Bon Jovi confirmed to headline Slane

Bon Jovi have been confirmed as headliners for Slane Castle next summer.

Bon Jovi have been confirmed as headliners for Slane Castle next summer.

Singer Jon Bon Jovi arrived at the castle by helicopter for the announcement of the June 15th 2013 concert this morning.

It will be part of Bon Jovi’s Because We Can world tour which starts in Canada in February.

Bon Jovi played two concerts last year at the RDS and also Punchestown in 2008.

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The tour will once again be produced globally by AEG Live and will be in support of the upcoming album "What About Now," to be released in Spring 2013.

Despite recording their most successful material in the eighties and nineties, the band remain one of the biggest live draws in the world.

They were Billboard magazine’s highest grossing tours in 2008 and 2010. The band have sold an estimated 13 million tickets since 2000.

Yesterday the band announced two dates in South Africa as part of their Because We Can tour. They have already announced a series of concerts in Canada as part of the world tour and more dates are expected today and in the coming weeks.

Their UK tour manager Rob Hallett has said tickets for their forthcoming concerts could be selling for as little as £12.50 (€15), in keeping with the recessionary times.

This is a stark contrast from the Rolling Stones, who have attracted widespread criticism for their decision to charge between £106 (€131.88) and £406 (€505.16) for two 50th anniversary shows in the O2 in London.

Mr Hallett told the Mirror newspaper that rock groups needed to recognise how difficult things were for ordinary people.

“If we are to survive as an industry we need to move away from the elitist image of high prices and even higher secondary prices [for resold concert tickets].

“After all, rock and roll always was and always should be the music of the people, and that means everyone.”

Ronan McGreevy

Ronan McGreevy

Ronan McGreevy is a news reporter with The Irish Times