I’ve had quite an interesting discussion about this in facebook with this certain radiostation contest where a local band gets to win an opportunity to open for Bon Jovi. It was getting good until it ended up being heated toward the end that I had to remove the discussion in facebook. It might be a bit controversial, yes, but what I say, I mean well. A bit of honesty doesn’t hurt now does it. 

What we were talking about is how a rock n’ roll band opening for Bon Jovi could be a career mistake. I explained how and will explain in the blog here.

You see, Bon Jovi may have had something special in the 80’s, but today he’s too mainstream, washed up, an old nostalgia act. He was once a metal act, and now Bon Jovi has turned into a country rock artist. He’s a mainstream act that is too commercial. Bon Jovi used to be seen as a rock star back in the 80’s but we don’t see him like that anymore. He’s a pop star now. He is now part of pop culture.

Before a rock band jumps on an opportunity like this, they must be careful about these kind of decisions. These are questions you have to ask yourself. Do you want to be looked at as a “rock band” or a “pop star”? If you don’t want to be part of “pop culture” and “the mainstream”, then it’s best for your music that you stay away from opening concerts for mainstream acts. I’m not talking about just Bon Jovi. Even if you got the opportunity to open for acts like John Mayer, Dave Matthews or even Lady Gaga, your band will get known as a pop act. If that is not the direction where you want your music to head to, then it’s best for you to start opening for bands that are not too mainstream.

It might be good to play on the SPAC stage, yes, that’s what everyone wants is to play an arena type of venue. If you were asked to open for a famed national act, you must stop and think, is this artist right for my music? You can’t just jump on any random opportunity, got to do what is right for you and your music.

I think it is best that local rock bands should be opening for bands that are not as mainstream like I said above, or just open shows for indie bands. You could open for acts that are not as popular such as Ani Difranco, Mason Jennings, or open for indie bands such as The Eagles of Death Metal and more. Start off opening shows for national acts at Northern Lights like a lot of them do around here.

There’s a lot of great rock bands being part of this radio contest that don’t even belong on this thing, a lot of bands on the contest don’t fit Bon Jovi. Bands don’t think about these things because they are so obsessed with fame, ’cause they think it’s glorifying to open for the world’s biggest rock star. I don’t enter for things like this ’cause I want nothing to do with these silly contests. It’s not where I want to see my music head to. Not my thing. If bands want to do this, fine, bands do what they want to do. Let them obsess with fame and the major label industry.

I would like to open for a famed national act someday, sure, don’t get me wrong, it would be a great opportunity, but it won’t be Bon Jovi. I would much rather open for artists that I like and admire, not because they are big & famous. Bands and their crazy rock n’ roll fantasies, nothing new, lol. Becareful with the decisions you make in your career and you’ll regret it down the road. I’m not knocking the contest, only trying to give a reality check.

It’ll be interesting who wins this Bon Jovi contest though.

Kev