During a recent interview with a couple of Bon Jovi's band members -- guitarist Richie Sambora and drummer Tico Torres -- they contemplated the thought of playing a concert in a venue that was not a stadium or arena. Something smaller, more intimate, perhaps?
They're not interested. "It's fun to see people's faces and do the whole thing," Torres said. "To be honest with you, you work all your life to play for as many people as you can." (JBJ told me last summer: "Stadiums are just what we do.")
Wednesday night, Bon Jovi will be playing another stadium -- the Bryce Jordan Center at Penn State University in University Park, Pa. -- but they won't be able to see at least some of the faces watching them: The show, which kicks off the latest leg of the megaband's megatour, will be streamed live on the Web, and you can watch it here at suntimes.com. A pre-show starts at 6:30 p.m,, and the show's at 7:30.
In other Bon Jovi news: Chicago suburban band 7th Heaven won a contest and opened for one of the Bon Jovi's Soldier Field shows last summer. Now they're going for it again. The band has entered another contest to select opening acts for Bon Jovi's two more upcoming Chicago shows -- March 8-9 at United Center -- and has again been selected among the 24 finalists. Fans can vote for the finalists here.
The musical growth rate of Bon Jovi cannot even be charted. This band is still treading water in a sea of mediocrity, bombastic hair-metal, impotent power ballads, trite lyrics, predictable chord changes, and bad poetry. The singing voice of Jon Bon Jovi is as grating as it is shrill, and yet it is still somewhat superior to his abilities as an actor. The fact that Bon Jovi has retained some of the popularity since their 1980's peak is a testament to the poor judgment and bad taste that defines so many unenlightened Americans. If you are truly interested in seeing a New Jersey rock band perform live with both talent and integrity, purchase a copy of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band -London Calling on DVD (2010).
Paul Haider, Chicago
I lived several years in Freehold NJ, so bon jovi is close to my heart.
The jealousy from bitter men, who failed their own in life, toward a music group that obtains tremendous success amuses me. You may as well just write "he sucks because I'm not him"