Bon Jovi scraps summer tour due to coronavirus

Rather than simply postponing, Bon Jovi has cancelled the entirety of its upcoming North American tour as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The news was announced Monday morning in an official statement shared via the rock band’s social media channels.

It read: “Due to the ongoing global pandemic, it is no longer feasible for Bon Jovi to tour this summer. Given these difficult times, we have made the decision to cancel the tour entirely.”

The 18-date trek was intended to promote the band’s upcoming 15th studio album, Bon Jovi 2020 — which is currently slated for a May 15 release worldwide.

Seemingly acknowledging Ticketmaster’s recently controversial refund policy — whereby ticketholders are eligible for refunds only when a show is cancelled, as opposed to when a show has simply been postponed — the Livin’ on a Prayer rockers said that cancelling the tour would “enable ticketholders to get refunds.”

The group concluded: “We look forward to seeing everyone again on tour when we can all safely be together. We will continue to send out news and updates on Bon Jovi touring in the weeks and months to come.”

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On June 10, the Bon Jovi 2020 tour was set to kick off in Tacoma, Wash. Along the way, frontman/founder Jon Bon Jovi and Co. were set to play Toronto for a one-off, July 10 performance at the Scotiabank Arena, before concluding the tour with two nights at Madison Square Garden in New York City (July 27 and 28).

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The 57-year-old singer had also invited Canadian rock icon Bryan Adams to join the band on tour as a special guest opening act.

A physical copy of the upcoming Bon Jovi album was promised with the purchase of each ticket to the tour, however, it’s unlikely that previous ticketholders will receive their complimentary copy of Bon Jovi 2020 due to the cancellation.

For additional updates and information, you can visit the official Bon Jovi website.

Cancelled Bon Jovi 2020 tour dates

June 10 — Tacoma, Wash. @ Tacoma Dome
June 11 — Portland, Ore. @ Moda Center
June 13 — Sacramento, Calif. @ Golden 1 Center
June 16 — San Jose, Calif. @ SAP Center at San Jose
June 18 — Los Angeles, Calif. @ The Forum
June 20 — Las Vegas, Nev. @ T-Mobile Arena
June 23 — San Antonio, Texas @ AT&T Center
June 25 — Dallas, Texas @ American Airlines Center
June 26 — Tulsa, Okla. @ BOK Center
July 10 — Toronto, Ont. @ Scotiabank Arena
July 14 — Newark, N.J. @ Prudential Center
July 16 — Boston, Mass. @ TD Garden
July 19 — Detroit, Mich. @ Little Caesars Arena
July 21 — Chicago, Ill. @ United Center
July 23 — St. Louis, Mo. @ Enterprise Center
July 25 — Washington, D.C. @ Capital One Arena
July 27 — New York, N.Y. @ Madison Square Garden
July 28 — New York, N.Y. @ Madison Square Garden

Additional shows and concerts affected by the novel coronavirus can be found here.

Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:

Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are legally obligated to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning March 26, in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others. Some provinces and territories have also implemented additional recommendations or enforcement measures to ensure those returning to the area self-isolate.

Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.

3:19 What’s cancelled or postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic?

To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.

For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.

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