Jon touring in '97?
 

I'm arguing with this girl online and I'm trying to figure out how much truth there is in what she's saying. Hopefully you guys can lend a hand.

"if you're talking about the whole them opening part, I swear to you!

1997. Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. I was like 14 and was really into the whole boyband thing (yeah, I know...but hey...) so I was all about seeing 98 degrees. The local radion station was having a "birthday bash concert" and they had a list of people performing. The only ones I can remember were Bon Jovi, Ace of Base, and 98 degrees. Bon Jovi goes on first and performs 4 or 5 songs, and 98 degrees followed them out.

I'm not Bon Jovi fan by any means, but even then as a boy band loving teenager, I knew that that seemed very, very wrong."

I'm not buying it, obviously cuz the band wasn't even touring in '97 so it'd have to be just Jon. anyone?

no, it was supposed to be a Jon solo appearance but it turned into a whole band event.
I have an issue of Metal Edge where they gave a brief story on this, but i remember it.
I'll try and find it and post it on here.

ok here it is, but I think it was in '98 not '97 since this was on Metal Edge's 1998 year in review magazine:

What started as a solo appearance by Jon Bon Jovi blossomed into a full band event (minus keyboardist David Bryan) on Oct. 24, when- for the first time in four years - Bon Jovi performed live, at radio station Y-100's 25th anniversary concert at the National Car Rental Arena in Sunset Fl. The first to appear on a bill that also included Ace of base and Fastball, Jon, Richie Sambora, Tico torres, Hugh McDonald, and a fill-in keysman treated the audience to an hour of songs including "You Give Love a Bad Name", "Keep The Faith", "Blood on Blood", "Someday I'll be Saturday Night", "Wanted Dead or Alive", "I'll Sleep when I'm Dead", "Bad Medicine", the Rolling Stones' "Not Fade Away", and in the encore "Livin on a Prayer". jon told the crowd that they can look forward to a "great rock'n'roll album next year." The band also met fans at the local Planet Hollywood, taking questions and performing a set that included "Keep the Faith", "Blood on Blood", "Let's make it Baby", and "Ugly" (1-4). Prior to the concert, accomplished artist and sculptor Tico attended the Chris Evert Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classis at the Delray Tennis Center, where he cast Chris' hands in bronze (5) and Jon posed with Vandra Yaeger (6).

I think this is the one though it doesn't mention anything about 98 degrees, also that's the only place where I can find any report that the band has played another jon solo song, and that being Ugly.
No one has ever confirmed that to me.

Well I'll be damned. She wasn't lying. Oops. Thanks!

They did a fan club trip for this event. Before the show, they had a private party and the band actually played Let's Make It Baby.

Becky

It sounds like a Radio show not a proper gig. Jon done a few of those when DA came out.