Bon Jovi to perform free N.Y. concert

Rockers Bon Jovi will perform a free concert on the Great Lawn in Central Park in New York City on July 12. Even though singer/songwriter Paul Simon attracted well over 600,000 people to the field back in 1991, only 60,000 tickets will be made available to the public for Bon Jovi's appearance. There were no tickets for Simon's free show.

The New York City Parks Departments keeps sprucing up the park and feels that more than 60,000 people will be detrimental to the grass. The concert marks the first rock concert on the site in five years; every year there are generally three free classical music concerts staged.

The concert, billed as MLB All-Star Concert in Central Park with Bon Jovi presented by Bank of America, is part of the festivities surrounding the 79th MLB All-Star Game.

Beginning July 2, tickets will be distributed at baseball parks and events throughout New York City. The bulk of tickets distributed at the ballparks will be found at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, with others made available at Shea Stadium in Queens, KeySpan Park in Brooklyn, and at the home of the Staten Island Yankees. A ticket is required to attend the concert, which will be a first come, first serve event.

This is not, however, Bon Jovi's final concert on the Lost Highway tour that Jon Bon Jovi talked about a few months ago when leaking the show. The band plays Madison Square Garden in New York July 14-15, and can not even attend the MLB All-Star Game on July 15.