Bon Jovi thrills crowd at Rio gig

US rock group Bon Jovi wowed more than 90,000 fans during a stirring performance at the Rock in Rio festival overnight Saturday.The New Jersey rockers, who are on a "Because We Can" Latin American concert tour to promote their chart-topping new album "What About Now," were the star attraction on the fifth day of the week-long festival."Obrigado (thank you), Rio De Janeiro," lead singer Jon Bon Jovi told the crowd.


The band launched into "You Give Love a Bad Name" and the entire crowd joined in as they belted out such classics as "Livin' On a Prayer," "Dead or Alive" and "Always."In the middle of a raucous "Who Says You Can't Go Home," Jon Bon Jovi dragged a woman from the crowd onto the stage and surprised her with a smooch on the mouth.

The band also paid tribute to the Rolling Stones with a rendition of "Start Me Up."But the band lacked its famous drummer Tico Torres, who awaited gall bladder surgery and was replaced by Rich Scannella.On September 11, 59-year-old Torres underwent emergency appendectomy surgery in Mexico City, forcing the band to postpone scheduled concerts in Mexico, Argentina and Chile.Saturday night, Americans Bruce Springsteen and John Mayer were set to get star billing at what is one of the world's largest music events.

The festival, which features 127 bands and artists, was opened last Saturday by US diva Beyonce and French DJ David Guetta.