Bon Jovi: Jon Bon Jovi is #4

This makes no sense to me. More after the article.

QUEEN’S FREDDIE MURCURY IS VOTED KING

By Laura Neil

QUEEN frontman Freddie Mercury has been hailed as the greatest rock legend of all time.

The flamboyant star, who died in 1991, beat Elvis Presley to claim the title.

Mercury sold 300million records after forming Queen in 1970.

He was renowned for his charismatic stage presence during his 21 years with the band.

David Bowie, 63, was third in the survey, which was carried out by Internet market research website OnePoll.com.

Next up was Bon Jovi front man Jon Bon Jovi, 48, followed by Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, Slash, 45, and Bono, 50.

A OnePoll.com spokesman said: “Freddie Mercury had it all the voice, the image, the stage presence, everything.

“He was idolised around the world by millions of fans and his legend will live on forever.

“He combined his ear for music with an ability to deliver to stadium audiences and millions were devastated when HIV finally killed him in 1991.”

First I think Freddie would have preferred to be the Queen.

Second here's the top 9 list:

1. Freddie Mercury
2. Elvis Presley
3. David Bowie
4. Jon Bon Jovi
5. Jimi Hendrix
6. Kurt Cobain
7. Jim Morrison
8. Slash
9. Bono

Ok, I'm glad JBJ/HRH beat out that sanctimonious prick Bono, and the 'Cowardly' Kurt Cobain (If Courtney was that bad Divorce was always a better option).  Queen was amazing, just watch their performance of Radio Ga Ga from Live Aid (check out Freddie's Moose Knuckle!!!):



But this is my question, how did Slash end up on this list? I'm not questioning his guitar prowess but even with Slash's Snakepit he was the guitarist not the singer (if I remember correctly). I could understand Axl being on here but then again when you're 90 minutes late to a show and pitch a fit when people get pissed off because of this, I'm glad Axl isn't on there.

So who's your favorite Front Man of all time?  Besides JBJ/HRH of course?  (to show his Front Man Prowess here's a video from that 12/31/1988 show in Tokyo, and it's not from the TV special it looks like it was recorded with real movie cameras).



I have strong votes for BRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCE and Steven Tyler. who else would you choose?

Bon Jovi: an interview w/ the guy who wrote 'That Book'

Yeah I know we're all supposed to hate Rich Bozzett, and think he's a douchebag, but he has some interesting stories to tell that aren't all salacious and drug laden. When you read this maybe you'll have the same question I did, 'Why didn't you leave him at the truck stop?'

Interview with Bon Jovi’s Ex-Tour Manager - Rich Bozzett - August 16th, 2010

By: Laurie Lonsdale

“Since its very beginning, there has been an impenetrable “Circle” of secrecy surrounding Bon Jovi.  But now there’s an inside story – from their very first gig as an unknown opening act, through to their ascent to unimaginable superstardom, as told by the only person who was inside the circle with them – Bon Jovi tour manager Richard Bozzett.”

I had the opportunity to speak with Bozzett about the book, his experiences with the band, and his dealings with manager Doc McGhee.  Because of the connection we made, much was discussed that I promised would remain off the record, and true to my word, it will.  However, even without disclosing some of the more controversial subjects we hit upon, the interview, much like the book, was very interesting.  Here’s some of what Rich and I spoke about during our extended conversation.   

Laurie: Hi Rich, nice to speak with you.  

Rich: You too.

Laurie:  Let me start by saying I enjoyed the book.  I polished it off in less than 4 hours, and given my background in concert promo and having met the band on more than one occasion, it helped to shed some light on a few things that I had always questioned.  There is much to discuss here, so let’s start with the simple questions and focus first on the fun side of your experience with the band. What do you feel was the most satisfying thing to come out of your relationship with Bon Jovi in general? 

Rich: It’s a good question.  I guess my feeling would be, just to see something go from nothing to a huge success and being a part of that. I made that distinction in the book.  Hopefully after reading the book, they (the readers) get the feeling that they know there was a guy who cared about the band, the only one in the beginning, and really believed in the dream that it can happen.  Seeing them grow from nothing to superstardom and knowing that I really had a lot to do with that, stays with me to this day.

Laurie: So you have a sense of self-satisfaction as a result?  

Rich: Yes. I believed when nobody else would. You know what’s so funny, Laurie? Some people around the organization didn’t believe because we also had Motley Crue on board (Motley Crue and Bon Jovi were both under Doc McGhee’s management) and they (Motley Crue) were making tons of money, selling millions of records, you know? Then all of a sudden when Bon Jovi hit, everybody was like, “Oh, we love Jon!” and it’s like, “That interesting guy that you all thought sucked?”

Laurie: Yeah, but you have to expect that people tend to jump on bandwagons. Besides, Bon Jovi appealed to a bit of a different crowd than the Crue – with Bon Jovi we’re talkin’ LOTS of little girls and tween fans, so the tendency for kids to jump on the bandwagon is even greater.

Rich:  True, but it happened even within our own organization.  Doc spent much of his time with Motley because he had to.  As I said in the book, you don’t manage Motley Crue, you just mop up after them.

Laurie:  (laughing) Sounds about right.

(At this point, Rich and I segued into a separate discussion about Motley Crue, their habits, Doc McGhee, drug money and smuggling – some of which is in the book, some of which is not)

Laurie:  So what was the craziest or the stupidest thing you saw a fan do to get backstage, or get a band member’s attention?

Rich: That’s a good question too, Laurie.

Laurie: Well, I just wondered how your experiences compare, cuz I’ve been backstage myself many times and I’ve seen some pretty stupid shit.  

Rich: (laughing) Yeah, I have too!  So, let’s see if I can get something other than the normal sexual offer - I don’t want to sound like too much of a pervert. I mean, men love women, nobody can deny that.  Men are attracted to women; they’ve got to have them – that was true of this band, and myself included.  I didn’t dabble too much because I was busy running the show, but now and again, even I had opportunity. 

Laurie:  Yep, no doubt the sexual offers happen.  Most people know that though – it’s a given, and it was pretty prevalent back in Bon Jovi’s heyday, so you wouldn’t sound like a pervert for mentioning it.  

Rich:  I guess, but really, stuff like that didn’t come until later for Bon Jovi.  Don’t forget, I was on the first four original tours and no one was so much interested in getting backstage at that time. But the Slippery tour (for 1986 album “Slippery When Wet” which has gone twelve times platinum since its release) things got crazy and people wanted to get backstage. But I don’t remember seeing anything too ridiculous, Laurie. 

Laurie:  Okay then, what’s the craziest story from the road? For example, I read the part in the book where you guys left Alec (former bassist Alec John Such who left the band in 1994) behind, and he just lay down on his suitcase waiting for someone to notice. That’s funny.

Rich: At the truck stop! That’s a great one.

Laurie: It strikes me that there would be no sense of panic on his face - just sort of calm and flippant about it, lying around, waiting for somebody to realize he was missing. 

Rich:  You’re absolutely right!  It’s interesting that you would know how he would react.  But how it happened was, you know lanyards and how you put them around your neck?  Well, the bus driver usually had everyone hang them on the mirror when they left the bus and they’d put them on again when they returned.  So, if there was none around the mirror it meant that everybody was on the bus and he’s not waiting for a head call. If you’re big enough to be on the road you’ve got to be big enough to take care of yourself. But Alec forgot to leave his on the mirror and left the bus. That’s how he got left behind. That was a great story from the early days on the road.  I do have another one for you. Alec actually missed a show over in Germany.

Laurie: Oh, did he? How did that happen?

Rich:  Yeah.  We called him “Alec the Cat”, because he liked to stay up and wander around at night. I don’t want to say anything bad about him, but he was into stuff the other guys weren’t, and he’d be up for two or three days before he crashed. He’d just go and wander about cities and stuff. The next day was the show and sure enough he was nowhere to be found. We didn’t know where to find him, we looked high and low, we had people out looking for him, everything. Come six o’clock we opened up for KISS and no Alec. We got a guy on the road with us named Dana to fill in for him.

Laurie: Really?

Rich: Really. As tour manager I never missed a show. The original members and I never missed a show and as tour manager my job is to make sure that band is on stage on time.  Unless someone breaks their arm or Jon’s throat is in a critical situation, where he can’t sing and the fans won’t enjoy it; we put that show on. But to have a band member disappear, it was a little scary that day. 

Laurie: I can imagine.  You’re not just looking at the show that he’s currently missing; you’re wondering where he got to and if he’s alright? What happens now and how do you get him back?

Rich:  Right, and what happens if he’s not even able to come back?  Let’s face it, things happen in life and we were in a strange country. Being the opening act it was just a twenty minute, twenty-five minute set for KISS, so it was only a few songs.  Thank God Dana played…..usually roadies are very well trained musicians, usually they want to be rock stars, and usually they can play and sing. 

Laurie:  Makes sense.

Rich: I had that happen to me with Pat Travers with the drummer, he broke his collar bone in Colorado and for the rest of the tour Dave Levine (roadie) sat in. They sent the drummer home and Dave filled in admirably.  We didn’t miss a show. I was like, “Dave you want to get in there?”

Laurie: I hope his pay was stepped up proportionally.

Rich: Yeah. That was a Doc McGhee act, also. I worked for Doc McGhee with Pat Travers, Bon Jovi and Motley Crue. I think I mentioned that in the book that I started off with Doc earlier. I didn’t get too into detail with Pat Travers stuff but I was with Motley originally and then I got this call when I was in Florida that they were going to sign this kid Bon Jovi. I got into New York to meet the guys there at his (Doc McGhee’s) office and it took off from there and it was a long road. Around 1987 we all knew the band’s original image wasn’t going to work so we decided to bring in a real songwriter, Desmond Child (a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame who wrote hits for KISS, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Bon Jovi and Katy Perry), who wrote hits for bands like Aerosmith previously, and it worked. (Child co-wrote the bands first number one hits “You Give Love a Bad Name” and “Livin’ on a Prayer”) 

Laurie: Yes, it did.  Desmond Child sure has turned out an awful lot of singles for an awful lot of bands. 

Rich: Yeah, he’s a brilliant songwriter. I wish his personal band had done better. I haven’t spoken to Desmond in a long time; I don’t even know how he’s doing. But yeah, he’s made so many, just so many famous songs.

Laurie: He’s a hit maker. He seems to know exactly what radio is looking for.

Rich: Exactly. That was a much better idea than the ill conceived promotional idea we almost went with (referring to a series of staged pictures of the band taken on a bed with several naked models – the idea being to make the band more controversial).

Laurie:  (laughing) That’s for sure. 

Rich:  As a matter of fact, I threw a couple of those pictures in there just to get people’s attention for the book, to get people to focus on it.  But it seemed everyone was focusing on just that bunch of pictures, you know?

Laurie: Not so strange…  sex sells and when you’re looking at a band like Bon Jovi that’s got a squeaky clean image in comparison to Motley Crue and other bands of that time period, then it makes sense that stuff like that is going to be an attention grabber.

Rich:  I know, but once I had their attention I was hoping people would be able to see past that.

Laurie: You wanted people to know the band, right?  Well, that kind of brings me to my next question…… doing concert PR in the late eighties, I’ve actually been backstage with Bon Jovi twice – once on the “Slippery When Wet” tour and then again during the “New Jersey” tour.

Rich: Surely Laurie, if you were on the “Slippery” tour, you met me.

Laurie:  I must have, I recall someone that looked a lot like you sitting on the couch, backstage in the hospitality room, just kind of watching over everything and everyone.  

Rich:  Yeah, that was probably me.

Laurie:  We shook hands, but I didn’t stay long - on the Slippery tour I spent most of my backstage time with the opening band, Cinderella.  However, on the “New Jersey” tour I was with Bon Jovi for an extended period of time; drinking a few beers with David Bryan and Richie Sambora and shooting the shit for something like two hours while the others came and went and dropped in on bits and pieces of conversation.  Being as it was my second time with the band, I was with them long enough to form opinions, and I want you to tell me more or less if I’ve got them figured out.  I saw Alec as being the class clown – anything for a laugh. Tico (Torres, drummer) was a bit reserved. David (Bryan, keyboardist) just seemed to be out for a good time. Richie (Sambora, lead guitarist) was down to earth, sincere, and genuinely nice.  And Jon…… well…… was full of himself. Does that seem about accurate?

Rich: Damn right!  You hit the nail on the head on that one. Yes, Alec was the clown and Richie was the sincere one, the peacemaker, always the one to smooth things over.  He was the one that gave me the nickname “The Admiral”.  And with Jon, that’s it, that’s how to say it – he’s full of himself.  Wow, you really nailed it!

Laurie:  It was hard not to think that way about him……. I was sitting at the table drinking with Richie and I had this big poster they were all signing as they came in. Jon bounced in, literally bounced in, and continued to spring up and down on the balls of his feet as he stood there.  And I thought, “What the hell is he on?” because he was just so very hyper. He wheeled around and he looked at me and said, “What do you do?” There was no introduction or nice lead-in, just: “What do you do?” I said, “I do concert PR”. He said, “Oh”, grabbed the black Sharpie pen on the table and scrawled across the poster ‘Thanks for your cash’.  I still have the poster to this day.

Rich: Wow!  Jon’s weird…… he’s weird, like you said, full of himself. But I tried to write the book in a good manner.

Laurie: I know, I sensed that, so despite how it all went down at the end, it sounds like you really loved what you did.

Rich: Yes, I did. I did the job and I did it honestly. I’d tell them (the band) if it was sunny out or if it was raining.  I’m not like other guys who will tell the band it’s sunny even if it’s fuckin’ raining, just because its what they want to hear - I’m not that type of guy. That’s what he (Jon) surrounds himself with today. 

Laurie:  ‘Yes’ people?  Hmmm….  Well, you mentioned that Jon’s ego made him act as though his band members weren’t members at all, but rather musicians for hire, and certainly he made it clear with the percentage earnings of record sales that were assigned to each member (David Bryan and Alec Van Such = .5%, Tico Torres = 1%, Richie Sambora = 1%, Doc McGhee = 20%, accountants = 10%, and the rest went to Jon).  That particular part of the book stuck out for me and was a real eye opener.  Do you think it’s probably much the same way today?  Would it be safe to say that maturity and having a family haven’t really humbled Jon?

Rich:  Yeah, I would.  He had that kind of ‘Superman’ mentality goin’ on.  So, after the “New Jersey” tour he got new management and it was bullshit because they said, “He’s got to run the whole show” and they just ‘yes’ him. Did you notice that, Laurie?

Laurie: Yes, as a matter of fact I did, because even on the Toronto stopover for the New Jersey tour, he was the one checking on last minute details and seemingly controlling things before they went on stage. 

Rich: I’m glad you noticed that, it makes me feel better to know that I’m not the only one that felt like that. He (Jon Bon Jovi) surrounded himself with yes men and I’m not a yes man. We just went head to head at one point and everything just blew up. So then Doc offered me five percent of Skid Row and I said, “Doc, you owe me five percent for Bon Jovi. I helped build this thing”, and he said “Your best move is Skid Row”. I said, “I don’t mind going to Skid Row but I want my piece of Bon Jovi” and he said, “Well I got a lot of problems, the DEA arrested me for drug smuggling and it costs a lot of money to defend yourself” and his famous line was, “When you spend a million a year, you’ve got to make a million a year” and since Jon said I didn’t have that yes man attitude, I was out. After the “New Jersey” tour I had to go down to New Jersey to visit him everyday and I think he wanted people that were going to yes him to death. I’d just spent six or seven years building this band working twenty-four seven, eight hours, then eight hours, then eight hours and again, it’s like working three days in one day. It felt like I worked twenty years in theory and I missed all my family’s funerals, all these weddings of my loved ones, I lost my fiancé. I never got to go college, I jumped on this music bandwagon and you’re in it to make a piece of the pie. But when it came time to pay me, Doc had his legal problems and he said, “We can put you over to Skid Row” but I stayed with Bon Jovi to wait it out, I didn’t make the move, I probably should have. You can’t go backwards and change things. I got sold out basically by Doc, he played Jonny (Jon Bon Jovi) and me against each other.

Laurie: Yeah, I suppose so.  I can understand why you were hesitant of going to Skid Row, being under the same management.

Rich : He (Doc) thought he had given me enough of Bon Jovi through gifts and had given me half salary when I worked this thing.

Laurie: But this was a plentiful time in the 80’s, Rich, when record deals were cut like crazy and bands were coming out of the woodwork. Every week there was a brand new band releasing a new record. I can understand that you might not have wanted to jump onto another band within the same management group, but did you ever consider hopping on board with another band under different management?

Rich: Maybe I was just naïve. But here I was, with Jon twenty four hours a day, I did everything he asked me to do and I stayed with them when nobody believed in them. I built them, I promoted them, and I pushed the buttons at record companies to get their act together. I basically did Doc’s half while he tended to Motley Crue to get his money made. I never thought I was not going to get it. I said, “I want my five percent or give me something” and when it occurred to me that Jon wasn’t going to be on my side, I wasn’t going to be on the “New Jersey” tour after I set it all up just before the European run.  Mostly it’s just greed and stupidity, greed on Doc’s part and stupidity on my part to believe he was going to give me my money.”

Laurie:  So, do you feel as though this book helped you to exercise your feelings?  I mean, you say it was simply time that your story was told, and yet to a certain degree, I’m sure readers will feel it’s a bit of an “in-your-face” to Doc and Jon.  I know you're not going to admit to spite or vengefulness, but in a way do you feel as though you’ve been vindicated now that readers and fans will know the underhanded side of things?

Rich:  I don’t know that I feel vindicated, but I’m glad that fans will know there’s another side to Bon Jovi besides what they see and read from him.  

Laurie:  Nevertheless, for a tell-all book, you seem to go pretty easy on him.  As a published author myself, I know what its like to be writing something and get close to the edge and then for some reason, perhaps a fear of what people will think, you pull back and continue to dance on the edge of what you truly want to say.  Well, to an extent, I felt that you were pulling back with this book, not with respect to Doc McGhee so much, but definitely with respect to the band.  You’d no sooner let a little nugget of controversy slip and then you would somehow justify it or rectify it by saying how good or clean that person was, particularly when it came to Jon.  Why is that?  

Rich:  You noticed that?  Wow, you read the book pretty closely. You’re pretty smart. Yes, you’re right, I did pull back.  I was being told to go harder, but I didn’t want to.  I wasn’t trying to stir up anything: I just wanted the story told. 

Laurie:  Have you received band reaction to the book yet, and what’s that like?  Has Jon come forth with an opinion?  

Rich:  Yeah, I hear that Jon’s pissed about it, mainly because of the pictures with the naked girls. 

Laurie:  But those were only a small part of the story.  There’s dozens upon dozens of other photos in there.  Besides, you made a point of saying more than once in the book that those particular pictures were staged in an effort to change the band’s reputation and harden them up a little (pardon the pun) so they could compete with heavier bands like Motley Crue, etc.   If you were deliberately trying to make him or the band look bad, you didn’t need to say the photos were staged.

Rich:  I know. I told the truth and said they were staged, but he’s pissed about it anyway.  

Laurie:  I’m sorry to hear that Rich, but you had to expect that he wouldn’t be thrilled.

Rich: He doesn’t want his kids to see them. 

Laurie:  Maybe he’s upset about his kids, or maybe it’s because the book divulges that the photographer of those pictures ended up dead on his honeymoon. 

(At this point, Rich and I segued into off-the-record talk of these staged photos that have caused so much upset and controversy over the years, as well as talk of the photographer that took them and his demise) 

Laurie:  Nevertheless, the book is out there now and I understand that it’s doing well, so I want to thank you for the opportunity to speak to me about it.  I’ve enjoyed our conversation. 

Rich:  Me too.  You’re cool, Laurie.  And given your background, I think we have a lot more we could talk about.  We should stay in touch.

Laurie:  I’d like that.  I’ll send you my contact info.  Thanks so much.

Rich:  Thank you too Laurie.  Talk soon.

Laurie:  You bet’cha.

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Bon Jovi: Daughtry vs. Bon Jovi? Gulf concerts cross dates

No offense to Daughtry but what was the song that you sang really really well on American Idol?  And who did you tour with?  Yeah that's what I thought.

Daughtry vs. Bon Jovi? Gulf concerts cross dates

Free concerts on beach in Gulf Shores pit Bon Jovi and Brad Paisley against Pensacola Beach's DeLuna Fest

Julio Diaz

jdiaz@pnj.com

DeLuna Fest, set for Oct. 15-17 on Pensacola Beach, is getting some competition across the state line.

Rock superstars Bon Jovi will play on the public beach in Gulf Shores, Ala., on Oct. 15, and country hit-maker Brad Paisley will take the stage on Oct. 17 in free concerts.

The two events are part of the Concerts for the Coast series taking place in Baldwin County, Ala., and largely funded with BP money to provide relief for tourism hurt by the Gulf oil spill.

While concert announcements of this magnitude normally would be met with great fanfare among Pensacola music fans, the local response is far more muted.

That's because the concert dates directly conflict with the opening and closing days of DeLuna Fest, the three-day music festival planned for Casino Beach on Pensacola Beach.

DeLuna Fest features 39 acts, including Stone Temple Pilots, Daughtry, 311, Bush and Dierks Bentley. Tickets are $90 for the weekend or $47.50 for Friday or Saturday. The third day, featuring Willie Nelson and 13 other acts, is free.

Some fans questioned why Gulf Shores organizers would schedule their shows the same weekend.

"I love the free concerts — seems like a great way to bring locals together and attract people from out of town," said Christian McArthur of Pensacola. "But it does seem to be a direct slap in the face to DeLuna Fest. There are a lot of weekends to organize a show. Aren't we all supposed to be working together to revive the Gulf Coast?"

And Dawn Keller of Pace said, "DeLuna Fest has been planned for way too long to have Bon Jovi and Brad Paisley stealing the spotlight."

DeLuna Fest was first discussed before the Santa Rosa Island Authority board in January and formally announced in April as a two-day festival for Oct. 15 and 16. Those two days are being paid for entirely by private funds.

The third free day, Oct. 17, was added last month after festival organizers with Five Flags Tourism Group received $300,000 from the Escambia County Tourism Development Council. That money came from the $25 million given to the state of Florida by BP.

Herb Malone, president and CEO of Gulf Shores/Orange Beach Tourism, said organizers were aware DeLuna Fest already was scheduled for the same weekend.

"I don't want to say there wasn't consideration given," he said. "But we are neighbors and competitors at the same time. We always have been. In my opinion, there's plenty to go around."

A statement Wednesday from DeLuna Fest publicist Edwin Banacia of the Pensacola advertising agency Ideaworks stressed the need for cooperation among organizations throughout the Gulf Coast.

"Although DeLuna Fest was planned well before the oil disaster, our resolve was strengthened after we saw how our coastal community suffered," the statement said. "Now, more than ever, DeLuna Fest is so important for the recovery of this community.

"... We share the same goals as our surrounding communities and that is to show the world the beauty of our coast and bring business back to our struggling economy."

Additional Facts

Ticket information

The Bon Jovi and Brad Paisley shows in Gulf Shores will be free, ticketed events.

Tickets will be available through Gulf Shores and Orange Beach lodging partners. Officially, those sales start Wednesday. A list of lodging partners is available at www.gulfshores.com/packages-deals.

Additionally, 5,000 tickets to each concert will be available to area residents, including Pensacola-area residents.

Tickets will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 11 at Erie Meyer Civic Center, 1930 W. Second St., Gulf Shores, Ala.; Orange Beach Recreation Center, 4849 Wilson Blvd., Orange Beach, Ala.; and Foley, Ala., City Hall, 407 E. Laurel Ave.

There is a two-ticket limit per person available on a first-come, first-served basis with a valid government photo ID.

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Bon Jovi: Bon Jovi playing a concert for me and 30000+ of my friends on my birthday

Ok, they are calling this the concert for the coast but lets call it what it really is The Concert for Debbie's Birthday!!!!  Yes my birthday is October 15th and YES I am going.  And 8 hour drive for free (ok there's a hotel room fee involved but still) FREE Bon Jovi tickets on my birthday.
So here's the new official unofficial logo for the show on October 15th.

 

  Brad Paisley, Jon Bon Jovi latest big-time artists to play Alabama beaches

GULF SHORES, Ala. — Continuing their summer-long strategy of using big-name artists to draw visitors to Baldwin County’s beaches, local tourism officials on Wednesday announced that New Jersey rockers Bon Jovi and country star Brad Paisley would headline a pair of free mid-October concerts. 

Planned for the same surfside site that in May hosted the three-day Hangout Beach, Music and Arts Festival, and in July brimmed with more than 30,000 for a Jimmy Buffett concert, Oct. 15 and 17 performances will bookend a weekend that also will feature the return of the Thunder on the Gulf powerboat races. 

“We have been waiting for quite a while to follow the Jimmy Buffett concert — which was a phenomenal success for our community — with something of significance,” said Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft. “We are proud, we are delighted and we are excited about the opportunity to host a large number of folks in our community on the beach and have a great time.” 

In Bon Jovi, playing on a Friday night, and Paisley, who headlines the following Sunday, Baldwin’s beaches have landed two of the biggest draws and top-selling acts of their genres.

Bon Jovi has sold more than 120 million albums since debuting in 1984 with an eponymous album and becoming one of the biggest acts in the world with hit-laden multiplatinum follow ups “Slippery When Wet” and “New Jersey.” 

Meanwhile, Paisley’s last 13 singles have all ascended the country music charts to No. 1. Stops on his current tour have been attended by more than 600,000 fans over three months.

A busy fall at the beach

Bon Jovi, Brad Paisley and boat races aren’t the only things on Baldwin County’s calendar this autumn. Beginning with the long Labor Day weekend, which will feature a John Mayer concert Monday night at The Wharf Amphitheater in Orange Beach and three nights of Cajun-inspired music and feasting at The Hangout in Gulf Shores, is a steady flow of special events. Among them:

Brett/Robinson Alabama Coastal Triathlon on Sept. 11.

23rd annual Coastal Cleanup on Sept. 18.

Hank Williams Jr. and Gretchen Wilson at The Wharf Amphitheater on Sept. 25.

39th Annual National Shrimp Festival at Gulf Shores’ main public beach on Oct. 7-10.

26th Annual Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival on Nov. 11-21.

Start times for both shows won’t be determined until the opening acts are selected, said Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism President Herb Malone. But both will be in the evening, after each day’s racing has wrapped up. 

“We hope to take advantage of the glorious sunsets we have here on the beach,” Malone said.

Like the Buffett concert, the aim of the October shows is to use some of the $15 million given by BP PLC to Alabama to help promote tourism and offset the company’s season-wrecking oil spill. As such, admission will be free. 

But concertgoers will need tickets, the requirement being an effort by organizers to limit the crowds to the 35,000 or so people that Gulf Shores officials say that section of beach can safely handle.

Wednesday morning, area hotels, condominium owners, property management companies, campgrounds and others offering lodging were notified of the event, and allotted tickets to include in rental packages, Malone said. 

“Today, the best way for a person to get a ticket: book a room,” Malone said. “That’s our primary distribution.” 

A limited number of tickets also will be made available on a first-come, first-served basis to area residents from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 11 at three south Baldwin County locations:

Gulf Shores’ Erie Meyer Civic Center, 1930 W. 2nd St.

Orange Beach Recreation Center, 4849 Wilson Blvd.

Foley City Hall, 407 East Laurel Ave.

Each person is limited to two tickets and must show valid government photo identification. For more information, visit www.concertsforthecoast.com.

“We fully expect to pack this island out, and have no reason not to,” Malone said. “I think it’s time we’ve had some fun; time we’ve had some good news.”

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• More free concerts planned for Alabama beach (pbpulse.com)

Bon Jovi: Another reason to go to Vegas?????

This might be my motivation to move there!
 

Bon Jovi offered multi-million pound residency by Las Vegas hotel

Bon Jovi are living on a prayer after being offered a multi-million pound residency by a top Las Vegas hotel.

It comes after the success of their stint at the O2 Arena earlier this year.

The band, who will be releasing a Greatest Hits album in November, are said to be "excited" by the offer.

Staying in one place for an extended stay.  The Theater's there are smaller and more intimate and no travel.  I think most importantly the dry desert air is good for people who have allergies *cough Jon Cough*

The question then becomes which Hotel?  I'm guessing Wynn/Encore since Garth Brooks is playing there, when his residency is over who's going to play there.  Also Wynn many bookings in Vegas with people from the far east.  The only other place would be Mandalay Bay because of the House of Blues.  Just my thoughts though.