I think missing Richie was a part of 2013 and finishing the tour - the energy lagged but with each show they seemed to be moving on bit by bit. If you've lived more than a couple of decades you know that emotional distress will effect the physical - so yes - in 2013 perhaps that was a part - but not anymore. Plus, Tico getting sick when it was maybe becoming the new normal threw another issue. They do seem to be having a good time now, at least Phil is- I don't sense any sadness or longing - I've not had time to watch the videos yet but after reading some of the reviews I hope I hear better than I am expecting, but it's imo physical now and has been since late 2013 and nothing to do with Richie. It could be confidence lagging - in his own ability however.


SweetMisery asks: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The question is, do casuals(majority of concert goers) notice or even bothered? Or just us hardcores?


I wanted to say it depends on how many beers you've had before the show starts.... but seriously - I don't think casuals and even some hardcores notice. Most people, myself included go to enjoy the moment, I'm more prone to be critical watching a video than live because there is so much more to the moment than one voice. When you see a majority of negative, especially from casuals then you know it was a clusterF....... If people who pay good money walk out - you have a serious problem. So far, at least the general social media I read, that's not happening yet.

Anyone else remember when Steven Tyler was having vocal issues and he had vocal cord surgery? Made a big improvement for him - can't help but wonder if that may be in Jon's future because I don't think he wants or is ready to stop.

Most causal fan don't remember the good old days. They are going with the moment and just want to have a good time... The Band, The stage, the lights, JBJ the star, is all part of it... The voice is just a fraction of it... Sure they know it doesn't sound like the record but as long as everything is lined up, they'll accept it...Jon knows all this and just simplifies his songs... that's how he gets away with it all...

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In one interview during the THINFS promo period Jon had addressed his problems and said that the 2013 stress had manifested itself in physical ways that prevent him from singing to the best of his capabilities. I have no idea what he meant exactly by that but it would explain why the quality of his singing varies so much and why he hits certain notes no one would expect. There's still some more range left that he can consistantly show.

People are exaggerating, as they always do. Jon's voice is crap, but it's no worse than usual. If anything I'd say this a slight improvement over this years tour. TD sounded fine, BM sounded fine, so did Saturday Night, so did Runaway and BOR.

I don't know what everyone was expecting? For his voice to suddenly roll back to 2011 level? Not gonna happen.

Interesting to note that Jon's ditched the guitar in a bunch of songs, including Wanted, IBTFY, Runaway, Sleep etc.

Not to mention that this is the best setlist we've had in AGES. I never thought IBTFY, BOR, ITA and TD would all be played at the same show again. I think all of this negativity is unwarranted... if anything this show was an IMPROVEMENT and people are still complaining.

I think you should get your ears checked. He sounds like shit and he is nailed to the floor with zero stage presence. He has no power or confidence in his voice anymore. Time to call it quits, painful for me to say as well as this band has given me a lot since 1995.

If they tour Europe next year with these vocals, I'm definitely not spending cash on this.

TD gets slowed down so he's able to sing it and he still issues with the notes and that's same shit different day? No, slowing down tempos does not indicate it's business as usual.

I'll be There For You is just sad.

I just feel so sad about all the exposure he will get in the Festivals here in Brazil next month. The pro-shots of all this failure will sure hurt him and the band.

I think I have some kind of divided-heart syndrome. In one side, I'm really happy the band is still trying, releasing new music that I enjoy, and that I will be able to see these guys again in less than a month know that, no matter what, I'm going to have a good time because it's Bon Jovi. On the other side, I'm ashamed to show this to any of my friends. Really, how can I show them this "These Days" and say that this is the best band that I've seen live and that they should go to see them no matter what? I don't know if most casual fans will notice in the show, because there's the excitement, the lights, the people singing alone, and the show itself; but you'd need to be deaf to watch (and hear) a YouTube video like this one and not notice the detriment of Jon's voice and the current state of the overall band's live performance.

That been side, that Bed of Roses is pretty decent.

I also think that's the case now - Jon's suffering from serious confidence issues and therefor seems to have a "lock" in his gut/chest, which makes his voice sound extremely forced. He probably still has the range he had in '08-'11 (or even more, as is shown on the KTF video from Singapore '15 where he suddenly belts out a pretty strong high C# - the "YEAH yeah yeah" that he had never sung in key since Amsterdam '05 - with his old, chesty technique I assumed he had lost for good after the Bounce tour). The voice is clearly still there, but right now it seems like Jon can't "get it out" properly.

As a proof, check out the note he hits at 3:00 - it's insanely high and perfectly in key while definitely NOT being auto-tuned:

https://youtu.be/jahOp-4Rqqw (Keep The Faith, Singapore 2015)

Poor Jon - at one moment he's hitting '96-level notes with seemingly no problem and at another he can't sing Captain Crash in key... I'm afraid he's just way too worried about failing. Whenever he thinks he's going to f*** up vocally, he ends up doing so.