When looking for a band worthy of opening for Bon Jovi, all Columbus had to do was look within.

As part of their Have a Nice Day tour, the New Jersey rockers asked the Ohio Union Activities Board to find a local, unsigned band to open for them. OUAB quickly devised a contest in which local bands would submit a two-song demo along with contact information and references to OUAB. A committee within OUAB would then meet and decide which of the Columbus bands best fit with Bon Jovi for the chance to open for them at their Nov. 9th show at the Schottenstein Center.

A total of 54 bands entered the contest, said Julie Peugeot, concert co-chair of OUAB.

After the OUAB committee met and deliberated, considering such things as professionalism and quality in addition to musical credentials, they had to narrow the entrants to their top five bands, with one favorite to submit to Bon Jovi himself. When the dust settled, it was the band Introspect that won the honor of opening for Bon Jovi.

“It was a hard decision. We had a hard time narrowing it down to the top five. In the final decision we had around 20 people say that Introspect was their number one choice to be submitted. Our committee had vast musical tastes, so I think our choice had to be a good one if all those different types agreed,” said Leah Bunck, the project leader in charge of choosing the winner for OUAB.

The decision was made more difficult because of the strength of the Columbus music scene, said Peugeot.

“Honestly, we’re humbled that we were chosen out of so many great Ohio bands . . . any one of them would have made a great opening act. If anything set us apart, it was probably the fact that we play catchy, hook-laden rock similar to Bon Jovi. I feel our band as a whole writes good songs but it was probably a style choice more than anything,” said Aaron Chalcraft, singer and guitarist for Introspect.

“This band had a good fit with Bon Jovi, and a quality sound that was pleasing to the ear. They also have a lot of experience in the Columbus area, and a large following. Hopefully this will help them get to the next level,” said Bunck.

Introspect has been together for around three years. Their music can be described as a mixture of alternative with classic rock and blues influences. They’ve released two EP’s and are currently working on their first full-length album, said Chalcraft.

“It’s definitely an honor (to open for Bon Jovi). We have nothing but respect for them as a band. Not only are they great songwriters, but they truly seem like good people as well. To open for a band as successful and talented as Bon Jovi is a dream come true,” said Chalcraft.

In addition to Chalcraft, Introspect consists of guitarist/vocalist Jon Blechinger, bassist/keyboardist/vocalist Jason Valley, lead guitarist Mike Bogart and drummer Brad Rosser. They regularly play venues at the Newport Music Hall, Victory’s, and Frog Bear & Wild Boar, and play extensively in Cleveland as well as Columbus, he said.

Introspect’s appearance as the opening act for Bon Jovi will consist of a 30 minute set, said Peugeot.

They will play five original songs and one cover, with the goal of hooking listeners who will be likely hearing Introspect for the first time, said Chalcraft.

“Hopefully (the gig) will open some doors for us. The bottom line is that it will be a wonderful experience no matter what happens. Playing our original music in front of so many people will be surreal,” he said.

How such a large crowd will respond to a relatively unknown, unsigned local band is up in the air.

“I think the crowd will respond well to them, especially since they are former OSU students and have a great local following,” said Peugeot.

“I feel that the Bon Jovi crowd will have a wide range of ages, and Introspect can appeal to old and young alike. They fit with Bon Jovi, but have enough of their own flair to not be mistaken for a Bon Jovi cover band,” said Bunck.

“Our live show is a little heavier and more obscure than what most Bon Jovi fans listen to but I think we’ll get a positive reaction. Good music is good music so it should be fine. We’re just going to do what we do and it will work out. That’s all we can ask for,” said Chalcraft.

Of course, playing such a large show brings with it some apprehension.

“We’ve always been a pretty confident band, but if I said we weren’t a little anxious, I would be lying,” said Chalcraft.

Despite that, confidence seems high for Introspect to deliver the goods.

“I think people can expect to see an energized, full-throttle rock and roll show from Bon Jovi and Introspect,” said Bunck.

For those who’ve never been to an Introspect show, Chalcraft said to be prepared for a high-energy rock show with a lot of movement and crowd interaction.

“We know that we are not the reason that people are buying tickets but we want people to have a good time right along with us. That’s what this is all about. Music is a celebration and a release, so we are going to do our best to provide that for people,” he said.