New York's Central Park was flooded with tens of thousands of crazed Bon Jovi fans who came to see the rocker and his band perform for the first time ever on the Great Lawn.

Diehard fans from New Jersey and all over the country, some even from across the ocean, lined up early, even six hours, before the show's scheduled start at 8 PM.

"It's a free show in this legendary area of New York," fan Sheri Black Velvet, who flew in from the United Kingdom yesterday to see her rock idols perform for the 230th time, was quoted by Daily News as saying.

"To see him in concert here is more special than any show I've ever seen." Billed as a prelude to Major League Baseball's All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, the almost two-hour gig was mostly filled with hits from Bon Jovi's past albums.

The group opened with "Livin' on a Prayer" and included other picks such as "Run away," "Blaze of Glory," "It's my life," "Keep the Faith" and "Always," which blended perfectly with the clear evening sky and the soft breeze. Frantic fans were given the chance to pump their fists into the air on songs from the group's latest album "Lost Highway."

Backstage, Bon Jovi expressed his content to be among the artists such as Paul Simon, Barbra Streisand and Pope John Paul II, who performed on the venue, while his longtime guitarist, Richie Sambora, who just celebrated his 49th birthday, said the show felt like a culmination of the high points in their career as a band. "It's a real dream," he said.

Bon Jovi was also impressed by the diverse turnout. "They came from Jersey and Germany," he told reporters. "I see the flags of the whole United Nations back there and I'm very pleased they all came into the city for the weekend. It's fun for us."

"What a way to end up," he added. "We started with ten nights in New Jersey and ended up at Central Park on the Great Lawn with the biggest show in New York."

About 60,000 tickets were planned for distribution for the free concert when it was announced nearly two weeks ago. However, later reports showed 67,500 tickets were given out in total but no one was turned back at the entrance.

Next, Bon Jovi can be seen performing at Madison Square Garden on Monday and Tuesday as part of its "Lost Highway" tour, but the show requires paid admission.