BJCT Post: Pittsburgh

Bon Jovi was in Pittsburgh last night!

Check out the BJCT for reviews, the setlist, photos, and videos/audio (as we find it).

Do you have anything you want to share? Drop a line to the BJCT Blog Team

~ Hath

Mid-Day Motivator: Read My Lips

Bay, this one made me laugh -- Richie looks like a petulant child :)

~ Hath

Tom Cruise Can Sing?

I know, I know, very VERY loosely Bon Jovi related, but something to ponder.

The actor will play Jaxx, who sings Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead or Alive" in the theater production from which the film is adapted.

Tom Cruise is in final negotiations to co-star in Rock of Ages, New Line's adaptation of the hit stage musical about 1980s rockers. Adam Shankman is directing from a script by Chris D'Arienzo.

Cruise has been circling the project since October. He will play Stacee Jaxx, the arrogant and charming star at the top of his career. Jaxx sings Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead of Alive" in the theater production. Alec Baldwin and Russell Brand are also circling big roles in the film but do not have deals yet.

I didn't know Tom could sing.  And of course, just because Jaxx sang the song in the theater production doesn't necessarily mean the film adaptation will faithfully reproduce that, but still.  Tom Cruise can sing? 

~ Hath

Heading back to Toronto

ENT Blog has this article up this morning:

Bon Jovi’s latest North American tour includes four Canadian cities, beginning with Toronto’s Air Canada Centre on Feb. 14-15.

The last time the New Jersey rockers played in Toronto in July 2010, frontman Jon Bon Jovi had just torn his calf muscle two weeks earlier during a hometown show at New Meadowlands Arena, but he still managed to play two back to back shows with the band at the Rogers Centre.

Guitarist Richie Sambora says the singer was a medicle miracle.

“We carried him off the stage, man, put him on a gurney,” Sambora told QMI Agency of when the injury first occured.

“It was amazing because two days later we had a bunch more gigs and you know what? They fixed him up and he walked out there and for the first gig he looked like a civil war (soldier) but sang his ass off, you know, and we played our ass off as we do every night.”

“He was inspiring,”continued Sambora. “The man was inspiring. I broke my arm at one point and I still played 20 stadium shows with a broken arm. And he looks at me and he said, ‘If you could do that, I can do this.’”

Why is it, that I can hear Jon's voice in my head saying that to Richie? :) Please, guys, no injuries this time around, 'kay?

~ Hath

JonBon On the Set

Zimbio had more pictures up; snagged for your viewing pleasure...



I've got a photobucket album going for these and any other NYE set/promo/etc photos we may find.

~ Hath

Mid-Day Motivator: Moneymaker

Thanks Catte :)

~ Hath

Farmer Jon

This article cracked me up. Thanks Bay, for the drop.

MYFOXNY.COM - Celebrities get tons of perks from great tables at top restaurants to the latest fashions. In New Jersey some, including Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi, are getting big tax breaks.

Bon Jovi and Springsteen have been making hit music for years. It is no surprise they've earned enough money to buy big mansions with acres of property. But what will surprise you is the huge tax breaks they and others get.

Besides being native New Jerseyans, they have more in common: Turns out the Garden State considers both superstars farmers.

Barbara Nevins Taylor investigates.

Here's an additional tidbit from Bay:

Our local Fox News ran a special report about tax breaks for our local celebrities who get massive property tax breaks when they claim some of their real estate property as "farm land". All they have to do is sell $500 worth of farm goods to qualify!!!!!! They centered on Jon and Bruce. But missed David!!!! He claims most of his old house as "farm land".

Somehow, I can't picture David in flannel and overalls, but Jon? For sure.

Resplendent Randomness: Help!

From Prague, 1993. Thanks Tre for sending this to me. You're right, I do like it, especially the second verse :)



~ Hath

Richie/Tico Interview

This one has been making the rounds; here are some excerpts from a version published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 

Richie and Tico on the Hall of Fame pass:

"You know what?" he says during a recent teleconference. "Personally, I think it's a boys' club over there. I don't know what they're doing. And, you know, they're looking for ratings or, what are they doing? I have no idea ... It has nothing to do with our legitimacy because our legitimacy comes with the people and the fans. And, you know, you sell 125 million records and have the two biggest tours in the last three years, I'll take that. If I would complain, nobody would listen."

Kick the Hall of Fame question to the man behind the drum kit, Tico Torres, and you get a more measured response.

"You got to look at the bands that still haven't made it that are amazing and, really, it's hard to pick three or four bands or even five bands. The bands that were nominated this year and the ones that made it ... well deserved. And it's just, well, it's nice to be nominated. We have a long life ahead of us. And I think there's a lot of bands that we're included with that one day should be in the Hall of Fame and will be. There's only so much you can put in every year. So we just do what we do, play in front of people and have fun until then."

Tico on their success:

"From the first show we did in a big place, at Madison Square Garden with ZZ Top -- supporting them -- I mean, when you're a band you think you made it right there. When you hear your song on the radio for the first time you think you've made it. It's a journey and if you're in the present and you travel that journey and you enjoy it, you work harder for the next enlightening moment. I don't think any of us would ever, in our wildest dreams, be smart enough to think that we would be this far in our careers and been so successful as a group."

Richie on the interplay between the guys:

"We've been through so much together. We're a family. It's a different thing. You know, I don't think other bands are like that. I don't know if everybody cares about each other as much."

The flip side of that is, over all that time, a band easily can become static or bored. One of the remedies, according to the two musicians, is playing up to about 70 different songs on a tour and doing them a little bit differently every night.

"I can tell you one thing," the guitarist says. "Tico's got his drum right up my butt and he plays some different fills and he does some different things, and I smile and then I'll play something different. And it's an exchange of energy, not only between the band and the audience, but between the band."

"We play off each other," the drummer adds, "and that's what we have, that's what a band is ... It's something that you look forward to because, you know, you spend a lot of time in the hotel room away from home, and you're looking forward to those three hours on stage where you can actually just do your craft and enjoy yourself."

You can read the full article here.

~ Hath

Bon Jovi are at the Consol Energy Center this Friday and Saturday.
Tickets: $18.50-$132.75. 1-800-745-3000.

Richie WTB Interview (video)

Thanks CK, for sending this my way -- no I hadn't seen it yet.

Mi Cocina in Highland Park is the place to be in Dallas, so of course we are there! At the dinner hosted by Jerry Jones and family, we catch up with rock legend Richie Sambora where he and designer Nikki Lund show off their White Trash Beautiful line of womenswear. Richie also dishes the Big Game, Steelers coach Jason Garrett, and what's coming up for Bon Jovi! Hosted by R.J. Williams.

The interview can be seen here.

~ Hath

BJC Review from The Collegian

This review is from the all-student-published Collegian.  You can read the full review here.

Bon Jovi fans 'live on a prayer'

After performing the hit song “You Give Love A Bad Name,” Jon Bon Jovi led the audience in the traditional Penn State cheers of “When I say blue, you say white” and “When I say JoePa you say Terno.”

“I love that Penn State stuff,” Jon Bon Jovi said, receiving a rousing reply from the crowd.

Bon Jovi performed to a packed Bryce Jordan Center on Wednesday night as the first stop of its Live 2011 tour.

The band brought an upbeat atmosphere to the room when it played “We Weren’t Born To Follow.” During the song, the video screens featured images of the Wright Brothers, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley and Princess Diana in the red, white and blue tritone of Barack Obama’s iconic “Hope” campaign poster. The phrase “Your time is now” flashed on the screen as the final chords were strummed.

~ Hath

Tour [leg] Kicks Off at Bryce Jordan Center

Bon Jovi, the band of namesake Jon Bon Jovi, kicked off its 2011 tour at the Bryce Jordan Center on Wednesday, Feb. 9, lighting up the venue with songs old and new, including the finale selection of "Livin' on a Prayer," known to attendees of many Penn State athletic events. Even those who weren't part of the near-capacity audience of more than 14,400 could view portions of the event via a live video stream on multiple websites.

In addition to the performance, the band, which has been on tour for nearly three decades, granted special access to small groups of Penn State students on Monday, Feb. 7, and the day of the event. Monday's events included allowing students from a variety of majors the opportunity to help the road crew with the set installation, while Wednesday's tour by Penn State alumnus Mike Rew, the back line crew chief of the tour, showed College of Communications students the backstage operations and public relations aspects of the tour.

For more photos of the concert and Wednesday's behind-the-scenes activities, visit http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2425 and for photos of Monday's setup, visit http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2423 online.

source

Here are the concert photos from this article. These, and whatever else we will find are in this BJCT Photobucket folder.

BJCT Post: Penn State

Bon Jovi was at Penn State last night!

Check out the BJCT for reviews, the setlist, photos, and videos/audio (as we find it).  Yes, I know, The Bon Jovi Live! 2011 concert tour has started. We're still keeping the BJCT blog active for this leg, and we're NOT changing the name :)

Do you have anything you want to share? Drop a line to the BJCT Blog Team

~ Hath

Reminder: Live Stream TONIGHT!

DON'T MISS THE LIVE STREAM FROM STATE COLLEGE, PA ON 2/9!

Make sure to tune in as Bon Jovi kicks off their 2011 tour on Wednesday, February 9th at Bryce Jordan Center in State College, PA! Fans worldwide can tune in and rock out along with the group on the campus of Penn State University.

To watch the band rock the Bryce Jordan Center LIVE, click BonJovi.com, Facebook.com/BonJovi, ustream.tv/BonJovi, or live.newsinc.com/bonjovi.

You don't want to miss out on this LIVE stream so make sure to tune in Wednesday, February 9th starting at 7:30PM EST!

• US/CANADA: 7:30PM EST, 6:30PM CST, 5:30PM MST, 4:30PM PST
• SAO PAULO: 10:30PM BRST
• LONDON: 12:30AM GMT (2/10)
• ROME: 1:30AM CET (2/10)
• SYDNEY: 11:30AM EDT (2/10)

Bon Jovi provides NRL song of 2011

Rugby league fans will be treated to a new anthem this year, with US rock superstars Bon Jovi jumping on board to promote the 2011 NRL season.

"This Is Our House" will be at the centre of the NRL's promotion, featuring in a 60 second commercial to be released on March 2nd.

NRL chief executive David Gallop said the partnership was a coup for the code.

"It is an exciting win for the game and a clear statement about the scale of the year ahead," he said.

"This is a watershed year for rugby league in a number of ways and on the field the opportunities have never been more thrilling.

"We can genuinely talk of sixteen teams going into the year believing they can win and the closeness of the competition breeds thrills at every turn."

Jon Bon Jovi believes the song, which has been used to promote the National Football League in America, has perfect appeal as a sports anthem.

"We wrote `This Is Our House' to be a sports anthem and House has found a home in the US on the playing fields of the New York Rangers, the New England Patriots, and the NFL."

~ Hath


source

JonBon: On The Set

Photos from Zimbio:





~ Hath

Mid-Day Motivator: Mom Said...

All MY mom ever said was "don't make faces at me; your face will freeze that way".  Thanks for this, Bay :)

~ Hath

Richie in JFK Airport

Poor baby looks coooooold :)

~ Hath

WTB Featured during NY Fashion Week

Be on the lookout for LOTS of Richie photos / articles / appearances next week. In addition to the tour (like that isn't enough) he's coming back for the NYC WTB debut:

The February 2011 fashion schedule concludes with a special finale fashion show and after-party presented by Polaroid Sunglasses, for rockers and designers Nikki Lund and Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora for their line WTB Clothing. Richie Sambora will be flying in from the Bon Jovi world tour to unveil their New York Fashion Week debut with special appearances and surprises to be announced.

Thursday February 17h

10am: Malan Breton Collection
2pm: EMU Australia
6:30pm: WTB by Richie Sambora & Nikki Lund presented by Polaroid Sunglasses
8:30pm-11pm: WTB Official After Party presented by Polaroid Sunglasses at AVENUE NYC

All fashion shows will take place at the Metropolitan Pavilion South located at 125 W. 18th Street. AVENUE nightclub on 116 Tenth Avenue (http://www.avenue-newyork.com/) will serve as the official nightclub partner for all after-parties and parties and AKA (http://www.stayaka.com/), collection of luxury extended-stay hotel residences, will be the official hospitality partner providing celebrity and fashion designers with luxury accommodations.

In addition, STYLE360 presented by Polaroid Sunglasses will also break down the typical closed door attendance to fashion industry leaders and make all the fashion shows viewable to a global audience via HD live streaming at http://www.ELLE.com/STYLE360 as well as offer a 360 degree viewing camera.

You can read the whole article here.

In other WTB news, there are a couple of videos up on YouTube from the fashion show/Superbowl party last weekend. Those can be seen here and here.

~ Hath

Wanted Wednesday: Yokohama 2003

Please rise for the playing of our national anthem.

I think I've mentioned that I love the acoustic versions of most anything better than the fully-plugged-in version. Maybe it's because I grew up with a guitar player in the house, and always ALWAYS heard acoustic music on an old beat up Yamaha, but it always sounded better when he wasn't plugged in.

With these guys, the band in general, not just Jon and Richie, it goes double.

Today is from Yokohama, 2003. An acoustic show. THE acoustic show. The show that most fans would actually HAPPILY pay through the teeth to get the video of (Obie, take note, please). This is the show where they were filming an acoustic-show DVD/album, but because Jon had a cold (or was suffering from allergies, I can't remember which) and it didn't come together the way he wanted, it was never officially released. I've seen bits and pieces of stuff on YouTube, but never a full boot.

We still got the audio boot though, Jon, and we LOVE it. We would have loved a "finished video product" as well.

So back to Jon. You can hear it a little bit in this song. When Jon sings "where the faces are so cold" his voice cracks a little, and your heart goes out to him. Not feeling well, but putting on one hell of a show. This was the last song of the set; he gives his goodbyes at the end of the track, tells everyone the trucks are good to go, introduces the band again, and mentions the DVD.

Maybe during the band's "hiatus", you know, to keep us primed and ready for the next go-round, releasing some of the "fandom favorites" should be on deck for the folks who manage the vault. Just sayin'...

Anyway, this is a beautiful version of the song, Jon's cold or not, and I hope you enjoy it.

Let's Ride!








You can download the track here.

~ Hath

What's Next?

Back in January (waaay back, like 3 weeks ago) DirecTV (3D) ran a special presented by AEG Live called "What's Next?"

The half-hour special includes backstage interviews with Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, a glimpse behind the curtain as the crew readies the stage for the band’s recent release week performance at the Best Buy Theatre in New York City and of course, Bon Jovi's latest music video, “What Do You Got.” The behind-the-scenes footage and interviews were filmed by AEG NETWORK LIVE, which has become an ongoing leader in 3D partnerships with some of the most iconic musical acts in the world.

You can watch it right now online here (though not in 3D), and with many thanks to Rike and Catte, you can download it here.

~ Hath

BJCT Books!

Yes, you heard right. From David Bergman's website:

For the first time ever, Bon Jovi fans can purchase a unique, commemorative photo book from each show on the band's 2011 concert tour across the United States and Canada.

The books contain exclusive photos taken by Bon Jovi tour photographer David Bergman and are produced by Adorama in New York, NY. All of the images are personally approved by Jon Bon Jovi.

- 14 full-color pages containing all of the images for each concert as shown at TourPhotographer.com.
- 6 X 6 inches
- Hard cover
- Hand-crafted and individually inspected by Adorama in New York City
- Printed on Fujifilm Crystal Archive Album paper for full photo quality - better than a traditional photo book
- "Leporello" binding allows each page to fully open and lie completely flat
- Unique book for every show. Collect them all!

No prices listed on the site (yet), but I'm thinking this is an EXCELLENT idea.  SO, anyone got any $$ left for this?

If they were smart, knowing the insane quality of Mr. Bergman's work, they'd let you pre-order at the venues when you go for your show.  Just sayin'.

~ Hath

Professors on the Jovi Crew

This was a really cool article from Deadline Digital:

Students at a univeristy in the US were given the ultimate field trip - shadowing Bon Jovi's tour crew.

The 14 students from Penn State University were given unprecedented access to the main arena floor of the Bryce Jordan Center. Their instructors for the day included Mike Savas, Gordon Hyndford, Jeremy Knight, Dan Witmyer, Carson Austin and Mark Woody – all members of Jon Bon Jovi's tour crew.

"This is our first time doing this," explained Savas, who handles publicity for Bon Jovi. "We've got the students helping us with load-in, showing them how something like this works."

The students spent time talking with the crew and observing, but they also got their hands dirty, actually working with members of the crew, Savas said.

The students are taking away more than just a cool experience, however. What they saw and did with Bon Jovi's tour crew applies directly to what they're learning in the classroom.

"This is fantastic. I get to see how things like this are actually set up, what it's really like to see a big band come and perform, and how much time and effort it takes to set everything up. It's a great experience," said Alex Ciccione, a junior telecommunications major. "Basically this shows how you can take a telecom degree, take it out on the road and be in charge of video or the audio side of creating a show like Bon Jovi's."

The students' experience doesn't end with what they did on Monday. "They'll be back on Wednesday to see how the business model, the customer-service end, works," said Savas. They'll see how we run our VIP packages. They'll also get to take pictures alongside the local media, and then stay and watch the show. It's just our way of giving back to the community."

I wonder if any of the students' moms urged them into it. Sorry guys, but yeah, college-age kids' moms are smack dab in the middle of your biggest demographic :)

~ Hath

The full article can be read here.

Mid-Day Motivator: Trust Me

Bay, it might just a little :)  But we don't mind...

~ Hath

Jon Bon's "Best" List

From Men's Health:

HOTEL
"The Park Hyatt Tokyo, where Lost in Translation was filmed. You can't help but think how right Sofia Coppola got it when she shot there. It has probably the greatest view from a gym anywhere in the world. The Ritz or the George V (the Four Seasons) in Paris for the bar, which I believe was Hemingway's."

BEST CLASSIC RIDES
"My 1978 Datsun 280Z was the first cool car I owned, and it still holds a place near to my heart.I love my 1970 Chevelle. It's blue with white racing stripes…convertible. My kids call this the loud car. It has a brand-new engine. It's loud. I ride it hard. My Harley Custom SofTail sits on the floor of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It's the bike I took across the country a couple times in search of Route 66."

BEST BOARDWALK
"Seaside, Wildwood, and Asbury Park, on the Jersey shore. For those of you who never got to experience the boardwalks in Jersey back in the day, I wish I could give that to you."

BEST JUNK-FOOD RESTAURANT
"Go see Mrs. Max at Max's in Long Branch during the summer. Order a hot dog. Everything you need to dress it is on the table. Order the onion rings and pretend you're a Soprano. Order a really cold root beer. If you have room for dessert, it's all there. You'll see all your favorite Jersey guys' pics on the walls. And oh yeah--tell Mrs. Max I said hi."

BEST LULLABY TO SING A CHILD TO SLEEP
"I make them up in the moment."

BEST WORKOUT
"I was doing Workout 101 for years: treadmill, elliptical, weights. Now I'm going to do yoga. I went for my first time, and I enjoyed it. I'm a 21st-century man."

BEST BOOK
"The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, by Robin Sharma. Let's just say it was one of the most influential books for me, because it talked about how more and bigger is not always better. I came to that realization a decade and a half ago. I bought lots of copies for friends who were in similar situations, some of the guys in the band, other people in our line of work."

BEST JEANS
"Levi's are my favorite, but the truth is I want the Levi's of my youth: zipper, one button, straight legs. There are too many freakin' flavors today. I don't want Rocky Road vanilla twirl, I don't want 99 flavors, I want basics. I wear Lucky's or Diesel now. I sound like a cranky old man, don't I?"

Nah, Jon, you don't sound cranky -- just like a guy who knows what he likes. And I think the lullaby answer was very sweet.

~ Hath

Mid-Day Motivator: Worth It

** language alert **

Catte, honey, I'm sure he'd be happy to help with the sunscreen...

~ Hath

Bon Jovi Rehearsals at Penn State

From StateCollege.com:

The band Bon Jovi is expected to be in State College for tour rehearsals early this week, Bryce Jordan Center sales director Bernie Punt confirmed.

Timing of the Bon Jovi rehearsals was not clear, but they will be performed at the Jordan Center -- as they were before the band's tour in 2003. A technical rehearsal -- excluding the band itself -- was set for late last week.
Bon Jovi will kick off its "Live 2011" tour on Wednesday evening at the Penn State facility. The iconic band will play more than 50 dates on its tour over the next six months.

At the Jordan Center, the Wednesday concert is set for 7:30 p.m. Tickets were still available Monday morning. Prices are set at the $19.50, $29.50, $49.50, $79.50 and $129 levels. Seats may be purchased through http://www.bjc.psu.edu, at the Jordan Center ticket office and by phone: (814) 865-5555.

And don't forget, the show (at least part of it) is streaming live on Wednesday!!

~ Hath

Resplendent Randomness ~ NJ Promo

An interview from Japan from when NJ was coming out -- a promotional piece.

Thanks, BrianTheBookie for the upload, and Kiwi for dropping the link in my inbox!

~ Hath

Happy Birthday, David!

Hope your birthday is everything you want it to be.

Love,
Hath

Richie and the Cheerleaders

From RadarOnline:

Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora and his design partner Nikki Lund took their White Trash Beautiful line to Texas this weekend and none other than Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' kids and their respective spouses hosted a fabulous fashion party to show off the duds.

And who better to model the fabulous fashions than the Cowboy cheerleaders!

Richie and Nikki are taking WTB to New York Fashion Week and will be opening their first retail store in Beverly Hills in the spring.

~ Hath

Want Richie on your Butt?

Check out this offering from WTB:

Now, Ms. Nikki, this is a gorgeous hoodie, and $75 USD isn't outrageous.

I just have to educate you on one teeeeensy thing.

Size 10 is not a 2XL.

Seriously.

~ Hath

JonBon Back In The Game?

Reported by ESPN:

New Jersey rock star Jon Bon Jovi has been in confidential negotiations with Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank in which Bon Jovi would purchase 15 percent of the NFL franchise for $150 million, according to league sources.

Blank on Sunday morning acknowledged the talks but downplayed them as "discussions that are unlikely" to produce a partnership with Bon Jovi. He would not elaborate, except to add that he did not think it was newsworthy at this stage.

Blank is among a select group of owners who have been seeking more minority partners to gain an infusion of cash that in Blank's case will also help him realize his plans to build a new outdoor stadium in the Atlanta area.

Bon Jovi was owner of the Philadelphia Soul, an Arena League team for five years from 2004-2009.

The two sides have signed a confidentiality agreement not to disclose details of negotiations but a league source pegged the financial talks based on a $1 billion valuation of the Atlanta franchise. Each percentage point would be valued at $10 million to arrive at the proposed $150 million on a 15 percent purchase, another source said.

If it's not newsworthy, why is the senior NFL analyst for ESPN talking about it? Atlanta is an interesting choice -- we'll have to see what happens...

~ Hath

Mid-Day Motivator: SuperBowl

I know I don't usually post these on the weekends, but Bay did one for The Big Game, so I had to.  :)

~ Hath

Last Call: New Post

The next chapter has been posted.  Click here to see what happens next!

~ Hath