Rock star Bon Jovi reportedly has cut his fee for an upcoming rock concert in Madrid slated for June 27, as a way to ease the financial burden that has hit the country in recent years, World Entertainment News reported on Thursday.
Bon Jovi had already offered up cheap tickets for the show in Madrid next month, which had eased fans in their hopes to see him in concert. El Mundo reports now he has turned down his fee for the June 27 show, sympathizing with the difficulties for concertgoers, particularly young people, heavy hit by the economic crisis throughout Europe, and specifically in Spain.
Spain has been hard hit by the recession, with forecasts saying the unemployment rate is set for 28 percent by next year, news reports said. The country has been mired for the past four years since its property market crashed, watching thousands of its homes being repossessed and seeing many of its companies close..
"We did a study and we saw that due to the economic situation Spain wasn't going to be on the roadmap. But I didn't want to leave out fans from a country I love that has treated me well for 30 years," he said.
Spain's government has responded on a program of spending cuts and tax rises, "which has further hit the economy and increased the numbers of those out of work," the Associated Press said.
The rocker's band has had 13 U.S. Top 40 hits, including four number-one songs on the Billboard Hot 100: "You Give Love a Bad Name," "Living on a Prayer," Bad Medicine" and "I'll be There for You."
