While concert announcements for the new Bucks arena have been trickling out already, don’t turn out the lights at the BMO Harris Bradley Center quite yet.
The soon-to-be-replaced arena announced today that pop hard rockers Bon Jovi will perform there on Sunday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m. as part of the band’s This House Is Not for Sale 2018 tour.
(Of course, this house is not for sale, because it will be torn down. Then, maybe, the land under it will be.)
The tour comes on the heels of Jon and company’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Because there is the potential for a Bucks home playoff game on that date, the concert was announced with a "rain date." I’m not sure if this kind of announcement has ever happened before.
Should the game be necessary (and, come on, let’s hope it is), Bon Jovi would perform the following night, Monday, April 30 at the same time.
"The NBA playoffs schedule won’t be known until later this spring, but we want to allow fans the most time possible to make room in their schedules to see such a great performer. We are grateful to Mr. Bon Jovi and his tour for graciously working with us to accommodate this potential date change," said Steve Costello, president and CEO of the BMO Harris Bradley Center.
"A concert by a world-class, Hall of Fame act and an NBA playoff game are exciting events on their own, and to have both happening here over a 24-hour period would make some truly special final season memories for our fans."
Once the show is consigned to history, Bon Jovi will end up ranked second in terms of number of performances at the BMOHBC, having played there April 1, 1989; Feb. 27, 2003; Jan. 28, 2006; Feb. 21, 2008; and May 21, 2011.
The king of Jersey (sorry, Jon), Bruce Springsteen, is No. 1, with eight performances in the hallowed hall.
In recognition of that distinction, Costello said that a portion of the evening’s proceeds will be donated to Camp Hometown Heroes, a program that supports the children’ of fallen U.S. military veterans, and other charities.
"We know from experience that fans in Milwaukee and Wisconsin love Bon Jovi, and this concert promises to be a truly spectacular evening of entertainment and celebration," Costello said in a news release.
"Bon Jovi first performed here in 1989 during the Center’s first season and has been an important part of the Center’s story. To have the band perform what could be our final concert is a perfect fit, and this show will absolutely be one to remember. The charitable component – which celebrates the Center’s significant community impact and role as a gift to the people of Wisconsin – gives fans even more reason to come see a great, history-making performance."
Tickets go on sale Friday, Jan. 19 at 10 a.m. at the BMOHBC box office and via Ticketmaster. Live Nation and BMO Harris Bradley Center presales are scheduled 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 18, and American Express and fan club presales are available from 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18. Some online purchases will include a copy of the "This House Is Not for Sale" CD, released in 2016.
For more info on the record and the tour, check out bonjovi.com.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
