Jon Bon Jovi, 64, unexpectedly stopped his Madison Square Garden concert on Thursday, informing the audience that he was "hurt" before exiting the stage. The incident occurred during the band's ongoing Forever Tour, which has featured a residency at the New York City venue.
After performing the song "Livin' On A Prayer," Bon Jovi addressed the crowd, stating, "I'm sorry, I'm hurt and you're not getting the best of me." An eyewitness told Page Six that the singer encouraged attendees to keep their tickets, as he intended to arrange a rescheduled performance.
"Don't throw away your ticket stubs, I'm gonna figure something out, okay? Just hold onto it, we'll figure out how to reschedule," Bon Jovi said. He also mentioned that he would "have to cool it for the night" but assured fans he felt "great."
While Bon Jovi's representatives had not responded to requests for comment, a report from Jerry Braden, host of the Jon Bon Jovi Discussions podcast, suggested the singer was suffering from a sinus infection. Braden posted on X that Bon Jovi was unable to finish "Bed of Roses" and let the audience sing the end of the song, noting the singer thanked supportive fans.
The Forever Tour commenced on July 7 at Madison Square Garden, with its final performance at the venue scheduled for July 26. Following their New York dates, the band is slated to perform in Edinburgh on August 28 and then at Wembley Stadium in London for three nights starting September 4.
This interruption comes several years after Bon Jovi underwent surgery to repair a damaged vocal cord. In an Instagram post earlier in July, he expressed gratitude for the hard work that went into building the tour. He reflected on his return to the stage after a four-year absence due to his vocal cord issues, telling People magazine in June that he was "fully recovered."
Bon Jovi's vocal fold medialization procedure, also known as thyroplasty, took place in the summer of 2022. He previously told AARP's June/July 2024 issue that he had not lost his voice but had to undergo extensive retraining following the surgery. He also stated his commitment to performing at "110 percent" during his shows.
Bon Jovi, the frontman of the band formed in 1983, released their 16th studio album, "Forever," in June 2024. The band, which has sold over 130 million records globally, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.