Could Journey Do This?

[jrnyman28]

From the front page Re: Bon Jovi

"Now, some tour rumors! This was sent last night from my source and is not yet confirmed, but as I understand it, is being strongly considered:
"...Insiders say that the band is considering making fan's dreams come true with a dual format tour in select cities in the USA and possibly internationally on the upcoming Have a Nice Day Tour 05-06.
In larger cities as scheduling allows the band is investigating playing two shows instead of the traditional arena/amphitheater tour.
One show would be the standard for locale new CD/greatest hits package that fans the world over sell out each and every tour.
The second show would be played either the night before or the night after the traditional gig in a smaller more intimate setting. A theater venue with seating in the mid range of 700 seats would host a "deeper cuts" show of around 100 minutes of mostly lesser known hits, cover tunes by favorite artists, acoustic songs, and tracks from the recently released box set 100 Million Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong.
tickets for the intimate shows will be priced at the upper end of the theater market...They also mention the likelihood of 26 US dates and 19 International dates."

[Red13JoePa]

The Stones poineered that kind of tour.

[jrnyman28]

I think this would be a great idea for Journey. They are already doing something similar, but all in one night. If it were broken up into two nights then the fans who don't care about Journey's history/legacy whatever could skip it altogether. (Of course, if Journey had advertised the opening set for this tour then people could have done the same)

But what kind of planning would this take? Setting up your gear one night for a big show, then again for a small show? Or two different rigs? What about the sound changes between size of venues?

I think this would truly be AWESOME for ANY band with the kind of catalog as these bands!!

[Red13JoePa]

That'd be great. cuz when you do it at a smaller venue, the people who come out are WANTING to hear the off-the-wall setlist.
This whole tour was supposed to be like a club show just in bigger settings and one night in all the crying forced them to change that drastically. If they did different venues they could really be having fun. I wonder if it's cost prohibitive.

[SuiteMadameBlue]

jrnyman28

I think this would truly be AWESOME for ANY band with the kind of catalog as these bands!!

I totally agree with you!! There are so many bands that have been around "forever" that can do this.

I don't know if this could happen in every city they would tour, maybe a "special" night in the major cities around.

[jrnyman28]

That'd be great. cuz when you do it at a smaller venue, the people who come out are WANTING to hear the off-the-wall setlist.

EXACTLY!!

If they did different venues they could really be having fun. I wonder if it's cost prohibitive.

Probably...but so cool!!

[gr8dane]

Great idea.But I would not see/hear Bon Jovi.But there are a lot of other bands I would check out.

[Rockindeano]

If they did different venues they could really be having fun. I wonder if it's cost prohibitive.

No. They would simply charge twice as much.

Take SoCal.. One night at the arena, 12,000 peeps, average ticket price, $50.00. Next night, do the Paladium or Wiltern, 1,500 people at 100 bucks..

Set ups would not be hard. Take a look at Journey nowadays versus say..Frontiers days...In 1983, Journey came to Los Angeles and camped out 1 full week. Yes, they setup on Monday, played 5 shows, and left.. Meaning the crew did all the rigging and lighting ONCE. Journey would play 2 nights, then the next night was for the NHL Kings game. Crew takes equipment off the stage, and tear down stage.. Hockey game played, Journey gets night off, and stage gets put up next night. Pretty easy back then compared to now. Currently there are only 2 stops that have multiple night stays and the rest of the tour is one and done, tear down and move..to another city... Which is another mind boggling thing I cannot understand regarding current manager..I guess I can't speak negative of Him or I will get banned... To play in California one night, and then someplace 1500 miles away the next night? THAT is cost prohibitive.

[Monker]

Of course, if Journey had advertised the opening set for this tour then people could have done the same

EXACTLY. I have no idea what the ads are like for this tour but if they promoted it correctly and TOLD ticket buyers what to expect, there wouldn't be any problem. Instead, Journey is doing the exact opposite and allowing the audience to TELL THEM what to play. That isn't a problem if they do a GH tour....Now, after YEARS of GH tours, they are trying to change the game and they need to TELL people what they are doing.

So, if the marketing remains as it is today, they would do a theater "rarities" show, the audience would get lost after the first pre-Perry song, and Journey would start adding hits. It would make absolutely no difference because how Journey is marketing themselves sucks right now.

[Rockindeano]

[

quote="Monker"]
EXACTLY. I have no idea what the ads are like for this tour but if they promoted it correctly and TOLD ticket buyers what to expect, there wouldn't be any problem.

Monker, I know that you do in fact know everything, but I was reading this and I am dumbfounded. You have no idea what the ads are for this tour.....yet you know there is a problem

Uh, dude, there aren't any problems. Seats are selling, and people are for the most part giving this show a thumbs up.

Instead, Journey is doing the exact opposite and allowing the audience to TELL THEM what to play. That isn't a problem if they do a GH tour....Now, after YEARS of GH tours, they are trying to change the game and they need to TELL people what they are doing.

I agree with you here. I hate it when people say Journey isn't promoting themselves right. I blame management for this. I would say Irving should do a better job at promoting and advertising.

[Monker]

Uh, dude, there aren't any problems. Seats are selling, and people are for the most part giving this show a thumbs up.

Sorry, but when the band says they are cutting 'new' songs in favor of classic songs because of the reaction to the first set of pre-Perry songs, then there is a problem - THE FANS DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT and were dumbfounded by what was presented to them....THAT is how Jonathan described crowd reaction after the first few shows.