Jon Bon Jovi and his band are rolling into Savannah with their new tour, making it the first time the band has played live since 2019 and its first time performing in the Hostess City of the South. The one-month US tour, which will start in Nebraska and will conclude in Nashville, is exactly what the band needed.
“Gosh, we have missed playing live. Nothing can replace the energy of a live show," Bon Jovi said.
Bon Jovi is one of the greatest and most successful American rock bands worldwide, and although he has performed in more than 2,700 concerts and in over 50 countries this would be Bon Jovi’s very first appearance and live show in the Savannah area.
Credit: MEGHAN McCARTHY / PALM BEACH DAILY NEWS
Credit: MEGHAN McCARTHY / PALM BEACH DAILY NEWS
“It's hard to believe there's someplace in America I haven't played. That is so crazy. But now, you have a great arena. So, I'm on the way," he said.
When asked what he's expecting with his first visit to Savannah, he quickly turns it around and asks: “What can I expect of Savannah?”
Great food, great weather, but we are also a town with a huge military presence. About 4,000 troops in the area have been deployed to Europe, my husband included, which ties directly into his new album “2020” and the song “Unbroken”.
“I like both of those things and I am sorry. So, you know, this tour includes a lot of songs that people known for a lot of years, and I look forward to seeing the fans and playing a lot of the hits and playing some of the new stuff too, but now you're reminding me to play 'Unbroken' so now it might very well have to make the setlist.”
Credit: Courtesy
Credit: Courtesy
The song “Unbroken” which the singer/songwriter wrote for the 2019 Netflix documentary film, “To Be of Service," dives into his connection to the military and service men and women.
“I am the son of not one, but two Marines. My mother and father met in the Corps. Although I never served, my three best friends in high school all joined the Navy as a way out. So I was fairly familiar with that situation. And, obviously, I was lucky enough to have some success in my career and went a different path. But a couple of years ago, I've got a phone call from a filmmaker about a documentary. They needed somebody who could help shine a light on the issue of soldiers, men and women returning. Mainly dealing with veterans and the many cases of PTSD.
"I will never fully know (what it's like to serve) but I can try to get as close as I can. The song helped bring the attention to the film, then in turn, we got a pilot program out of it at the government level. The song brought that light, and I donated the proceeds towards the cause, and it has garnered enough attention... We helped change many lives.”
Credit: David Richard, AP
Credit: David Richard, AP
Bon Jovi’s latest album "2020" is not only a musical exploration but a time-capsule, almost a glimpse into one of the pages of Jon’s diary. The lyrics of his song “Do What You Can," which is a duet with “Sugarland” and Georgia native Jennifer Nettles, came through as he was washing dishes at his JBJ Soul Kitchen.
“We have three pay it forward model restaurants in New Jersey that are called the JBJ Soul Kitchen. There aren't any prices on our menu, those who are in need volunteer, those who want to directly affect change pay a suggested donation that not only pays for their meal, but for someone else's.
“During the pandemic, obviously, we couldn't have many or any volunteers. Nor could we have anyone sit down for a meal. And so, I found myself at the restaurant washing the dishes for several months on end. My wife, Dorothea, who's also the founder and creator of the restaurants, took my photograph as I was washing dishes. She asked for a caption before posting on social media. I think she was really looking for a day of the week and the time of the day, when the restaurants would be open. But I responded by saying: 'If you can't do what you do, do what you can.' The next day, I thought, that's a song title so I began to write. The album really became a topical record, not a political record by any means. We were all living that history together and no matter who you are, or where you are from on this planet, we were experiencing the pandemic and the effects of it.
Credit: Anne-Marie Caruso, USA TODAY NETWORK
Credit: Anne-Marie Caruso, USA TODAY NETWORK
"So, if you can't do it, you do anything you can, in this case, washing dishes to help-out your neighbor, helping the community.”
I think that's what artists do: artists are record keepers. To me, songs are time capsules. I think that's what an artist is supposed to do, and you are doing your job.
"Amen to that. Thank you."
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: For the first time ever, Jon Bon Jovi rolls into Savannah for show at the Enmarket Arena
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