Chaper 29 - Roulette, Pays Off

 

 

With all of the tracks picked out, arranged and ready to go to press, Bon Jovi was booked to play a small venue in northern New Jersey to showcase their talent and introduce them, as a whole, to the world. 

 

The car ride, in Tico's green station wagon, up the New Jersey Turnpike to Passaic was long and hot.  They had to get there and get set up, while the bar was open for lunch.  They hated doing that, because there was always distractions and wanna be musicians messing with their gear.  But, it's part of the dues you pay if you want to be a rockstar.

 

Tico was driving, Monica and Jon in the front seat with him and the other three were in the backseat.  The way back of the car was full of gear and there were even 3 amps strapped to the top.  They knew they looked silly, but they didn't care.  There were on the road to fame. 

 

"Hey Tic - do you know how to get to this place?"  Jon asks him, leaning over and looking at him around Monica.

 

"Yep.  I know right where we're going?"  Tico replies, knowing that Jon is a little nervous.  They're all nervous, but Jon seems to be a little more nervous.

 

Tapping his foot on the floor board and fidgeting with the guitar strap he had in his hand, he asks Tico, "What's the crowd going to be like?  Young?  Old?"

 

Richie can overhear what they are talking about and jumps in, "It's gonna be a crowd of hot women and horny women."  Laughing at what he had just said.  It wasn't just funny to him, the guys laughed with Jon being the exception.  Even Monica laughed. 

 

"Is it going to be blue collar?  White collar?  I'm not familiar with the area up there.  Farthest north I get is Newark." Jon admits, hoping it's a blue collar crowd because they are easier to please.

 

Alec tells Jon, "It's a mix of both, but mostly working people.  It's going to be a good show, with a good crowd.  What do you have in mind for a set list?"

 

Bon Jovi has an album being released in just matter of weeks.  This trip to Passaic was kind of a focus group, to help them gauge what they should put on the album and where.  This is one of six shows that Joe booked,  with the focus group idea in mind.  Joe knows that Bon Jovi is going to be big, he just wanted it done in the right way.

 

Jon, sitting up in his seat a little higher, puts his hand on Monica's thigh and says, "I know we have to start with something other than Runaway.  I think we need to leave them wanting to hear that one.  What do you guys think we should start with?" 

 

The curly haired keyboard player takes this opportunity and blurts, "Silent Night.  Let's open with that?"

 

Richie taps him in the leg, with the intent to hurt him, "Why, cause it has more keys on it than any other song?"

 

"It's a nice song, strong keys and guitar.  The chicks are going to love that song." 

 

Tico, typically the quiet one decides to give his opinion.  "I think we should open with She Don't Know Me or Runaway.  Those 2 are going to be hits."

 

Undecided and really not sure, Jon looks to Monica and says, "What do you think we should start with?  You've heard them all."

 

She grins at him and says, "You really don't want me to weigh in on this.  THIS is a band decision."

 

"Come on, what would you pick?"  Jon asks her.

 

The car goes quite while Monica tries to decide.  She's heard them all, loved them all but she has to admit, "She Don't Know Me is my favorite."

 

Tico elbows her and says, "Thank you."  Like there was a point given for the same answer. 

 

Jon looks out the window and tried to decide.  To his  right, in the distance he can see New York City, the buildings reaching up to the sky.  He has no idea how to open their first promoted gig, but he's confident that he will figure it out.

 

When they get to the bar, all 6 of them load in and try to get ready.  As Jon had thought, the lunch crowd was a pain in his ass.  From the people that worked in the factory across the street to the mailman, they all wanted to watch. 

 

The waitress knew who 'they' were.  She heard the song on the radio.  It had gotten to the point that Jon would no longer correct people.  They thought that Bon Jovi recorded it, and he was sick of telling the story. 

 

The stage is set and it's time for sound check.  They run through sound check and hang out in their makeshift dressing room until it's time to play.  They all suffer from a case of the nerves and not much is said.  Jon sits at the table, with Monica on his lap and starts to pen a set list.  He knows that they have 90 minutes to play and that he needed to fill some space with cover songs.  The album was only 40 minutes long, so if they extended a few songs and added some covers; it should be a great show.

 

The show was a huge success and it was even more than that for Jon.  Monica was front and center watching every sexy and sweaty move that he made.  She couldn't believe her eyes.  He moved on stage, much like he moved in bed.  He's an amazing lover and an amazing performer.  She could see it in the way that he moved that he loves what he's doing.  She's all smile while she dances to the beat of the kick ass music they were playing.   She Don't Know Me was a great hit, as well as The Hardest Part Is The Nigh, the crowd of about 200 people loved it. 

 

Shows over and they all are exhausted.  The 90 minute set went to more like 120 minutes, but the guys loved it.  After a short break, they broke everything down and packed it back into Tico's car.  The ride down to central Jersey didn't seem to take as long as the ride up to Passaic.  They were exhausted, but they were pumped at the same time.  Each had a story to tell of what they seen, the phone numbers they got and they even fought about the bra that was thrown on stage.  Monica tells them, "This is just a glimpse of what's in store for you guys, it's going to get crazier from here. 

 

Tico dropped everyone off at their homes, Jon with Monica and took the gear home with him.  The plan is to meet up tomorrow and discuss what they should change and what they should add and the next show.  Bon Jovi just played their first gig and Jon couldn't get any higher.  He had a night of doing what he loves, with a wonderful woman with at his side.