In an unexpected turn of events, Jon Bon Jovi had to cut his performance short at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night due to difficulties getting through his set.
The legendary rocker, who is 64, was delivering the eighth of a planned nine-show residency at the iconic New York City venue. As part of his Forever Tour, he began the evening with the crowd favorite from 1986, “Livin’ on a Prayer,” but soon announced he needed to halt the concert.
An audience member recounted to Page Six that Bon Jovi apologized to fans, saying, “I’m sorry, I’m hurt and you’re not getting the best of me.”
He urged the concertgoers to retain their ticket stubs, reassuring them with, “Don’t throw away your ticket stubs, I’m gonna figure something out, OK? Just hold onto it, we’ll figure out how to reschedule.”
Before leaving the stage, Bon Jovi added, “But I’m gonna have to cool it for the night. I feel great,” underscoring the need to pause the show to protect his health.
Representatives for the “It’s My Life” singer told Page Six in a statement, “The Bon Jovi concert at Madison Square Garden ended after 90 mins tonight.”
“Jon Bon Jovi spoke from stage and told fans he has been battling a sinus infection which led to the show’s early ending,” it continued. “As part of the Bon Jovi residency at Madison Square Garden, Jon has said numerous times that it has been a joy to return to live shows for the band.”
The statement concluded, “Updated information will be available shortly.”
The Forever Tour marks the band’s first tour since its frontman underwent vocal cord surgery in 2022.
“There is a lot of joy in this announcement — joy that we can share these nights together with our amazing fans and joy that the band can be together,” Bon Jovi said in a statement unveiling the tour.
“I am lucky enough to be able to hold a light out to the audience each night and stand in their reflection for a tremendous collective experience — I get to stand in the WE of our concerts,” he added.
In 2024, he told the Sunday Times he might never sing live again following his vocal cord surgery if he can’t sing at the level he’s accustomed to, telling the outlet, “If the singing is not great, if I can’t be the guy I once was … then I’m done.”
But last month, he told People he was “fully recovered.”
“It was longer than I’d ever expected, but it had to be right. We never lost faith,” he told the mag.
The father of four said his health crisis taught him how to live in the moment.
“I used to always have my nose to the grindstone, always put my head down, thinking of tomorrow, never living in the today,” he explained. “This forced me to not only live in the today but be appreciative for every today that’s still here.”