Music
Wanted: Bon Jovi Ticket Buyers (Dead or Alive)
Contributed by Louis Papa
At the announcement of an added 4th show recently for all the Bon Jovi lovers in Toronto, the ones apparently buying tickets faster than food stamps in some war torn eastern European countries - something in me died.
I asked myself, is this a joke? If it was/is, and people are doing this because it's like randomly going to play Bingo on a Saturday night for giggles because ha! wouldn't that be fun and funny, then my bad.
If it's not, and people have actually paid good money and called and had extra shows added because of strong demand, then I think it's time. It's time we, the 416, finally stood up and got out there and burned down the DVP, along with the 401, the 403, the 407 and pretty much every other 400 series highway that brings the 905 into the downtown core, allowing them to sell out the ACC and Bon Jovi four nights in a row.
This is unacceptable. The first show or two is no doubt allowed to have some 416'ers in the crowd, representing their youthful pasts, letting loose with some old school Bon Jovi for the night and loving it - but four full long nights?
Let there be no doubt, friends: this is the work of the 905. The same ones that will give Celion Dion a good and healthy dose of chest pumping self confidence when she decides to come around town, singing along to every word she sings and buying T-Shirts with her face on it.
Now, don't get me wrong: Young Guns II was awesome. Singing 'Blaze of Glory' down the hallways of my high school was the closest I ever got to being a cowboy. And I didn't even want to be a cowboy. The song just swept me away - that's how good it was.
But this is madness. If it were a Bon Jovi cover band down at the Horseshoe or the Mod Club, double-billing with a Poison cover band - I would say rock on. I would be the first in line to get wrist bands for all of us. (Good idea, by the way.) But as it stands, I cannot in good faith accept this! They wore tights and frilly headbands and lots of makeup like all the other cheese bands back in the 80's - which is fine. But then they cleaned up, started rocking soft and pretending to be all mature and stuff and that's where things went horribly wrong. (Though the Christmas tune and video with Cindy Crawford was awesome. I can't deny that.)
So there it is. I ask you then, are we really going to allow the 905'ers to turn Toronto into the palais royal of soft rock?
Discussion
20 Comments
Sort By Oldest First / Newest First
Subscribe
This has to be one of the dumbest articles I have ever read. Bon Jovi is one of the greatest bands of all time, just look at the numbers. Thank god they matured and aren't like the rest of the 80 rockers. Did you see Bret Michaels rock of love.... what a sad way to try and get attention.
^^^ LOFLMAO (at the comment).
I don't really understand this article.
I love Bon Jovi.
I grew up in the 905, but moved to Toronto when I was 20.
I have no problem with people believing them to be one of 'greatest bands of all time'...they just need not do their thing in downtown toronto. perhaps they could go to the hammer or, say, oakville to rock. a much better setting, non?
I hate Bon Jovi, but why do you blame suburbs for 4 consecutive shows? there a mainstream rockband thats been around over 20 years. your arugment makes no sense. they've sold what 100 million records worldwide. blame Jersey for them. Elmo and his sesame street buds are in town for a couple of shows, who you going to place the blame on for that?
BJV has been pumping out soft rock hits for 15+ years. I don't care if they've sold a billion records. they're cheese. have been for quite a while. and I doubt it's downtown toronto folks supporting the 4 sold out shows. that's all.
if I'm wrong, then I will gladly submit myself to the torture of back to back to back to back nickleback concerts.
Most people downtown can give their uppity noses a rest for one night and rock out karaoke style for one night. Try it, it might do you some good.
Is Bon Jovi being in town physically harming you? Are people forcing you to listen to their music? Who cares? Those "905ers" (and 519ers *gasp!*) are bringing money to the businesses of YOUR downtown! Let people go out and have fun, and you can stay home those nights twiddling your thumbs so you don't run the risk of having to fraternize with any of them.
For the record, I don't personally care about Bon Jovi either way, but if someone handed me a ticket I'd totally go for the nostalgia. I imagine that's why many others are going, too.
This article let me down. Who drank the Hate-orade this morn'?
yes seriously get off your highhorse, I think your one of the reasons so many people hate our city.
As a (reluctant) 905er, this article made me giggle and nod frantically.
I don't think that any sane person is under the delusion that BJ (heh) has four sold-out shows because they're oh-so-talented. Obviously they appeal to a certain market... and Mr. Papa is making fun of that market. I say get off your high horse and learn to appreciate a joke - in the form of a funny, well-written article.
I'm sorry Bon Jovi isn't an indie band on Queen Street.
This has got to be the crappiest thing i ever read. I don't care if you don't like Bon Jovi but your article just flat out makes no sense. Please never write another article - maybe you should trying drawing or painting instead.
PS. I went to the Bon Jovi show last night and I'm going again in March and..... I LIVE IN THE 416!
I just think the writer is a bitter man who couldn't afford enough hair spray as a teen to hold up a Bon Jovi sized scalp tsunami.
well, after much thought I have to say I'm not above admitting I could be wrong about the whole bon jovi/905/celion dion correlation. and maybe burning down the dvp and all the 400 series highways isn't the answer either. hmmm, much soul searching to do.
btw, '...scalp tsunami' - awesome-ist line ever.
Sounds to me like you just don't like people from the 905... bring Bon Jovi to Mississauga or even Brampton next time!!!
I think Toronto should do more to encourage the 905ers to come into the city. They have money to spend. When I was in NYC, half the people there were from New Jersey just visiting for the day. Toronto should distinguish itself from the suburbs so there's a reason for people to visit.
Having a Bon Jovi concert in Oakville actually hurts our city.
"I'm sorry Bon Jovi isn't an indie band on Queen Street."
-Rick (my favourite comment).
But seriously, I know it's cool to bash 905ers cause they do all these terrible things like inject obscene sums of money in to our economy, but maybe give the classic and incredibly boring 'downtown vs. suburbs" thing a rest.
This message will never really get through because there is still going to be the occasional sneering downtown writer to pen a nasty article (whether it is in Blogto or in the Globe and Mail)
I'd rather see vast transit improvement or even see the roads widened than see them stop coming into the city. I like 905'ers :)
416 vs 905. it's fun and funny. nothing more.
though, on a mildly serious note, I do hope the thousands and thousands of people that attended the 4 nights at the ACC are also hitting up the occasional sneaky dees or rivoli show and/or all the other smaller establishments and local indie bands around town. (whether they're 416'ers or 905'ers.)
and, of course, I still stand by the fact that I would see a bon jovi cover band any day of the week.