WHEN it comes to big name stars like Bon Jovi ‘rockin and a rollin’ into town, Weymouth isn’t top of the list of touring venues.

The next best thing, The Bon Jovi Experience, is coming to Weymouth Pavilion on Saturday as endorsed by Jon Bon Jovi himself.

The rock legend was so certain that a picture of the tribute band’s frontman, Tony Pearce, was him, he had to check with a friend to make sure it wasn’t.

And it isn’t just Jon who’s confused. Tony, who hails from Stoke on Trent, was mobbed when he attended one of the band’s gigs in Manchester because fans were so convinced he was Jon Bon Jovi.

Tony had to be escorted to safety by the superstar’s own security in what he calls one of the most ‘frightening’ experiences of his life.

He said: “I walked in and as I knew the head of security I went over to talk to him and my friend who I was with at the time said; ‘Tony, I think you’ve got trouble here’, so I turned around and there were hundreds of people leaving their seats in the stadium and coming towards me.

“My friend said; ‘just keep it going and put on an American accent’, which is what I did. Massive mistake.

“I like attention but what it must be like to actually be Jon I don’t know. It must take some getting used to. In the end the head of security just grabbed me and got me out of the way.”

Although not always The Bon Jovi Experience, originally they were ‘By Jovi’, the band has been together for around 21 years, before the ‘tribute band’ explosion first came about.

Apparently Jon Bon Jovi was aware of the band for years but it wasn’t until November 2006 that he first met his doppelganger.

Tony initially thought it was a ‘wind up’ when Matt Bon Jovi, who runs the back stage fan club, called and said Jon wanted them to play at the Hard Rock Cafe when he was being inducted into its ‘Rock n Roll’ hall of fame.

“I thought it was just someone winding me up so when I got off the phone I immediately emailed the back stage fan club and got one back saying it really was happening. It’s not the sort of thing you expect when you’re sat down watching Coronation Street,” Tony says.

“When we went to the Hard Rock Cafe Jon came over and said ‘Hi Tony’ and I thought; ‘Jon Bon Jovi knows my name’.”

In the defining moment of Tony’s career, the pair then sang ‘Who Says You Can’t Go Home?’ together.

The Bon Jovi Experience is at Weymouth Pavilion on Saturday at 7.30pm.