Bon Jovi at Wachovia

A story near and dear to me, as I'm on my way to Philly in about 8 hours :)

Keeping the Faith: Bon Jovi back at Wachovia

When Bon Jovi takes to the stage at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia next week, fans will find something familiar and reassuring in a band that is entering its fourth decade of performing.

Still, the band has never relied on nostalgia. Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, David Bryan and Tico Torres are driven to remain relevant, hitching their rock star wagons to a country sound that has made them not only a crossover band, but also a cross-generational band.

Bon Jovi's sound delivers both social commentary and young love ballads without being too preachy or too sappy.

"I think basically what keeps us fresh is the fact that, you know, we try to reinvent ourselves musically and listen to what's happening sound-wise," says Sambora, the showy guitar player, during a phone interview with all members of the band not named Jon.

"And then when it comes out to do a record, you know, it's the writing. I think you try not to emulate anything you did in the past, but try to grow," he said.

Bon Jovi's latest road show is The Circle Tour in support of "The Circle" album. Originally, Jon Bon Jovi and Torres sat down to work out a greatest-hits album with two or three new songs, but something happened along the way while working out the new tunes.

"Jon and I were really conscious of what people were feeling around the world, you know, with the changes that were happening, especially in our country," Sambora said. "We started writing this record in September."

"We were supposed to do a greatest-hits album and just write a few songs for that, but Jon and I really got on a tear as far as a writing tear. And then Obama became president. O.K. So then we start feeling all this hope and all these other things that are happening. And not even in our country, but around the world, you know, because we are a leader... And then the hit, so then there was a lot of feelings to write about out there."

The 135-show, 30-country Circle Tour also stops at Hershey Park Stadium on May 17 and the new Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., May 26-29 before heading to Europe, then back to North America in Canada.

As with all Bon Jovi tours, the playlist will include a ton of standards along with a sprinkling of the new.

source

A couple of comments. First, couldn't the author make up some catchy (cliched) title for the article that included the CURRENT record? KTF, while a staple on the iPod, is not the current touring record.

Second, I kind of liked the veiled snarkiness of the reporter doing an interview with "all members of the band not named Jon."

Third, the reporter says Jon sat down with Torres to write new songs for the greatest hits album. Really? Since when?

Finally, I certainly hope there is more than just a sprinkling of the new. I'd love to hear 6-7 songs from the Circle each show. I mean, the standards and oldies have their definite place in the setlist, but hey, it is "The Circle Tour", not "The Old Shit Tour" (which, btw, is a GREAT idea for the next tour, guys lol).

~ Hath