Jon Bon Jovi abruptly ended his show at Madison Square Garden Thursday as he struggled to get through his set.
The rock icon, 64, was playing night eight of his nine-show residency at MSG in New York City as part of his Forever Tour, when he said he had to stop the show after singing his 1986 hit, “Livin’ on a Prayer.”
“I’m sorry, I’m hurt and you’re not getting the best of me,” an eyewitness told Page Six he told the audience.
“Don’t throw away your ticket stubs, I’m gonna figure something out, OK?” he continued. “Just hold onto it, we’ll figure out how to reschedule.”
Jon Bon Jovi (pictured here performing at Madison Square Garden on July 21) abruptly ended his show Thursday, July 23, at MSG. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Bon Jovi
“I’m sorry, I’m hurt and you’re not getting the best of me,” an eyewitness told Page Six the rocker told the audience. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi added before walking off the stage, “But I’m gonna have to cool it for the night. I feel great.”
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.”
Fans on social media were quick to share their support for Bon Jovi.
Jon Bon Jovi told the audience to hold onto their tickets and he’d work on rescheduling the date. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Bon Jovi
“But I’m gonna have to cool it for the night,” he told concertgoers, adding that he “feel[s] great” before leaving the stage. Getty Images for Bon Jovi
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“That must have broke his heart to have to end it early,” one person wrote, with another adding, “Heartbreaking end to the show (seeing what it meant to him) but having landed in from the UK for it, I was still blown away!!”
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.
The music icon’s Forever Tour marks his first since he underwent vocal cord surgery in 2022. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Bon Jovi
Thursday’s show was night eight of a nine-show residency at MSG for Bon Jovi. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Bon Jovi
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.”
