The Bon Jovi Setlist Paradox!

I've been a BJ fan since 1986 and have seen them 15 times so far, so I think I have the credentials to comment on this;

NO-ONE LIKES THE SETLISTS!!!!

Having been a member of this board for a few years and been tracking the setlists for all that time it's been interesting to note that none of us like what they play.

No, thats wrong, we love what they play - BUT - it could be a whole lot better.
So, it got me thinking - why is that?

Here is my answer - what do you think?
I think BJ basically gear their setlists for the casual fan. I also think that 'These Days' rocked Jon because it was his most personal and creative record and yet it bombed. Ask any dedicated BJ fan and they will wax lyrical about what a great CD it is but ask any casual fan and they will go'Huh?'. It's since the 'These Days' tour that BJ have metamorphasised into this 'party rock' band - almost as if Jon said 'Well, I beared my soul, you didn't like it, so I've only got one thing to say, Is there a doctor in the house?!'

The 'These Days' tour was the last great tour they did. It wasn't a 'party rock' tour. They played songs like 'Dry County', 'In These Arms (regularly), 'Something to Believe In', 'I Believe', 'Diamond Ring', 'Hey God', and plenty of others. It had acoustic sections- anyone remember how good the acoustic version of 'I'd Die For You'? and lasted a good 2 1/2 hours with good chat from Jon.

You just don't get that these days (no pun intended)

Obviously with a band like BJ who has such a large back catalogue you can't please everyone but the last few tours - 'Crush', 'One Wild Night' and most parts of the 'Bounce' tour so far have been uninspiring and SAFE.

I'll still be there at Wolverhampton but I just hope that I'm not standing there like the last two times predicting whats going to come next and speaking Jon's lines as he says them!

When Jon changes the setlist the people moan "why don't they play KTF anymore " for example. If he doesn't change it it is "always the same songs".

So what do you want? I don't get it.

This bit I have to agree with! It's been the same lines for quite a while now.

If you read my message I think it's fairly obvious what I want! However, I spell it out! I want a more interesting set list with the party rock songs (Bad Medicine, Sleep When I'm Dead etc) gone and their really classy songs like 'These Days', 'Wild Is the Wind', 'Dry County', 'I Believe' and 'Something to Believe In' in there.

Also, would be nice to hear Jon speak to the crowd from the heart, maybe about the songs, history etc and not just the same old intros.

Hope thats clear?

Y*A*W*N*.... never gets old, does it?

It's not about letting songs out...it's about bringing new song in.

I mean every fan,and when i say every i mean EVERY fan want DRY COUNTY,THESE DAYS or SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN. Most of the fans want HOMEBOUND TRAIN and IN AND OUT OF LOVE or SOCIAL DISEASE or HEY GOD and a lot of fans want IF I WAS YOUR MOTHER,FEAR or BLAME IT ON THE LOVE OF ROCK 'n' ROLL.

Nobody wants to leave KTF or LYHOM out. They were the highlists of each tour...how can they let them out?


I don't understand BJ. I mean what happened. They seem to be bored ... not having any fun to play. I don't like it. I hope they split up for a while and I am stil alove when they reband!

I completely agree with your post. Most or all of us on here are hard core fans and their setlists are geared toward the casual fan. I guess when they have had so many hits, they have to play them to please the masses. I did luck out at a show in 2001. It was in a smaller city in Michigan where the hard core fans traveled from Chicago and Detroit. The band probably knew this would be the case so they did sway from the setlist by playing Damned, Homebound Train, Livin in Sin and a couple others I rarely hear anymore. Other than that its been the same. And I know this is the ongoing complaint on here. I wish we could solve it!

yes but that's because in "changing" the setlist he/they generally drop/s KTF but does not replace it with anything...

I'm sorry but I don't want Something To Believe In, so not every fan wants that particular one

No, it's because he drops KTF and he DOES replace it... with I Got The Girl.