ROCK legends Bon Jovi are to perform in the North-East for the first time in more than a decade next year.

Sunderland’s Stadium of Light is set to welcome the US rock quartet as part of the UK leg of its 2013 worldwide tour.

Bon Jovi: Because We Can – The Tour features five stadium performances in Britain, including the Sunderland date on Thursday, June 13.

It maintains the stellar line of summer musical spectaculars staged at the stadium during recent years, which includes concerts by Take That, Oasis, Pink, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bruce Springsteen and Coldplay.

The tour will mark the 30th anniversary of Bon Jovi’s formation in New Jersey, and 12 years since its last performance in the North-East, in Gateshead.

Tickets for the show will go on sale on Friday (November 2), at 9am.

There will be a chance for some fans to bag tickets at a bargain £12.50, as part of the band’s stand against ordinary music lovers being priced out of some big name stadium gigs.

Sunderland AFC commercial director Gary Hutchinson, said: “Bon Jovi is one of the world’s top live bands so to have them perform at the Stadium of Light is absolutely fantastic and we can’t wait to welcome them to the city.

“The hard work and joined up approach of everyone involved in delivering these major events to the North-East region has really paid off in recent years and Sunderland is now firmly cemented as one of the go-to venues for major world music tours.”

Sunderland City Council leader, councillor Paul Watson, said: “We’re delighted that, once again Sunderland will be playing host to a world class act.

“It builds upon the tremendous success of the last four years of concerts at the Stadium of Light, which have brought hundreds of thousands of people, and millions of pounds, into our city and our economy."

UK tour promoter Rob Hallett said the band themselves insisted on the ticket pricing starting as low as £12.50.

“They want to give everyone the opportunity to witness the greatest rock n roll band in the world!

“Ordinary fans have been priced out of live music in recent years and we hope this goes some way toward redressing the balance.

“After all, rock n’ roll always was and always should be the music of the people.

“And that means everyone.”

Bon Jovi’s return to the road next year maintains its status as one of the world’s top live rock bands, having performed more than 2,700 concerts in 50-plus countries to more than 35m fans.

The latest tour will kick off in North America in February before travelling through Europe, the Far East, Africa, Latin America and Australia.

Because We Can – The Tour will also see the debut of new songs from the band’s latest album What About Now, due out in the spring.

But concert-goers are assured the 2013 shows will also feature the band’s classic hits including the anthems Livin’ on a Prayer, You Give Love a Bad Name, It’s My Life, and many more.

A limited number of general admission tickets, priced at £65 will be available from Stadium of Light ticket office, from 9am on Friday.

Online, tickets, priced from £12.50 to £125, can be purchased via aeglive.co.uk Hospitality packages can be booked via safcconcerts.com