In December, Billboard announced that Bon Jovi's "The Circle Tour," which began last February, had grossed more than $146 million dollars and had been seen by approximately 1.5 million fans, making it 2010's No. 1 tour.
It was the second time in three years that the New Jersey legends had managed to chart the top tour - 2008's "Lost Highway Tour" also topped the charts.
So how will the band celebrate?
Article Photos
Courtesy photo
Bon Jovi is (from left) David Bryan, Tico Torres, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora.
With a new tour, of course.
"Those three hours or two-and-a-half hours on stage every night is what we live for," guitarist Richie Sambora said in a recent conference call with drummer Tico Torres and a group of journalists.
Bon Jovi - lead singer Jon Bon Jovi, 48, Sambora, 51, keyboardist David Bryan, 48, and Torres, 57 - will kick off their Bon Jovi Live tour with a concert at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Bryce Jordan Center, University Park. The tour is in support of the band's new release, "Bon Jovi Greatest Hits."
Fact Box
If you go
Who: Bon Jovi, with Lorenza Ponce
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Bryce Jordan Center, University Park
Tickets: $19.50, $29.50, $49.50, $79.50 and $129.50
But this tour won't be quite the Ironman feat that "The Circle" was - that 10-month marathon just wrapped up on Dec. 19.
"We're going all the way to Aug. 1 this year. When we're done with the States, we're going to do ... the rest of Europe," Torres said. "[Then] I think we need to take a break. I mean, it's a long, expensive tour since last February.
"I think it's important to just get away from the audience for a bit. We've toured the world quite a bit and sometimes you've got to get away so people can appreciate you better. You also have to get away to live your life, and create, and, you know, recharge."
"But not that much of a break," Sambora added.
"Because what's going to happen is there's going to be more songs to be written and, you know, guess what? We want to be the Rolling Stones. I know I do."
They've certainly earned the right to some rest. Bon Jovi is one of the most successful bands of their generation, selling more than 120 million albums. Their No. 1 touring band status is a result of their tireless work on the road - the band's last few tours have gone 11 months or more, hitting countless countries along the way.
And with more than 35 million fans having seen Jon and company in concert, according to their website, they must be doing something right.
"What we have learned to do over - God, 28 years now of being together - is give good stadium," Sambora said. "I don't know how to put it any other way ... I'm trying to be humble about it, but this band, we know how to give good stadium."
A part of Bon Jovi's recent touring dominance may be due to the band expanding into the shrinking divide between rock and country music. The band's 2005 collaboration with Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles, "Who Says You Can't Go Home," won Bon Jovi their first Grammy Award and their 2007 album, "Lost Highway," took the country link even further.
Torres said the new sound came straight from the heart of country music - Nashville, Tenn.
"Doing a whole country-feel kind of record with those influences was [a result of] going down there to Nashville and actually tasting it and feeling it and smelling it and just getting in that vibe," he said. "It's fun to experiment."
But that doesn't mean the band is going to abandon rock, or the songs that made them famous. They're just as devoted to that music, and making them mean just as much to their fans as they did when they were released.
"No, no," Sambora said. "We love them. ...You've got to get in a band with people that have your same passion. I mean, if you don't have passion for something, you know, then there's a problem there.
"Every time that this band gets on stage, we try to get better."
The fans seem to notice, particularly here in Central Pennsylvania.
This is the second time Bon Jovi has kicked off a tour at the Bryce Jordan Center, according to Bernie Punt, director of marketing at the BJC.
"In 2003, [they] did the same thing," he said. (Bon Jovi kicked off the North American leg of their "Bounce Tour" at Penn State in February 2003.)
"There are several positives that they look at [with the BJC], as far as our close proximity to major markets. We're a little out of the way, so they can come in and have a little more privacy and rehearse and tweak things."
Ticket sales have been brisk, Punt said.
"The seats that are left are behind the stage, but it's a clear view," he said, noting that less than 1,000 seats remain of the 15,000 available.
The fact that it is the tour opener has increased interest in the BJC show.
"People are coming from all over, not just Pennsylvania," Punt said.
"We have people coming right now from 36 states. The farthest media request for credentials was from the BBC."
Mirror Staff Writer Keith Frederick is at 946-7466.
