Rock and roll stalwart Tib Horvath was told for years his similarity in both looks and vocal sound would make for a perfect Jon Bon Jovi tribute show.
But until 2015, Horvath resisted the idea. He didn’t want to be a part of “just another cover band doing tribute stuff”; if he was going to do it, he wanted it to be “a bit more special”.
“There are so many tribute bands around, especially Bon Jovi; there’s probably one in every state,” he said.
“I just wanted the right guys, the right players. A lot of tribute bands, they swap players all the time, they play every week, it’s nothing special.
“But I wanted the right musos. And I found them; the guys I’ve got in the band are world class.”
World class is right; guitarist Tzan Niko has toured with Bon Jovi as member of a support band, while bassist Regan Burgess did a stint with long-time Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora and Orianthi for one of their Australian tours.
And while keyboardist Sean Timms and drummer Steve Staben may not have such personal connections to Bon Jovi, they have both been well known figures in the Australian music scene for many years.
“We all play, we all sing, and the goal is to make it sound just like Bon Jovi,” Horvath said.
“They were conquering the world back in ‘89, and that’s the era we focus on, when they were a kick-ass five-piece rock band.
“It’s a dynamic live show, and you can expect to close your eyes and feel like you’re at a real Bon Jovi concert in 1989.”
One Wild Night is at the Wool Exchange on Saturday, October 21.
