Jon Bon Jovi says his return to Dublin next summer is all about joy - not just in the music, but the connection he feels with Ireland and its fans.
Speaking at Croke Park today, the 63-year-old frontman reflected on the next stage of his career, the meaning behind his band’s Forever tour, and why Dublin remains such a special stop.
"With the decades, your focus changes," he said. "At 60, you think about it really long and hard... And if there’s a lack of joy, what’s the point? Having come through the physical challenges that I did… if I can live right here and just have joy in that moment, I win."
After several years recovering from vocal cord surgery, Bon Jovi said he’s approaching live shows differently.
"There’s no way I’m doing any more 240-show tours," he said. "There’s going to be four shows in Europe next summer - one, two, three, four, that’s it. That’s meant to be joy. Come here, see friends, perform, feel that energy… and with that kind of feeling now, all I can do is build on that anticipated joy."
Asked why Dublin made the cut, Bon Jovi said the bond he feels with Irish audiences has always been unique.
"There’s some kind of spiritual connection I have here. I don’t know what it is," he said. "I joke and forever have said because my wife’s Irish roots, therefore my kids are Irish. I just aspire to be Irish. I’m applying year after year, trying to be adopted! But the connection that I’ve had here with the people, that’s really what it comes down to."
It’s been almost 20 years since Bon Jovi last played Croke Park, but the memory of that night has stayed with him.
"Coming here was a big deal," he said. "I remember my kids going around on their little scooters at the sound check, friends being here with me… getting a gander of this big old cement structure."
When asked why he thinks Irish fans have such lasting affection for the band, he laughed. "They have good taste!" he said. "All we do is try to write music from a pure place. I couldn’t pretend to be someone I wasn’t. When you come back time and time again with nothing but gratitude, we’re lucky."
Bon Jovi also spoke about the word Forever, which ties together the band’s new album and upcoming tour.
"Once upon a time, we had an album called Bon Jovi New Jersey. It simply said who we are and where we’re from," he said. "With this era, that 60-plus-year-old guy now has been making records for 40 years. These songs are going to last forever. And that was kind of the feeling. It was that idea that they'll live long after we're gone."
Bon Jovi will bring the Forever tour to Croke Park on 30 August 2026. Tickets go on sale Friday, 31 October, via Ticketmaster, priced from €82.25 to €161.25 plus fees.
