tweeted that she's doing more shows with Jon this summer so it looks like it!

I'm going! I got my tickets this morning, what a nice surprise.

Crossing my fingers for something from Destination Anywhere but not expecting anything.

I doubt it will be all that different from the Vegas show.

Aloha !

Well yeah, Richie won't be available and Jon wants to do shows but can't sell the idea of Bon Jovi touring without Richie, plus he makes more money this way as well as he doesn't have to split it up according to the rules that apply for Bon Jovi the band. I still don't understand why he works with such average musicians when he's in a position to get the best of the best.

Salaam Aleikum,
Sebastiaan

Seb, I agree with you 100% here.

You've already answered you question he can pay them less and take more

He just wants them to have as much quality as his own voice currently has.

You can accuse me of being a blind follower but honestly, I do not think that is what is going on here. Jon is comfortable playing and singing with people that he knows and trusts - they may not be the best musicians that money can buy but I think he values other things about them.

Bruce has done the same thing - why did he hire Max Wineberg's son to play drums last tour? The kid was 18 years old; it wasn't because he was such an awesome and well known drummer. Bruce himself said that Jay knew Bruce's music better than anyone else he could hire - he was family.

Bruce did the same thing this tour by hiring Clarence Clemons nephew Jake. Is he the best saxophonist that he could find? I doubt it - but he was family.

To Jon - Bobby is family - they have been playing together since the very late 80's at least. That's 22 years and counting. Lorenza has been playing with Jon since the late 90's and apparently it's a comfortable musical relationship. Are they the best he could get - of course not but I doubt that Jon wants to hire pickup musicians to go and play with. Look what he did on the solo tour with The Big Dogs - pretty much the same people.