Norman Jean RoyWhy bother hiring an opening act for your tour who everyone has already heard of? That’s the thinking behind Bon Jovi‘s latest fan contest.
The group will kick off their This House Is Not for Sale tour next month, and they’re looking for unknown bands to compete for a chance to open selected arena dates during the tour. This is the third time the band has done this in the last ten years.
In a statement, Jon says, “Every great band starts small and builds their rep one show at a time. That’s the opportunity we were given and now we want to pay it forward. If you’re ready for the arena stage, submit your audition tapes and join us in playing for the best audiences in rock music.”
In order to enter, bands need to upload audition videos to BonJovi.com, at Bon Jovi’s Facebook page or at the Facebook page of their concert promoter, Live Nation. Live Nation will choose 10 finalists, and then Bon Jovi’s management will pick the winner for each date on the tour.
Here’s a list of all the dates you can conceivably open for, along with the date when you should be notified if you’ve won or not.
First round of participating dates – winners announced on or about January 27, 2017:
• Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC – concert on February 8, 2017
• Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA – concert on February 10, 2017
• BB&T Center in Sunrise, FL – concert on February 12, 2017
• Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL – concert on February 14, 2017
• BJCC in Birmingham, AL – concert on February 16, 2017
• Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN – concert on February 18, 2017
• Scottrade Center in St. Louis, MO – concert on February 19, 2017
Second round of participating dates – winners announced on or about February 4, 2017:
• Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, OK – concert on February 21, 2017
• American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX – concert on February 23, 2017
• T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV – concert on February 25, 2017
• Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, CA – concert on February 28, 2017
Third round of participating dates – winners announced on or about February 8, 2017:
• SAP Center in San Jose, CA – concert on March 1, 2017
• Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, AZ – concert on March 4, 2017
• Viejas Arena in San Diego, CA – concert on March 5, 2017
• The Forum in Los Angeles, CA – concert on March 8, 2017
Fourth round of participating dates – winners announced on or about February 26, 2017:
• Pepsi Center in Denver, CO – concert on March 14, 2017
• FedExForum in Memphis, TN – concert on March 16, 2017
• Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH – concert on March 18, 2017
• Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, OH – concert on March 19, 2017
• Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN – concert on March 22, 2017
Fifth round of participating dates – winners announced on or about March 7, 2017:
• United Center in Chicago, IL – concert on March 26, 2017
• Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN – concert on March 27, 2017
• Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, MI – concert on March 29, 2017
• Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA – concert on March 31, 2017
• Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT – concert on April 1, 2017
Sixth round of participating dates – winners announced on or about March 12, 2017:
• PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA – concert on April 5, 2017
• Madison Square Garden in New York, NY – concert on April 7, 2017
• Madison Square Garden in New York, NY – concert on April 8, 2017
• Air Canada Centre in Toronto, ON – concert on April 10, 2017
• Air Canada Centre in Toronto, ON – concert on April 11, 2017
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