According to BON JOVI’s official website, www.bonjovi.com, on Wednesday (August 27th), Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora flew into Minneapolis, Minnesota to perform at the Target National Meeting. The corporate event was for the higher ups at the Target store headquarters.

The annual show this year featured performers ROD STEWART, current Target exclusive CD featured artists CHRISTINA AGUILERA and JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, and a SURPISE acoustic performance by Jon and Richie.

Unbeknownst to the crowd in attendance, Jon and Richie were waiting in the wings as the corporate execs began addressing the more than 2,000 attendees.

Recapping the success of the exclusive Bon Jovi Target CD, they surprised the crowd by introducing Jon and Richie who performed two songs acoustically ('Wanted Dead Or Alive' and 'Livin' On A Prayer') and that was it. A thank you to the Target folks - and then it was back to NJ for work on the acoustic album in the studio.

As previously reported, while the band is sequestered in the recording studio working on the new acoustic album, they took some time out for a necessary evil: the dreaded photo shoot.

All day on August 26th they shot with acclaimed photographer Mark Seliger before going back into the studio. They're having an incredible amount of fun in the studio... more news on that front soon. You won't be seeing the images for a while yet but it's a sign, the band is gearing up for the album release already.

Also as previously reported, Bon Jovi’s long awaited unplugged album, rumored to be titled Strum As You Are, will be released in Japan through Universal on October 29th. The disc will also be available in a SuperAudio CD (SACD) format.

Material on the release will include the tracks ‘It’s My Life’, ‘Born To Be My Baby’ and ‘Always’, among others, as well as some cover songs and a brand new track. This Japanese release will also feature an exclusive bonus track.

A yet-to-be-named first single from the album will also be released in Japan on October 29th.