SHORT TAKES : Bon Jovi Draws Small N.Z. Crowd

American rock band Bon Jovi played to the smallest crowd in years at the Western Springs Stadium Saturday, just a week after Irish band U2 wowed a total of 80,000 fans in two shows.

Promoters blamed the poor turnout on the juxtaposition of the two acts and the $25.87 tickets--an amount beyond the reach of most of Bon Jovi’s youthful fans.

“I hear there was an Irish band here last week that played to 60,000 people. Well, we’re going to make just as much noise with 15,000,” lead singer Jon Bon Jovi told the audience.