Video: Jon Bon Jovi Struggles to Sing “Wanted Dead or Alive” During Last Week’s Raleigh Show

I’m a Jersey Boy, raised in Hoboken by a dad from Plainfield. Perhaps this is why I will always love Bon Jovi — the arena rock band’s massive choruses and glitzy-yet-grimy riffs will forever be a part of my genetic make-up, as much of my identity as the accent which often slips out when I’m drunk or angry. But man, I just got sent the video below of Jon Bon Jovi performing “Wanted Dead or Alive” on April 9th in Raleigh, North Carolina, and damn, dude, is ain’t pretty.

Here’s the thing: Jon Bon is SO off in this video that it makes me think that there are bigger issues here. The fact that the cameraman pans to the band, who seem to look at each other as though to say, Yo, what the fuck is going on, makes me think that JBJ was out of sorts with this performance. There are rumors all over the Internet about the dude losing his voice, but there’s losing your voice and then there’s this.

Okay, so let’s say this was a specific problem, one that the band didn’t foresee. If that’s the case, that raises the question: what happened? Wasted? Blew out his throat earlier in the tour? Landed on a wrong note and just let it carry him in the wrong direction for the rest of the song? We’re not sure. It’s a fucking bummer for sure, though, watching this. The dude is having trouble.

Check out the video below. Meanwhile, fans can catch Bon Jovi at one of the remaining dates of their U.S. tour.

April 19 – Indianapolis, IN @ Gainbridge Fieldhouse [tickets]
April 21 – St. Louis, MO @ Enterprise Center [tickets]
April 23 – Austin, TX @ Moody Center [tickets]
April 26 – Houston, TX @ Toyota Center [tickets]
April 28 – Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center [tickets]
April 30 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena [tickets]

Thanks to General Robb for the heads up!