Let's face it: I absolutely love Whole Lot Of Leavin' and certainly don't mind it being a live standard. What I don't like is the fact that they're opening the encore with a song that's basically an inferior re-creation of a track already played earlier in the show. That said, I don't really mind it on the album (although it's definitely the weakest song on the album and one of the most boring songs BJ has ever released - She's A Mystery takes the crown), but in concert it just drags and feels extremely anti-climatic, much like Wildflower on the HAND tour. It's a complete filler on the album and a perfect moment for a piss break in concert.

PS. It's way too country for my personal taste. I prefer them opening the encore with either a classic/fan favorite like Always, Dry County or Saturday Night. Love's The Only Rule (with the extended middle part) would be great, too.

I was at that show and remember Jon struggling mightily on These Days.

My main gripe is why the band cares so much about what the audience wants to hear. The band should play what THEY want to play, tough shit if the audience doesn't respond well to a particular song. I mean, obviously you gotta play the huge hits at every show, but all the filler songs/album cuts should be rotated.

"American audiences don't respond well to songs off These Days"

Stupidest argument ever from Jon. Again, who cares what the audience and casuals think, throw the diehards some bones every night, you know, the ones who got you this far..

1) Jon already does. Hence, WLOL, LH, Sleep and a few others never leaving the setlist for more than 5 shows or so... Halleluja (instead of a Jovi ballad) was another great example of this.
2) That's not an argument. That's an excuse Jon uses because HE doesn't like playing most of those songs.

Agreed with above. Jon is doing exactly what you want him to do, he's just not choosing the songs you want him to want to play. For whatever reason those are the songs he feels a connection with or else he wouldn't do them over and over and over and over again.

Yep, the songs he does take the "to hell with if they like it or not" stance aren't necessarily the songs we want to hear because they don't change much. I'm just glad in that bunch is still the new record. There are 12 shows left and THINFS songs are still going strong. :)

You know what, yah! I never thought of it like that. None of the songs he's choosing are bad songs by any stretch. It's the amount of tours that get to me. If they were sprinkled in as a rotation with others I would love to hear them probably.

I never thought of it like that either. I guess they are playing the songs they want to play. Lol. But there's still no excuse not to give the diehards a rarity each night in appreciation for years of support, so what if the casuals use it for a piss break!

I couldn't agree more. The last tour or two the songs from the newest record disappeared way too fast in my opinion. By the end of the tour we were luck to get 2 or 3 new songs. What Jon is doing now with the new record is how it should be done in my opinion.

That said, he could certainly mix up the rest of the show a bit more. I get that there a lot of songs that people think HAVE to be played but even those could be rotated.

That encore sucks

I remember when the encores were amazing... These are the encores from a few shows I've seen.

Encore:
(It's Hard) Letting You Go
Something to Believe In
Hey God

Encore 2:
Drift Away (Dobie Gray cover) (Tico Torres on back vocals)
Always
My Guitar Lies Bleeding in My Arms
These Days

Encore 3:
Wild in the Streets
Livin' on a Prayer

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Encore:
Two Story Town
Blood on Blood
Wanted Dead or Alive

Encore 2:
These Days
Keep the Faith (with Sympathy for the Devil)

Encore 3:
Next 100 Years
Thank You for Loving Me

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Encore:
I Got the Girl
Blood on Blood
Lola (The Kinks cover) (with Ray Davies)
Bad Medicine
Shout (The Isley Brothers cover)

Encore 2:
These Days
Captain Crash & the Beauty Queen From Mars
Twist and Shout (The Top Notes cover)

Encore 3:
Never Say Goodbye (Acoustic)

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Encore:
Dry County
Wanted Dead or Alive
Someday I'll Be Saturday Night
Livin' on a Prayer

Encore 2:
Always
These Days
Blood on Blood

Encore 3:
I Love This Town

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Encore:
Dry County
Wanted Dead or Alive
In These Arms
Happy Now
Have a Nice Day
Livin' on a Prayer

Encore 2:
Always
Blood on Blood


My point is the encore needs to be epic. Not always lots of songs but certainly better than what we are seeing at present.