Bit more understanding for setlists
 

After watching the documentary, I do have a bit more of an understanding as far as the setlists go. Jon talked abit about it, and it makes sense.

Most of us on here obviously would love to hear a whole bunch of rarities. However, we are the minority. Jon has to appeal to a wide age of fans, most who want to hear the hits. And let's face it - They have a lot of hits. Which in turn only leaves so much room for the rarities.

OK, so you're Jon and you've got your hits that you MUST play. Now, you know that you've got to pick a rare song or 2 to appease the die hards, without losing the rest of the crowd. I'd love to hear Wild Is The Wind. How will that go over on the rest of the crowd? Perhaps there is your reason for hearing Captain Crash or I Got The Girl. They're upbeat songs.

See what I mean?

A lot is made about a band like Pearl Jam who is constantly changing their show. However, they don't appeal to nearly the wide range that Bon Jovi does.

I've been hard on the band when it comes to set lists as well, but when you think about what Jon has to do, it really does make a bit more sense.

Aloha !

What Jon says in the documentary is that he's a lazy ****er and doesn't like the fact that he has to work to win an audience over. Jon knows that people will be happy if he plays Prayer and Bad Name so he takes the easy route.

He performs new songs that no one in his audience knows yet claims that if he'd play a more rare track like Wild Is The Wind he'd lose a bit of his audience? There are more people who have bought New Jersey than they've bought the latest album?

All this rubbish on how he doesn't like the lul at the shows yet he shoved the This Left Feels Right version of Bed Of Roses down our throat. It doesn't make any sense at all.

Salaam Aleikum,
Sebastiaan

That's a good point about TLFR.

The thing with New Jersey is, though more people bought it, not all those people are at the show. Not all the fans they have today are the same fans they had in the 80's. They've got younger fans, as well as older fans who became fans after either It's My Life or Who Says...? I'd say it's a safe bet that at least 50% of the audience has never heard anything other than the singles off of New Jersey.

Yeah, you have to give Jon credit for that. But I also think a band can "train" their audiences... if they would play songs like "Diamond Ring" or "Wild Is The Wind" or "Dry County" or "Hey God" (I could go on), songs which I think are not known to many random concert goers, they would help painting the picture that Bon Jovi is. They are their hits, but they are also these awesome album tracks. You know what I mean? I sometimes think they are a bit afraid of losing people with playing rarities, but they wouldn't be rarities if being played constantly. In the end, a good song is a good song.

I agree. Good points.

I think Jon's afraid that the random concert goer will walk out and say "I can't believe they didn't play ......" I've been guilty of doing that myself.

Youre saying Jon shouldnt pick Prayer and Bad Name for every setlist? :o

I know quite a few people who are music fans not BJ fans and they do own New Jersey, Keep The Faith and also These Days. I think that if Jon decided to play a few more off these albums he'd please quite alot of the audience not just the die hards.

Here's the thing though: Us diehards will be happy with one or two gems/rarities in a set. The casual fans will go home happy as long as they get Prayer, It's My Life, Wanted, and maybe a couple of others depending on where the show is. The number of songs that "need" to be played at every gig is quite small. Even if you add songs from whatever the current album happens to be, you've still got plenty of room to mix up sets and chuck in a bone for the diehards.

If Jovi delivered an exciting, coherent, artistic show then wtf would be the problem with missing Prayer out?

Just listen to the crowd, man. Reactions on rarities such as DC or Wild is the wind are huge compared to the ones on supposed hits such as Who says or Everyday.

And anyway there are also a few win-win songs that would satisfy both hit seekers and die hards begging for rarities, such as Never Say Goodbye or This Ain't a Love Song.

Ponrauil