“The Bon Jovi concert at Madison Square Garden ended after 90 mins” the singer’s representative told Entertainment Weekly.
The July 23 show was the eighth night of Bon Jovi’s nine-concert New York City residency and part of the band’s return to touring following the singer’s 2022 vocal cord surgery.
Bon Jovi addressed the audience before performing “Livin’ on a Prayer” with Train frontman Pat Monahan. The song became the final number of the shortened set, with fans helping carry parts of the band’s signature anthem.
A representative later confirmed to PEOPLE that Bon Jovi had been battling a sinus infection. Updated information for affected ticket holders was expected to follow.
Bon Jovi Apologized Before Leaving the Stage
Bon Jovi acknowledged that the audience was not receiving his best performance and apologized before ending the concert. “I’m sorry. I’m hurt and you’re not getting the best of me,” he told the crowd, according to an eyewitness account reported by Page Six.
He asked concertgoers not to discard their tickets while the band considered how to make up the abbreviated show. “Don’t throw away your ticket stubs, I’m gonna figure something out, okay?” he said. “Just hold onto it, we’ll figure out how to reschedule.”
Bon Jovi then told fans he needed to “cool it for a night” before embracing his bandmates, giving the audience a thumbs-up and leaving the stage to supportive applause.
A Sinus Infection Caused the Early Ending
“Jon Bon Jovi spoke from stage and told fans he has been battling a sinus infection which led to the show’s early ending.” The spokesperson added that returning to live performance had brought the singer and band considerable joy and said more information would be released shortly.
Before the concert ended, Bon Jovi performed songs including “You Give Love a Bad Name,” “It’s My Life” and “Born to Be My Baby.” The Forever Tour is Bon Jovi’s first extended concert run since 2022.
The Residency Marks His Return After Vocal Cord Surgery
After the band’s previous tour, the singer underwent vocal cord medialization to repair a damaged cord that had begun to atrophy. He later admitted that the condition left him uncertain whether he would ever again be capable of sustaining a full tour.
His recovery required surgery, vocal rehabilitation and several years of work with coaches. In June, Bon Jovi said he was “fully recovered,” although the process had taken longer than he expected. “It had to be right,” he told PEOPLE. “We never lost faith.”
No Makeup Date Has Been Announced
Bon Jovi indicated that he intended to arrange another performance for the July 23 ticket holders, but neither the band nor Madison Square Garden had announced a makeup date when the initial reports were published.
As of July 24, Madison Square Garden was still listing the ninth and final residency concert for July 26. The Forever Tour is then scheduled to resume at Edinburgh’s Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium on Aug. 28, followed by an Aug. 30 concert at Dublin’s Croke Park and three September dates at London’s Wembley Stadium.