Bon Jovi- Atlanta

[Harvester]

Jen & I went to see Bon Jovi last night. My observations:

*Show was sold-out.
*Of the 18,000+, I'd guess that 70% were female. I have never seen so many cougars in all of my life.
*Jon is an old school rock star. He is one cocky bastard and knows how to command a stage. He sounded great.
*Richie was awesome. It's one of the few times that I was hoping for a guitar solo (didn't happen).
*I was a bit surprised they had a rythm guitarist for the entire set. They also brought a female fiddle player up for a few tunes.
*While the Cohen cover was really good, I would have rather heard a Bon Jovi ballad instead. "Always" would have been nice instead.
*Work for the Working Man sucks on both disc and live.
*I'm too damn old to be going to shows on weeknights.
*Having the arena sing the first verse/chorus to "Wanted" was *awesome.*
*It was a great show.

Setlist:

Blood on Blood
We Weren't Born to Follow
You Give Love a Bad Name
Whole Lot of Leavin'
Born to Be My Baby
Lost Highway [feat. Lorenza Ponce]
When We Were Beautiful
Superman Tonight
We Got It Goin' On
Bad Medicine w/ Bad Case of Loving You [Robert Palmer cover]
It's My Life
Lay Your Hands on Me [Richie Sambora on lead vocals]
Hallelujah [Leonard Cohen cover, feat. Lorenza Ponce]
I'll Be There For You
Something for the Pain [acoustic]
Keep the Faith
Work for the Working Man
Who Says You Can't Go Home [feat. Lorenza Ponce]
Someday I'll Be Saturday Night
Love's the Only Rule

ENCORE:
Runaway
Wanted Dead or Alive
Livin' on a Prayer

 

[Locust0311]

*I'm too damn old to be going to shows on weeknights.

This. I'm still recovering from Death Angel on Tuesday. It was awesome mind you, but I was a zombie the next day and half a zombie the next. Maybe I'm down to a quarter zombie today.

 

[Guardian of the Blind]

That's cool they opened with Blood on Blood. I really like that song and I have never seen it live.

I thought they were playing more songs off the first 2 CDs besides Runaway?? This setlist doesn't get my hopes up for this summer's show.

 

[Harvester]

I thought they were playing more songs off the first 2 CDs besides Runaway?? This setlist doesn't get my hopes up for this summer's show.

I read they dropped the rare stuff after the first few shows due to a lack of audience reaction. The cougars want the new shit. It makes sense that they cater to the 85% that only started listening to the band after Slippery.

 

[Matt Crooks]

Setlist:

Blood on Blood
We Weren't Born to Follow
You Give Love a Bad Name
Whole Lot of Leavin'
Born to Be My Baby
Lost Highway [feat. Lorenza Ponce]
When We Were Beautiful
Superman Tonight
We Got It Goin' On
Bad Medicine w/ Bad Case of Loving You [Robert Palmer cover]
It's My Life
Lay Your Hands on Me [Richie Sambora on lead vocals]
Hallelujah [Leonard Cohen cover, feat. Lorenza Ponce]
I'll Be There For You
Something for the Pain [acoustic]
Keep the Faith
Work for the Working Man
Who Says You Can't Go Home [feat. Lorenza Ponce]
Someday I'll Be Saturday Night
Love's the Only Rule

ENCORE:
Runaway
Wanted Dead or Alive
Livin' on a Prayer

This was the same set they played in DC. It was a good show, though I was disappointed they dropped the earlier stuff.

Bon Jovi is a very professional act, everything is perfectly rehearsed, but it lacks the fire and passion they had when I first saw them on the Slippery... tour.

 

[Bryant]

One thing I have said about Bon Jovi for many years that still holds true..... they have made some great music that has stood the test of time. Many of the more commercial bands from the 80's sound like shit when you listen to them today, but in my ears, many of Bon Jovi's "hits" still sound great. I have never been very big into the commercial metal (White Lion was an exception due to Vito Bratta's incredible guitar work) but I have always called them as I have seen them (or heard them really) and don't bother about what other people think. Bon Jovi won't make my top twenty favorite bands by a long shot, but I think they rock. Glad you had a good time.


Bryant

 

[edgeofthorns]

I read they dropped the rare stuff after the first few shows due to a lack of audience reaction. The cougars want the new shit. It makes sense that they cater to the 85% that only started listening to the band after Slippery.

That's total B.S. that they dropped the rare tunes. I love Bon Jovi, but I can't stand their catalog after Keep the Faith. I still wouln't mind seeing them live, but I feel like I'd be pretty disappointed.

~Brian~

 

[drmetal8]

Sounds like a great show. I've only seen Bon Jovi once before and the place was sold out and so loud, I couldn't even tell what the first song was.
(It was during that period where Jon decided to be an actor and he was getting really popular. Panties were getting wet when he hit the stage.)

 

[VenomGA]

Jen & I went to see Bon Jovi last night.
Setlist:

Blood on Blood
We Weren't Born to Follow
You Give Love a Bad Name
Whole Lot of Leavin'
Born to Be My Baby
Lost Highway [feat. Lorenza Ponce]
When We Were Beautiful
Superman Tonight
We Got It Goin' On
Bad Medicine w/ Bad Case of Loving You [Robert Palmer cover]
It's My Life
Lay Your Hands on Me [Richie Sambora on lead vocals]
Hallelujah [Leonard Cohen cover, feat. Lorenza Ponce]
I'll Be There For You
Something for the Pain [acoustic]
Keep the Faith
Work for the Working Man
Who Says You Can't Go Home [feat. Lorenza Ponce]
Someday I'll Be Saturday Night
Love's the Only Rule

ENCORE:
Runaway
Wanted Dead or Alive
Livin' on a Prayer

WOW Talk about a CRAP Setlist. Even my wife a HUGE Bon Jovi fan thought this was total crap...Glad we didn;t waste the money and time

 

[DTJeff]

I guess I'm in the minority here, but I think on this tour they've been playing a bunch of great songs they don't do terribly often. Just Blood on Blood and Born to Be My Baby in this set list, but I saw a set from California a few weeks ago where they also did Dry County, Bounce, If That's What it Takes, She Don't Know Me, Have a Nice Day, and The Hardest Part is the Night. That show actually would've been worth the price of the ticket for me.

 

[Guardian of the Blind]

I read they dropped the rare stuff after the first few shows due to a lack of audience reaction. The cougars want the new shit. It makes sense that they cater to the 85% that only started listening to the band after Slippery.

Unfortunately, I think this is the case. It's a shame that the old songs didn't go over well. Those are their best songs. But as Bryant stated above, Bon Jovi is still making CDs that sells and a shit load of people like it. I don't know anything about their record sells but I wouldn't be surprised if they are selling more CDs now than when they did in the 80's. When I seen them a few years ago, they would play Bad Medicine or Born to be my Baby and there were people around me that was like, 'What song is this or I've never heard this one'. And I was like WFT!! They just wanted to hear It's My Life or rocking with Rich and Tom and Jon and ....how ever the f*ck that songs goes like. But more power to them.

I always joke with my wife who is a huge Bon Jovi fan that this band has turned into a soccer mom band where older females can go out and think they still rock just because they got a babysitter that night. Now please don't take this wrong, it's just a joke I say and with Glenn calling them cougars is awesome. I'm going to have to use that tonight.

That's total B.S. that they dropped the rare tunes. I love Bon Jovi, but I can't stand their catalog after Keep the Faith.

Have you listened to These Days? I know that CD is different but after you listen to it a few times, it just clicks. At least it did for me and that might be my favorite CD from them if not second. Also, Crush is a decent CD. It does have their newer sound but the CD is really good.

I still wouln't mind seeing them live, but I feel like I'd be pretty disappointed.

If you haven't seen them before, I would definitely recommend it. They always put on a good show.

 

[Guardian of the Blind]

I guess I'm in the minority here, but I think on this tour they've been playing a bunch of great songs they don't do terribly often. Just Blood on Blood and Born to Be My Baby in this set list, but I saw a set from California a few weeks ago where they also did Dry County, Bounce, If That's What it Takes, She Don't Know Me, Have a Nice Day, and The Hardest Part is the Night. That show actually would've been worth the price of the ticket for me.

Those songs for me, would make the show worth the $100+ ticket price.

 

[VenomGA]

Unfortunately, I think this is the case. It's a shame that the old songs didn't go over well. Those are their best songs. But as Bryant stated above, Bon Jovi is still making CDs that sells and a shit load of people like it. I don't know anything about their record sells but I wouldn't be surprised if they are selling more CDs now than when they did in the 80's. When I seen them a few years ago, they would play Bad Medicine or Born to be my Baby and there were people around me that was like, 'What song is this or I've never heard this one'. And I was like WFT!! They just wanted to hear It's My Life or rocking with Rich and Tom and Jon and ....how ever the f*ck that songs goes like. But more power to them.

Let me give you some numbers then (all US sales):
Bon Jovi 1984 2XPlatinum
7800° Fahrenheit 1985 Platinum
Slippery When Wet 1986 12XPlatinum
New Jersey 1988 7XPlatinum
Keep the Faith 1992 2XPlatinum
These Days 1995 Platinum
Crush 2000 2XPlatinum
Bounce 2002 GOLD
Have a Nice Day 2005 Platinum
Lost Highway 2007 Platinum
The Circle 2009 GOLD

As you can see....their career as been in a bit of a tailspin for the last 15 years but yet their set list is catered to that time period. WHY???

 

[DTJeff]

Let me give you some numbers then (all US sales):
Bon Jovi 1984 2XPlatinum
7800° Fahrenheit 1985 Platinum
Slippery When Wet 1986 12XPlatinum
New Jersey 1988 7XPlatinum
Keep the Faith 1992 2XPlatinum
These Days 1995 Platinum
Crush 2000 2XPlatinum
Bounce 2002 GOLD
Have a Nice Day 2005 Platinum
Lost Highway 2007 Platinum
The Circle 2009 GOLD

As you can see....their career as been in a bit of a tailspin for the last 15 years but yet their set list is catered to that time period. WHY???

To be fair, due to the nature of the record industry, EVERYONE sells less records now than they used to. Anything that goes Gold today, you can pretty much figure would have gone Platinum ten years ago, and so on. I see your point though, the last couple of BJ discs haven't been incredibly well received and they're really pushing the shit out them live - though I guess that's their natural right and want as musicians. I'd almost rather see a band genuinely believe in their new material and WANT to play it, regardless of quality, than a band who has no faith in their new music, and just keeps pumping it out to go out on tour and continue to play the same dozen hits.

 

[VenomGA]

To be fair, due to the nature of the record industry, EVERYONE sells less records now than they used to. Anything that goes Gold today, you can pretty much figure would have gone Platinum ten years ago, and so on. I see your point though, the last couple of BJ discs haven't been incredibly well received and they're really pushing the shit out them live - though I guess that's their natural right and want as musicians. I'd almost rather see a band genuinely believe in their new material and WANT to play it, regardless of quality, than a band who has no faith in their new music, and just keeps pumping it out to go out on tour and continue to play the same dozen hits.

Ok, but even at the height of the bands career, they didn;t sell Keep the Faith or These Days...Explain that...THose albums came out in 1992 and 1995

 

[Guardian of the Blind]

Let me give you some numbers then (all US sales):
Bon Jovi 1984 2XPlatinum
7800° Fahrenheit 1985 Platinum
Slippery When Wet 1986 12XPlatinum
New Jersey 1988 7XPlatinum
Keep the Faith 1992 2XPlatinum
These Days 1995 Platinum
Crush 2000 2XPlatinum
Bounce 2002 GOLD
Have a Nice Day 2005 Platinum
Lost Highway 2007 Platinum
The Circle 2009 GOLD

As you can see....their career as been in a bit of a tailspin for the last 15 years but yet their set list is catered to that time period. WHY???

Thanks for the info. I would have guessed they would be selling a lot more CDs now. Maybe that's based on their setlist having so many new songs. Plus I swear, the last couple of times that I've seen them, they got better response to the newer songs than the older ones. But maybe that's just were I was sitting.

Now here's a potential stupid question, I'm assuming these include itunes and any other online music stores?

Slippery When Wet 1986 12XPlatinum - New Jersey 1988 7XPlatinum....Wow, that's amazing.

I'd almost rather see a band genuinely believe in their new material and WANT to play it, regardless of quality, than a band who has no faith in their new music, and just keeps pumping it out to go out on tour and continue to play the same dozen hits.

Very good point. There are a lot of bands that do that.

 

[VenomGA]

Now here's a potential stupid question, I'm assuming these include itunes and any other online music stores?

The global music industry typically awards recordings with certification awards based on the total units sold or shipped to the retailers. These awards and their requirements are defined by the various certifying bodies representing the music industry in various countries and territories worldwide. The standard certification awards given consist of various combinations of Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond awards, in ascending order. In most cases, a "Multi-Platinum" or "Multi-Diamond" award is given for multiples of the Platinum or Diamond requirements.

Many music industries across the globe are represented by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). The IFPI operates in 75 countries and services affiliated industry associations in 49 countries.[1] In some cases the IFPI is merely affiliated with the already operational certification bodies of a country, but in many others countries with lesser-developed industries, the IFPI acts as the sole certifying body servicing the country or region's music industry. Still other countries not represented by the IFPI have certifying bodies operating independently, such as individual record companies which service the country or region's music industry as a whole.

Though all certifying bodies give awards for album sales or shipments, many also certify singles, legal digital downloads, music videos, music DVDs, and master ringtones. Additionally, some certifying bodies have separate threshold scales for works of domestic or international origins, varying genres, lengths, and formats.

 

[DTJeff]

Ok, but even at the height of the bands career, they didn;t sell Keep the Faith or These Days...Explain that...THose albums came out in 1992 and 1995

Those two albums lacked HUGE hit singles that their predecessors had. The a couple million they sold was to the genuine fans of the band, but not to the casual people who would only buy albums because they heard a hit song on the radio.

Those two, by the way, are my favorite 2 Bon Jovi records.

 

[DarkOne]

I took the wife to see them in Philly a few weeks ago.

I liked them way back in the day. I respect them now, but recognize that they have changed their sound in order to retain their appeal. I wouldn't have gone on my own, but I certainly didn't hate the show. (I was hoping for some of the obscure songs from the first two albums. 'Shot Through the Heart' would have been nice).

I respect them because they helped launch the hair band revolution, and yet are still a relevant band today. How many bands from that era, with that sound, are still gaining new fans and selling out arenas? Besides Metallica?

Jon can't hit the same notes anymore, but he doesn't need to, because they are now a rock band a la Nickelback. Good for them for doing so well.

One thing Glenn forgot to mention: they had an astounding stage set up. It was the technologically advanced set of video monitors I'd ever seen. They had a giant TV on cables, and throughout the show it would break up into smaller pieces, each with its own picture. There'd be 1, or 4, or 24 TVs floating around. In the back of the stage, other giant monitors would move around, and then become part of the stage for the band to run around on. I can't fault the band for not putting money into their show.

On, and VenomGA:

Have a Nice Day 2005 Platinum
Lost Highway 2007 Platinum
The Circle 2009 GOLD

As you can see....their career as been in a bit of a tailspin for the last 15 years but yet their set list is catered to that time period. WHY???

I can think of a huge number of bands that would LOVE to be in a tailspin that included two platinum and one gold albums!

Steve in Philly

 

[johnfrank1970]

I read they dropped the rare stuff after the first few shows due to a lack of audience reaction. The cougars want the new shit. It makes sense that they cater to the 85% that only started listening to the band after Slippery.

I had no idea they were more than a nostalgia band. I don't think I know more than 5 of the songs on that set list.

I laughed out loud at your cougar comment. Last week, I kept seeing Facebook updates by former female high school classmates, the sole content being how psyched they were for the Bon Jovi show they were attending.

I liked Slippery when it came out. I saw them on that tour. I don't believe I ever listened to that album in its entirety after that. This is weird coming from a teenager who still loved bands like Crue, Ratt, Dokken, etc., but Bon Jovi's live performance just turned me off that night.

Now my exposure to them is limited to three songs on my hair metal compilations: Raise Your Hands, You Give Love a Bad Name, and Livin' on a Prayer.