Blaze Of Glory - "The World's Finest Bon Jovi Tribute"

Blaze of Glory heats up the night
Blaze of Glory a Bon Jovi tribute band performs

By: Brandy Ronek
Published March 9, 2013

IMPERIAL – With weather in the low 50’s, Blaze of Glory, a Bon Jovi tribute band, performed at the California Mid-Winter Fair and Fiesta Friday night on the Grand Stage.

The group opened with a popular Bon Jovi song “Raise your hands” which got the crowd up and clapping their hands.

“I came along with my wife who loves Bon Jovi, but because it is cold, I am so glad I brought my gloves,” Greg Ramirez of Brawley explained why he came out to the tribute show.

Blaze of Glory got their band title from Jon Bon Jovi’s first solo album, which was released in 1990. It includes songs from, and inspired by, the movie Young Guns II, such as “wanted dead or alive.”

The tribute band members are originally from Vancouver Canada. The group consists of Ted Moore on Vocals, Randy Robertson on Guitar, Doug Grant on Drums, James Meyer on Keyboards, and Mike Champigny on Bass.

During the show, Moore joined the audience and danced with a few different fans, then took pictures.

“I have loved Bon Jovi since the early ages, I first saw Jovi play in the year 1981,” said Lisa Rigney of Imperial, after she danced with Blaze of Glory’s lead singer, Ted Moore.

Lead vocalist Ted Moore has been forever compared to Jon Bon Jovi – not only in his singing style and performance, but also for his marked resemblance to the famous New Jersey rocker according to the Blaze of Glory website.

The show was filled with hits from the many multi-platinum albums recorded by Bon Jovi over the last three decades. Blaze of Glory looks and sounds very much like the real Bon Jovi and the authentic costumes and hair styles match the original artist down to the smallest detail. - The Desert Review

Grande Prairie – are you ready to rock out to Bon Jovi Friday night? Well, how about a reasonable facsimile thereof?
Blaze of Glory: Canada’s Ultimate Bon Jovi Experience will be at Better Than Fred’s tonight. Playing all of the hits from 1983 through to the Real Deal’s current era, frontman Jon Bon Jovi … err r… Ted Moore calls his Blaze of Glory project “the finest Bon Jovi tribute anywhere.”
Blaze of Glory has never been to Grande Prairie before. But I think it may be a good fit – we love our cowboys, and Jon Bon Jovi played one in a movie once.
I should note, when my assignment editor first asked if I wanted to do something on a tribute band I contemplated various escape routes from the newsroom.
But now, after talking to Ted, I think I am actually going to be heading over to Fred’s to see this thing for myself.
He has a sense of humour about it if nothing else.
He told me a story from last year’s Calgary Stampede where Blaze of Glory had been booked to play, when shortly before the Vancouver quintet was to fly out they found out the Real Deal were brought in.
“We got bumped by Bon Jovi!” said Ted.
It’s an unusual thing, he said, to be touring a tribute show when that emulated act is still touring itself.
Could be worse – an all-girl band called Blonde Jovi found themselves in legal trouble with Bon Jovi not long ago over having too similar a name. So, they’re called Blonde Jersey now.
Blaze of Glory has so far flown under the Bon Jovi’s radar.
“At some point, we know that they are going to hear about this,” said Ted.
Ted doesn’t know how Jon would react, but sense of humour or not, he takes the gig pretty seriously.
Blaze of Glory has been going since 2008.
It took him 16 weeks after deciding to become the Young Gun to “go shopping” through his mental Rolodex of musicians from the Vancouver area to find matches – each member of Bon Jovi is represented.
Then another 10 months converting them.
It is a lot to manage – they craft their shows from three or four very well known Bon Jovi concerts.
He said the crowds coming out for these shows – the most recent being in Las Vegas – love it.
“They know as well as I do that the real band isn’t there,” said Ted.
“But it’s really interesting … those who love Jon really love him, and they know the shows. They know the concert banter, the segues and the little things that we throw in.
“When they come to the show they seem to know their part.”
This is about where Ted sold me on going to see the show – I want to try on the role of co-conspirator too.
Am I singing along to Blaze of Glory with Ted, or Jon? Can he fool me for a while?
Does it even matter?
Ted’s a musician of 20 years’ experience. I have to assume he’s good at his job.
He tells me this project has been one of the more liberating experiences in those 20 years.
“It takes a lot of the pressure off of you when you know what your job is,” said Ted.
“You know exactly what it is that you need to do, so you work as hard as you can to get towards that – nothing more, nothing less.”
- Grande Prairie Herald-Tribune

By Kristin Froneman - Vernon Morning Star
Published: September 11, 2010 12:00 PM

Ask Ted Moore if he has ever donned tight spandex pants or sported a poodle mullet, and he can’t help but laugh.

It’s not that strange of a question when you consider who the man plays for a living.

Long compared to Jon Bon Jovi –– not only in his singing style and on-stage performance, but also for his marked resemblance to the famous New Jersey rocker –– Moore’s fashion sense, like the real Bon Jovi, has come a long way since the ‘80s.

“The cheese factor was quite high then. It was part of the times, and now is considered kitschy, but he’s moved far away from that now,” said Moore, who sings in the Bon Jovi tribute act Blaze of Glory.

About to play a dance in Vernon, Blaze of Glory is the real deal. There are no wigs. And yes, Moore can hit all those high notes from the band’s massive hit Livin’ on a Prayer.

“As players, singers and showmanship, we’re more from the Keep the Faith days in ‘94 and ‘95’s Live at Wembley to It’s My Life from Crush in 2000. That’s the look of our group visually, but we play all the big hits from the ‘80s,” said Moore, adding the songs go back to Bon Jovi’s first big single, 1980’s Runaway, to their 2006 country hit, Who Says You Can’t Go Home.

“They are the only band in rock history that has had a number one hit on the country charts,” said Moore, who has done a lot of research on the man he plays, even checking out Bon Jovi’s filmography.

“The guy’s been on about 12 to 15 films and he even played Ally McBeal’s love interest on TV.”

A professional musician since he performed in the Toronto revue act Teen Angel and the Rockin’ Rebels as a teenager, Moore has met his fair share of professional musicians, so it wasn’t too much of a struggle when he tracked down the fellow players for Blaze of Glory.

Formed in late-2008, the band features guitarist Randy Robertson (as Richie Sambora), bassist Mike Champigny (Hugh McDonald), keyboardist James Meyer (David Bryan) and drummer Doug Grant (Tico Torres), who all have an uncanny resemblance to the Bon Jovi members they play.

But what matters more, is they actually can play, and have previously performed in such bands as Doug and the Slugs, Prism, Nick Gilder and Krome.

“There is no karaoke or backing tracks in our music,” said Moore. “We exude the energy the band had in its prime. We dress the part, but more importantly, we play the part.”

There’s also a local connection, as drummer Doug Grant comes from a long line of drummers, including his dad Doug Grant Sr., who is based in Armstrong, and sister Carolyn, who is organizing the event here in Vernon.

“This is cool for Doug. There will be at least 25 to 30 people coming that he knows. It’ll be a family night for them,” said Moore.

With gigs as far away as Trinidad, where Blaze of Glory flew out to the Caribbean nation and back in a matter of days, to shows in Las Vegas and an opening slot for metal band Steel Panther at the Key Club on Hollywood’s Sunset Boulevard, it sometimes feels like the tribute band is living on the same prayer as their heroes.

“That was Bon Jovi’s MO (modus operandi.) They flew all over the world to do shows, then back... I’m glad that didn’t happen to me. Back when I was in a lot of bands, yes, I wanted that, but now I have a wife and two kids, it would be too hard,” said Moore, who is based in Chillwack.

And with Bon Jovi closing in on 50, Moore isn’t surprised to see the love for the man and his band continue.

“We’ve been so lucky. The reaction has been positive with people in the industry and fans,” said Moore. “We recently played at Sun Peaks resort in Kamloops and there were both babies and older ladies in the audience, and they knew all the words to the hits, especially Livin’ on a Prayer from Slippery When Wet.”

Even the man who produced that multi-platinum album, Vancouver’s Bob Rock, has given the A-OK to Blaze of Glory.

“I used to play in a band with Bob Rock’s brother. I don’t know if he knows what we are doing, but Bob knows about us and has given us the go ahead,” said Moore.

Canada’s ultimate Bon Jovi experience, Blaze of Glory plays the ballroom in the Best Western Vernon Lodge Saturday, Sept. 18. Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance, available at the Bean Scene and Bean to Cup. For more info call Carolyn Grant at 250-549-1695.

- Vernon Morning Star

Front man Ted Moore admits he'll be a lot more nervous singing for a Chilliwack crowd, than he is performing for 10,000 screaming rock fans.
As lead singer of Blaze of Glory, the "ultimate Bon Jovi tribute experience," Moore tells The Progress he is totally stoked about finally being able to play for a Chilliwack audience next Friday night.
He's been in Chilliwack on and off for 20 years, but this is his first real chance to play live for friends and family.
The singer-songwriter says he left the music business years ago, after a big record label deal went sour, and headed to SFU to became a teacher. He spent six years at the alter of higher education, and didn't sing a note.
But the musically inclined Moore was eventually was drawn inexorably back into the biz a few years later. His Grade 7 students in White Rock kept telling him how much he looked and sounded like Jon Bon Jovi. He'd heard that one before in his music career — a lot.
Moore thought about how the tribute phenomenon was really starting to take off. The bands were being booked in big, classy venues like casinos and corporate gigs. That was something he'd always aspired to, with a one-stop-shop for a wide demographic — from kids to seniors.
He set out to make it happen. A few years ago, when he put on his concert duds and sunglasses, and climbed the stairs to the stage again, he became Jon Bon Jovi almost to a tee.
Talk about having your cake and eating it, too.
The online reviewer called the band "remarkably powerful" and "a spectacular tribute" to the music of multi-platinum selling artist Jon Bon Jovi.
Blaze of Glory is Moore on vocals, Randy Robertson on guitar, Mike Champigny on bass, Mike Russel on keyboards and Doug Grant on drums.
They're performing Feb. 19, at the Echo Room on Main St. Tickets $10. Check out video and more on their wicked website at blazeofglory.ca.
Here's how the rest of the Q&A interview went with Moore:
What's it feel like to have a local gig coming up?
"We're pretty excited about it. Blaze has never played here. Most of our shows end up being a long ways away in other provinces. This one is about playing for my family and friends and neighbours. They know me on the strata council, or running a computer company, or working as an education consultant. And now they're going to see me as a rock singer. It's rewarding. I'm going to try to do the show as I always do it."
How did Blaze of Glory come together?
"| conjured up the idea for the group. I saw some of the tribute acts out there. Some were impressive, others not so much. I found it was important to not only sound like the band, but to look like them. There's a large pool of talent in the Lower Mainland. So I started hitting the clubs, and I hand-picked each guy. It took me weeks and weeks of cruising the clubs and shopping musicians. I figured I would need contingencies, but I got my first choice. I'd pitch them my spiel and they'd say, 'Ted, let's do it.' One was on tour with Doug and The Slugs, another in Prism, Crome and more. But they have actually grown fond of this group.
Any pre-show rituals you can share?
"Before I go on I like to have the band together for the last 10 minutes. We'll go through the day, in a bit of a round table. We let go of everything that's happened that day, and we manage to expunge the evils of the day. That's a big ritual. Oh, and I always wear black socks for the show. Does that count?"
What do you play?
"I do pretty much what Jon Bon Jovi does, which is play acoustic guitar and lead vocals."
You avoid backing tracks and every note is performed live. Why?
"I think we're one of the few bands that does that. We're pretty lucky with four lead vocalists, who are all lead singers of their respective bands. You might think that would be a recipe for disaster, but we have nothing to prove. We've been together for a few years. There's none of the posturing or chest-puffing. When you're on stage all the time, you can get carried away. But we keep it humble, and we remember we're not the rock stars, Bon Jovi are the rock stars."
Do you practise a lot?
"As the singer, knowing the band is there means a lot. We're well-rehearsed with at least 150 hours of rehearsal time logged. I waded them through hundreds of hours of Bon Jovi concert footage when we first got together. We'd sit and study certain aspects of their performances, all the way from 1983 to the present. So yeah, everyone's got the moves down and the clothes. We figure, if you're going to do it, do it right."
How did you avoid the spandex era?
"Ha ha. That was one of the first questions the guys asked at the beginning: which era were we going for? The one with poodle hair cuts and spandex? No, Bon Jovi got out of hair metal phase and headed into middle-America. That's where we're going to hit, from 1995 to 2001, and even some of the current stuff. But the fans, that's a different story. People have a fondness for that time period, and the Bon Jovi fans who come out, take the opportunity to dig out all their fringed leather jackets, spandex and big hair, and come out to the show to have a good time.”
By Jennifer Feinberg - Chilliwack Progress
Published: February 11, 2010 4:00 PM
Updated: February 11, 2010 4:13 PM

http://www.bclocalnews.com/entertainment/84176727.html

- Chilliwack Progress

Ted Moore always wanted to be a rock star and there was a brief moment in 1995 when his dream seemed in reach. But by 2003 Moore was living in Chilliwack, counseling troubled teens and repairing busted computers.
Next week, Moore and his new band Blaze of Glory will hit the stage at the Echo Room. If that performance is anything like the band's first concert in Kamloops last year, they will be greeted as rock stars--nay, rock gods. The mostly female crowd will sing along with Moore, pump their fists in the air and maybe even paw at the fair-haired father of two whose initial rock dream fizzled out 15 years ago.
With all that attention, Moore doesn't care that if all that enthusiasm has less to do with Blaze of Glory and more to do with Bon Jovi, the undying singers of hits like Livin' on a Prayer and Wanted Dead or Alive.
View Larger Image
Ted Moore, centre, fronts Bon Jovi tribute act Blaze of Glory. Randy Robertson, Mike Champigny, Mike Russell and Doug Grant round out the band.
Moore's band is a classic tribute act, recreating the look, sound and feel of a popular act--in this case Bon Jovi.
Moore says: "We're not the rock stars. It's not like we're going to get big heads about this because Bon Jovi are the rock stars."
But there is also something about taking the stage to standing ovations and shouts of enthusiasm that delights Moore, who says he is drawn to the stage.
Moore cut his teeth in Lower Mainland music scene in the late '80s and early '90s. But after a key music industry died and his latest band--Locomotive Dream--broke up in 1995, Moore decided to settle down and get on with his life.
So he went to university, learned to be a teacher, had two girls, and heard, not infrequently, that he looked and sounded like Jon Bon Jovi.
By the middle of the decade Moore had moved away from teaching and was operating his own computer business in Chilliwack. But he also noticed that there was a potentially lucrative market for tribute acts.
After years of research, Moore finally assembled Blaze of Glory last year with experienced Lower Mainland musicians. And when the band debuted in Kamloops last year, Moore described the environment as "surreal."
"It was bizarre and an experience I never had in my life," said Moore of the packed crowd, which cheered the band onto the stage.
And even though he's playing someone else's songs, Moore said playing like a rock star is a dream come true.
"I would have loved to see this kind of response to material I had written. It would have been wonderful," he said. "But the experience is the same.
"The difference is I don't have the millions of dollars from the songwriting royalties and the private jets."
What Moore does have, though, is the perfect yardstick for his band's performance.
"100 per cent means we've reached complete authenticity," said Moore. And while he said his band will never perfectly duplicate the Bon Jovi experience, that target gives Blaze of Glory something tangible to aim for.
"No one's going to be Bon Jovi other than Bon Jovi," he said. "We are proudly second best."
- Blaze of Glory will perform at The Echo Room Friday, Feb. 19 at 8 p.m.
Tyler Olsen, The Times
Published: Friday, February 12, 2010
tolsen@chilliwacktimes.com
© Chilliwack Times 2010
http://www2.canada.com/chilliwacktimes/news/showtime/story.html?id=5b5c6142-27f8-4680-80fe-a85f13954f6f

- Chilliwack Times

This past weekend I got a unique opportunity to spend time with some new friends and their band, Blaze of Glory, and just tag along all day with them doing ‘whatever’. It was pretty cool to get some insight into what the average rock band does on their day off.
Blaze of Glory is a kick ass Bon Jovi tribute band from Vancouver comprised of Ted Moore on vocals, Randy Robertson guitars, Doug Grant drums, Mike Champigny bass, and James Meyer on keyboards, and all band members are stellar musicians from various Vancouver recording acts including Nick Gilder, Doug and The Slugs, Krome, and The Devin Townsend Project.
Arriving in Kamloops around lunch time, my phone rang and it was Ted inviting me to come have lunch with the band at the club they were playing that night, On the Rocks. Standing in the parking lot of the local Starbucks, I did a 180, looked across the highway, and had to stop myself from waving – the club was just across the highway and up on the hill
Ten minutes minutes later Doug was finding me a chair to join the band at one of the larger tables near the back of the club, and Ted was introducing me to the fellows I didn’t know yet – James and Mike, as well as the band’s sound engineer, Orest Patraschuk and lighting director, Dave Dyer. The waitress came to take my order and Mike and I began to talk about photography and art while the others finished their respective conversations. By the time I’d had my fill of Calamari the band was into a full on discussion of the previous night’s performance and planning minor tweaks to both sound and lighting for the performance this evening. I looked over into the opposite corner of the club and saw the stage – a decent sized stage for a club, but I expressed my wonderment on having a 5 man band with room for drum kit, keyboard and a singer who likes to move and get involved wholeheartedly. They all just smiled at me

Lunch over, we discussed what the afternoon’s agenda was – I had an item in my car to deliver to one of the band members (he took it to Vancouver for me) and a few of the guys wanted to go to the local music store, so we all headed back to the hotel two doors down to regroup and go from there.
Once at the hotel my item was delivered, Orest the sound man went to do the unglamorous task of laundry, James headed to his own shared room for a quiet time, and Doug and Mike went off to do their own thing. Ted, Randy, Dave, and I piled into Randy’s van and headed to the local Long and McQuade music store to drool over guitars, amps, and all such manner of heavy metal rock and roll instrumentation.
After a good hour of wishful thinking by the guys (on what new gear they’d love to have) and equally wishful thinking on my part (I wish I could play that electric guitar my brother gave me last year when he upgraded) we left the store richer in experience but no poorer in pocket and headed back to the Starbucks which is attached to a Chapters book store. The guys were like kids in a candy store even more so than at the music shop! Ted poured over a Bon Jovi glossy hard cover for long moments, the odd sigh coming from him as he would discover a rare photo inside. Randy picked up a Kiss book and he and Ted compared notes on various photos from that book – recalling dates and tour info like it was yesterday. It wa an interesting experience to stand beside them both and listen to the chatter about their memories of gigs and concert going as ‘fans’ – I loved it.

After picking up a drink to go, we rounded everyone up and headed back to the van. On the way back to the hotel, I peeked over the back seat into the ‘cargo hold’ at the carefully stacked and wedged guitar cases – and soaked up the ambience of being in a band van Piling out of the van for the last time, it was hugs from Randy, a quick goodbye to Doug at his room, and a hug and official Blaze of Glory press badge on lanyard tucked into my pocket from Ted, and I was off to my own car for the hour plus drive back home.
Many thanks to Ted, Doug, Randy, James, Mike – Blaze of Glory, and their sound and lighting engineers, Orest and Dave, for a really cool day. If Blaze of Glory is playing a show near you – be sure to go.
*photos and poster courtesy of Dave M. Trace Reflections Photo-Graphics and used with kind permission. Be sure to check out Dave’s site
Copyright © 2009 nightMair Creative All Rights Reserved

- Nightmair Productions

A handful of lucky Langley Advance readers will see this show free.
Tyler Olsen, Canwest News; The Chilliwack Times
Published: Friday, February 19, 2010
Ted Moore always wanted to be a rock star and there was a brief moment in 1995 when his dream seemed in reach. But by 2003 Moore was living in Chilliwack, counselling troubled teens and repairing busted computers.
Next week, Moore and his new band Blaze of Glory will hit the stage of the Summit Theatre in Langley's Cascades Casino.
If that performance is anything like the band's first concert in Kamloops last year, they will be greeted as rock stars - nay, rock gods.

Ted Moore, centre, fronts Bon Jovi tribute act Blaze of Glory. Randy Robertson, Mike Champigny, Mike Russell and Doug Grant round out the band.
The mostly female crowd will sing along with Moore, pump their fists in the air and maybe even paw at the fair-haired father of two whose initial rock dream fizzled out 15 years ago.
With all that attention, Moore doesn't care that if all that enthusiasm has less to do with Blaze of Glory and more to do with Bon Jovi, the undying singers of hits like Livin' On a Prayer and Wanted Dead or Alive.
Moore's band is a classic tribute act, recreating the look, sound and feel of a popular act - in this case Bon Jovi.
"We're not the rock stars. It's not like we're going to get big heads about this because Bon Jovi are the rock stars," he said.
But there is also something about taking the stage to standing ovations and shouts of enthusiasm that delights Moore, who said he is drawn to the stage.
Moore cut his teeth in Lower Mainland music scene in the late 1980s and early '90s. But after a key music industry contact died, and his latest band, Locomotive Dream, broke up in 1995, Moore decided to settle down and get on with his life.
So he went to university, learned to be a teacher, had two girls, and heard, not infrequently, that he looked and sounded like Jon Bon Jovi.
By the middle of the decade, Moore had moved away from teaching and was operating his own computer business in Chilliwack. But he also noticed that there was a potentially lucrative market for tribute acts.
After years of research, Moore finally assembled Blaze of Glory last year with experienced Lower Mainland musicians.
And when the band debuted in Kamloops last year, Moore described the environment as "surreal."
"It was bizarre and an experience I never had in my life," said Moore of the packed crowd, which cheered the band onto the stage.
And even though he's playing someone else's songs, Moore said playing like a rock star is a dream come true.
"I would have loved to see this kind of response to material I had written. It would have been wonderful," he said. "But the experience is the same.
"The difference is I don't have the millions of dollars from the songwriting royalties and the private jets."
What Moore does have, though, is the perfect yardstick for his band's performance.
"100 per cent means we've reached complete authenticity," said Moore.
And while he said his band will never perfectly duplicate the Bon Jovi experience, that target gives Blaze of Glory something tangible to aim for.
"No one's going to be Bon Jovi other than Bon Jovi," he said. "We are proudly second best."
Blaze of Glory truly comes from another time, when the world was ruled by rock gods with big hair and loud guitars, and radio was conquered with anthems sung by millions all around the world.
This time was called the '80s, and it was a time when everybody dressed like they worked in Vegas.
Catch Blaze of Glory in person. They're performing at Cascades' Summit Theatre, 20393 Fraser Hwy., on Friday, Feb. 26. Doors open at 7 p.m., followed by the show at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $22.50, and available at the casino's guest services, or from all Ticketmaster outlets (online at: www.ticketmaster.ca, or charge-by-phone at 604-280-4444).
- Tyler Olsen is a reporter with the Chilliwack Times
© Langley Advance 2010
- Langley Advance News

By Brenda Anderson - Langley Times
Published: February 23, 2010 1:00 PM
Updated: February 23, 2010 1:53 PM
If they handed out medals for rock and roll, Ted Moore knows that — in his world, at least — the gold would go to New Jersey rockers Bon Jovi every time.
But the lead singer of the Fraser Valley tribute band Blaze of Glory is more than OK with silver because, as he puts it, he and his band mates are “proudly second best.”
“We want to get as close to Bon Jovi as we can, but we’re never going to be Bon Jovi,” says Moore, who has called to talk about his group’s upcoming show at Langley’s Summit Theatre.
“I’m a hardcore Bon Jovi fan. It’s evident when you see the act,” he says.
“One hundred per cent complete authenticity is the biggest yardstick. Obviously, we’ll never get there, but if you go over the top by trying to add your own thing, you end up disappointing the audience.”
But unlike an actual Bon Jovi concert, with tens of thousands of fans packed into a massive arena, Blaze of Glory is designed as more of a Vegas-style cabaret act, with costume changes and an easier pace, Moore explains.
“There are no giant screens and it’s more showy than the average night club experience.”
Ever since they formed two years ago, the group has gone further and more in-depth with capturing the Bon Jovi sound, he says.
“It’s tailored for the die-hard fan.”
Moore has actually met Jon Bon Jovi on a couple of occasions, but not since he restyled his hair and voice, and began trying to emulate the rocker on stage.
In fact, the famous singer once complimented Moore — who was performing at Club Soda as Ted Moore and the Border at the time — on his version of Drift Away which, Moore says, made it into Bon Jovi’s repertoire shortly afterward.
Probably coincidence, he adds with a laugh.
“I was playing both times (the two met). I know he knows who I am, but I’d be nervous to call and say, ‘Hey, Jon, guess what I’m doing.’ I know he’d rib me.”
Moore, who lives in Chilliwack, got an early start in the business, chasing his dream of being a musician as far back as the 1980s. In about 1995, he finally got the record deal he’d been hoping for, but when it all dissolved in front of his eyes, the singer decided it was time to re-evaluate.
“I was getting to an age where I was thinking about other things I wanted to do,” he says.
So Moore became an elementary school teacher. But even then, he didn’t entirely abandon his musical roots.
“I’d bring the guitar to school, and the kids would say I looked and sounded like Bon Jovi.
“I noticed the tribute phenomenon had taken off and I thought, if I go back, what could I do?”
He tossed around a few ideas, including a John Cougar tribute, but eventually came back to the obvious.
“Bon Jovi was such a natural fit.”
Setting out to recreate the band’s look and sound as closely as possible, Moore went through hundreds of hours of footage of Bon Jovi in concert.
Then he began checking out the Lower Mainland’s bar band scene, picking out players who also looked and sounded like their famous counterparts and offering them spots in his new act.
“I spent weeks at it, but I got all my first choices,” he says.
Moore plucked musicians from nightclubs in Surrey, Langley and Burnaby to form Blaze of Glory.
“Then I force fed them hundreds of hours of Bon Jovi footage — I indoctrinated them,” he laughed.
After another 150 hours of rehearsal the band was finally ready to pay tribute in front of a paying audience.
When the band hits the stage at the Summit Theatre on Friday night, it will be just Moore’s second time performing in Langley in 20 years.
Although Blaze of Glory has been performing in front of predominantly younger audiences — second generation fans in the 19 and up age range — Moore expects to see more 30- 50-year-olds at this show— people who prefer not to go out to clubs.
They’ve also set their sights across the Atlantic, with plans in the works for a tour of Western Europe.
The band also recently recorded three tracks for a disc featuring tribute bands, which will be released in Germany in the early summer.
As far as Moore is aware, Blaze of Glory is the only North American act that is being included on the CD.
“We recorded Bed of Roses, Living on a Prayer and It’s my Life.
“It’s a pretty big thing for us.”
Summit Theatre is at 20393 Fraser Hwy. Call 604-530-2211.
Tickets are $22.50 (plus service charges) at Ticketmaster and Casino Guest Services. Doors open Friday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m.
Tributes pour in to Summit Theatre
Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Rolling Stones, Patsy Cline, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Bon Jovi.
Yeah, sorry. None of these guys — alive or dead — is coming to Langley.
But audiences can have the next best thing, if they don’t mind a little make believe.
From the Longriders — a tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd — on March 6, to Willy and the Poor Boys sitting in for CCR on April 1, the Summit Theatre inside Cascades Casino is going to ring out with some fairly big-name acts in the coming month — kind of.
On March 19, Steel Wheels will pay homage to the Rolling Stones inside the Vegas-style show lounge.
On March 26, Bonnie Kilroe will take audiences back in time, before Patsy Cline’s fatal plane crash.
And kicking it all off this Friday, Feb. 26, is Blaze of Glory — Chilliwack musician Ted Moore’s version of Bon Jovi.
If the Langley theatre’s lineup seems a little heavy on the tribute acts, there’s probably a good reason for that, says music promoter Rob Warwick, who runs Rock.It Boy Entertainment and is responsible for booking all of the artists in question.
“I put shows into a building that makes sense,” he says.
And the Summit Theatre, with its Vegas-like atmosphere, is exactly the right venue for tribute acts, he says, offering as evidence, the fact the last two tribute shows he booked into the theatre, including one to AC/DC, sold out.
Ticket prices are certainly a factor, he believes.
“You can go to a live show for a fraction of the cost of the real thing,” says Warwick.
And, if it’s done well, he says, “you can close your eyes and you think you’re hearing the real thing.”
“Initially, I thought it was for reasons of economics, but it can’t be as simple as that,” says Moore.
Yes, tickets are less expensive, but Moore thinks the popularity of impersonators has as much to do with their accessibility.
“It’s intimate,” he says of the Langley show lounge.
“You’re not going to see Bon Jovi in a 250-seat theatre.
“This brings people as close as they can get.”
- Langley Times

Ted Moore and his Bon Jovi tribute band will arrive in Salmon Arm in a Blaze of Glory this Friday.
Moore once gave up a musical career, returned to university and taught school in White Rock. But the music beckoned and seeing other tribute bands gaining popularity, he turned to one of his favourite bands.
“They are very much a rock band and yet also have very wide appeal,” he says. “With Blaze Of Glory we play shows to all ages and hear kids singing the words to the songs. In the clubs, resorts, and casinos, we see 20 to 50-year-olds singing along as well.”
This kind of appeal is what initially drew Moore to writing and performing.
“I wanted to reach as large an audience as possible and see the world.”
Hailing from Vancouver, this powerful five-piece ensemble features a stellar cast from the West Coast Music scene fronted by venerable Vancouver singer/songwriter Ted Moore, and including Doug Grant on drums, Randy Robertson on guitar, Mike Champigny on bass and Mike Russell on keyboards.
Blaze of Glory runs Friday, Jan 22. Doors open at 9 p.m.
- Salmon Arm Observer

Last night I traveled to Club 351 in Salmon Arm, BC to see Vancouver’s Blaze of Glory – a Bon Jovi tribute band.
The club is down a set of stairs one block off the main drag of town, and didn’t look terribly promising from the outside, but once inside boasted a very slick bar area, large dance floor with couches spread around, and comfortable tables, booths and barstool areas. While definitely an older space, it was clean, freshly painted and well looked after by serving staff, door staff and security.
The band came on just after 11pm (no opening act which was nice) and jumped into a killer rendition of Raise Your Hands which fired up the somewhat small audience. You Give Love a Bad Name, Born to be my Baby, and Living on Prayer followed in succession by which time the audience had grown substantially in size, as well as volume!
Bed of Roses saw singer Ted Moore (Jon Bon Jovi) out in the audience with a cordless mic, singing to a few ladies who had braved being on the dance floor with their girlfriends.
By the time Blaze of Glory hit the setlist, a group of about 10 decided to pick up their table with all its contents, and move it to the dance floor only feet from the stage. The band and staff went with it, which increased the fun factor. Have a Nice Day, Runaway and Bad Medicine rounded out the first set list at which time the band took a short break to gear up for the second half.

After a brief respite in the green room, Blaze of Glory came back on stage to rock us into the next day. Lay Your Hands and One Wild Night got more people up on the dance floor and the smoke effects kicked in nicely. The new set also saw Ted/Bon Jovi in new duds. There had been a few changes of jackets in the first set list – jean jacket, leather jacket etc.. the new duds were the addition of a cowboy hat and faded well worn jeans instead of leather pants, and brown suede jacket with fringes down each arm – very retro, very true Bon Jovi. The band too were true to the roots of Bon Jovi, respendent in dark sunglasses, retro concert tees and faded jeans (thank goodness they skipped the spandex pants/tights era!)
The set list was rounded out with I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead, Make a Memory, It’s My Life, Wanted Dead or Alive, I’ll be There For You, and closed out with Keep the Faith. The band was well honed, expert at their instrumentation but also masters of live performance.. they know how to have fun while putting on a kick ass show for people. The band consists of Ted Moore on Vocals, Randy Robertson on guitar, Mike Champigny on bass, Mike Russel on keyboards and Doug Grant on drums. I also want to mention their sound/lighting engineer Orest Patraschuk (and his two assistants) who did a great job making sure the sound was clear and crisp and the lighting perfect for the space.

Nightmair Creative Inc.
January 23, 2010

- Nightmair Creative Inc.

Blaze of Glory: Canada's Ultimate Bon Jovi Experience
Summit Theater, Langley Cascades Casino, Friday, Feb. 26
A RockItBoy Presentation

As the second period of Friday's Canada/Slovakia mens hockey semifinals game came to a close, the Fraser Valley's own Bon Jovi tribute band, Blaze of Glory stormed the stage and launched into the New Jersey superstars 80's anthem "Raise Your Hands". For the already-amped and liquored up crowd at the Summit Theater, it didn't take much to get the crowd out of the seats and onto the floor.








With each song, Blaze of Glory further transported the room to another time, reminding us all just what a massive presence Bon Jovi has been in the rock world for over 25 years: "You Give Love a Bad Name", "Livin' On a Prayer", "Bad Medicine", "Lay Your Hands On Me", "It's My Life"....all instantly recognizable good time drinking songs.

A large part of a tribute band's success is just how well they can impersonate their heroes. Ted Moore does a brilliant job as Jon Bon Jovi, with all the energy and enthusiasm of the genuine article, multiple costume changes, and an uncanny similarity in vocal abilities. Close your eyes, and it's Bon Jovi. Trust me, I've heard enough epic karaoke failures of "Livin' On A Prayer", and these guys NAILED it.







Obviously, Moore wouldn't be able to pull off this gig without some considerable talent behind him: a task made harder by recruiting players who actually resemble the real thing. While assembling this band, Moore, a Chilliwack school teacher, spent weeks of scouring the clubs to assemble a lineup of all-star players who look and sound the part: Doug Grant as drummer Tico Torres, Randy Robertson as guitarist Richie Sambora, Mike Champigny as Hugh McDonald on bass, and dreadlocked Mike Russell as keyboardist David Bryan (who blew the roof off with a brief can-can ditty).





While it's almost impossible to find exact doppelgangers, drummer Doug Grant's resemblance to Tico Torres verges on uncanny. Or maybe it's just the soul patch. ( I'd love to read THAT ad: "Drummer wanted: must be willing to grow soul patch") Not to be outdone, Randy Robertson pulled off a flawless impersonation of Sambora with some badass talkbox chops ("Livin' On A Prayer"), some great slide playing ("Blaze of Glory"), and some 12-string magic on "Wanted Dead Or Alive".


Labeling themselves "Canada's Ultimate Bon Jovi Experience", it would appear that Moore and co. have refined their act to the micro-detail, right down to the "heart and dagger" image emblazoned on Grant's bass drum. This image made headlines last April when the real Bon Jovi filed a lawsuit against an all-female Bon Jovi tribute band, despite their history of being supportive of tribute bands.





Although Blaze of Glory are known for drawing a mosty female crowd, there was a table of twenty-something dudes at one table, belting out the lyrics to every song and waving their iPhones (in lieu of lighters) to the anthems. Further proof that a good song transcends generations, and there's nothing wrong with pounding some beers and singing your ass off to some classic rock in a room full of strangers.



Check Blaze of Glory's site: http://blazeofglory.ca

by: Shon T. (Review/Photos)

- Discover Vancouver