You guys are a terrific bunch - but do you think about us?

One of the pleasures of being a Bon Jovi fan is sharing their fantastic community of fans. You can't tell me there's no better fan community than Bon Jovi ones. We've been behind the band forever - and it's always a pleasure to meet new Bon Jovi fans. I get happy to hear when Bon Jovi visits your town and you get to see them. How many time's is that now? 5, 11, 25?? Bet you must be really lucky to have seen so many Bon Jovi concerts.

Me? Well I'm from South Africa. And on behalf of everyone else here, and perhaps New Zealand; Mexico and the residents on the moon, I'd just like to say I'm very disappointed.

Why? Okay so what - it's been like, 7, 8 years since we lot last saw them? It's just not fair.

I know Bon Jovi do not do the massive 250 plus shows like before and I don't want them to...it's very tough and crazy to do that now. But how come we lot always miss out? Australia were very lucky to have BJ there. Otherwise you and I both know ordinarily BJ would not tour there these days (funny - "These Days" was the last tour that incorporated South Africa, Australia, India etc.)

All I'm saying is that share some of that Bon Jovi magic around - the Crush and Bounce tours were so close together that barely not enough time had passed since some of you saw them again. Hey, like I said I'm thrilled for those of you who had a chance to see the guys.

But it's the same places over and over again. Everyone knows that East Rutherford will always be last 2 dates, and in August. Heck, when the next BJ world tour comes around we'll all be able to predict the dates - they'll be the same as before. Instead of doing 8 or so shows in Japan on 2 separate trips, why not include South Africa, New Zealand and Australia instead of that 2nd trip to Asia???

In South Africa, Bon Jovi is probably the best supported rock group ever, even behind U2, And we don't attract the 15 000 or 18 000 'capacity' crowd - we have outdoor concerts in massive stadiums - 40 000 to 50 000 is the norm for a Bon Jovi concert in South Africa - that's what happened last time they were here in 1995 (For those interested in facts and statistics, BJ still hold the record for a Western act in Durban with an attendance of 44 000; while they were one of the few acts to sell all the stadiums out throughout the South African tour)

I'm sorry for ranting and raving, but there'a s a voice that has to be heard and it's that Bon Jovi are still the world's biggest band - let's see them spread that image around a bit moer, hey?

i really understand you- if i would live there as a bj fan i'd also be very disappointed- actually i think there are 2 reasons: 1. an economical one and 2. a physical one

ad 1.: there's nowhere else in africa they could play- so they'd have to ship their huge stages to the RSA for one or two concerts- here in europe they do about 10+ concerts with audiences from 40.000- 80.000 or even more- the cheapest tickets here are 50€ or 55$- the most expensive ones 200€+ so economically over here it's very good for them- the venues are located near (compared to the US), many ppl come and pay a hell lot of money- in South Africa i doubt that 40,000+ ppl would come if they set the ticket prise as high as over here, so that they'd get less from the ticket sale and have to pay more for shipping and logistic stuff- and this just for at the most 3 concerts- the same goes for india and south america i think....

ad 2.: you know- it's ****ing hot down there in bombay they played 90 mins and then they were done- this isn't really a nice setting, is it?

but though i hope that you'll get lucky and you get to see them!

I hope this too. But:

1. There's winter in India, South Africa, NZ, Australia, South America and the rest of the southern part of Earth, too. Just like there is summer in Finland (yes, it's true).

2. Business men they are, and nothing can change that fact, but... is it all about money? They have that plenty already. Respect? Lacking still a bit. The biggest band in the world-title (OWN)? Missing that.

Next tour: a few concerts (at least!) in China, India, NZ, Australia, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, Mexico, a dozen countries in Europe (incl. Russia) they didn't play.

And few less in North America. Is this too much to ask for?

yep- i fear that's too much to ask for

Even if you live in North America, it doesn't mean that the band will play your hometown or even your state. They barely touch ground in the region of the country where I live. So, I do sympathize with those people who live in places the band never/rarely plays.

Becky

Hey thanks for the replies. I'll be the last one to knock the guys down and this isn't what I'm doing, but hey, tour in winter or summer or whatever -

I understand the economical aspect but certainly don't agree with it. Time and again we've heatd them say "it doesn't make a difference if we play to 100 000 or 100 people - we give off the same energy" I'm a believer in those words and people here are starved of international groups so if Bon Jovi or U2 or Bryan Adams come down, people will go. Sure, even if it means buying the cheapest tickets to sit right in the back, they'll go.

Me - I don't care what the price is - I'm buying the golden circle tickets no matter. My sister is thinking about starting a family, and she told her husband even if she's 9 months pregnant when BJ come down, she'll go!
Trust me, people will go see Bon Jovi - they're legendary over here, and in places like India, Finland, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, China.

Here's what i think should happen: by all means the band must take a break - 2 months or something. Then if the proposed new album is released later this year, the acoustic hits one, then do a small scale tour, play the main venues like East Rutherford, London, Munich, L.A., New York, Osaka, Tokyo - but then include South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, maybe do shows in Mexico, Brazil, Finland, Russia. Hey, it'll definitely get the album to sell more copies!

Thanks guys, for being so understanding.

Aloha !

It might be an economical aspect, but then again, why is Bryan Adams, who's far behind Bon Jovi in popularity, able to tour India and South Africa that much ?

Bryan Adams gave

17 Concerts in Canada
11 Concerts in Australia
06 Concerts in Japan
13 Concerts in the USA
11 Concerts in Europe

Then took one month off and continued

05 Concerts in the rest of Europe like Zagreb, St. Petersburg, Kiev etc.
04 Concerts in the middle east, of which one was cancelled
08 Concerts in West Canada

Now Bryan Adams is from Canada, which explains why he's performing so much over there, but exchange Canada for the USA to compare it with Bon Jovi, since they're from the USA. Now the economical and popularity stuff doesn't make much sense anymore huh ?

Bon Jovi would never be able to tour this heavily since Jon's voice simply can't handle it anymore, we all know that, but at least they could give the entire world really a world tour, not something like the Bounce tour. I'm not saying the Bounce tour wasn't great, it really was great, but it wasn't a world tour. What Bryan Adams, The Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney do was giving a world tour.

Yes, Bon Jovi have families, but then again, take a month off between each continent you're touring. Plus that school going kids do have holidays, and when I was a kid I travelled around the world a lot during the summer holidays, which I liked very much, so I doubt if their kids would mind that.

Salaam Aleikum,
Sebastiaan

Here we go again.
While there are legitimate points to all of the posts, I take offense to the presumption that 'Jon's voice can't handle it' - that's bullshit.
However, now that he has trained his voice and does take better care of it, they plan their concert tours more carefully now. And that means scheduling the right number of shows in a row. Taking days off. Not killing themselves. Not going on marathon tours.
So if you choose to use this common-sense approach the band has taken to planning their touring schedules to bolster your opinion that Jon's voice is shot, so be it. But that's just convenient.
It's a catch 22.
If they don't do a massive tour, it's because they suck.
If they do a massive tour, and it's done the way it was in the 80s they will literally drop dead.
If they do a massive tour, and it's done the way they do tours now - spread out over time, they'll be away from home for 2 years. Sorry, but I'd rather see my kids grown up. These are grown men with lives and families outside the music world - it's selfish of me to want them to do nothing but tour the world to make all of us happy. It's disappointing that they miss lots of big markets.
And the money thing? Enough already.
Everytime the money issue comes up, even if it's legitimate, the whining about 'they have enough money' is tossed about 'it's all about the money.' Again, if that's the excuse you want to bolster your opinion and make you feel better about the demands and expectations you personally put upon the band, have fun. But time and time again, people have posted things about touring we don't have access to like salaries and how many people and buses and trucks and hotels and travel and building stages around the world. But it's easier to demonize the band and say they're after your money.

@ singh: i really do think that the acoustic album would be a reason to do smaller venues and places they haven't played for a long time- like south africa... unplugged things are always a very intimate and special thing which doesn't take a huge stage and a gigantic show for it's less about entertaining and more about the music- but though i fear that they won't tour accoustically or promote this album as much as they do it with studio albums- but thats just an oppinion which is hopefully wrong

@ supersonic: bryan adams tours to have fun- bon jovi tours to promote themselves (i mean their albums) so that they augmaunt their fan base and so that they still can make these tours in front of 40.000- 80.000 ppl- bryan adams in opposite to that goes like "i've done it all- had my big #1's and played in front of 100.000 crowds- i'm done with that now let there just be fun" - bj still don't want to go down on their popularity level... i've seen both of them live this year and this is what i think after these shows- again- this is just an oppinion which mustn't be correct just cause i say so

Didn't you warn me about trying to use logic?

Becky