CREWS worked through the night to dismantle the stage after Bon Jovi rocked the North-East.

The American legends wowed music from across the region and beyond at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light last night (Thursday, June 13).

After the show, the band’s road crew began taking down the huge stage and loading it into 18 trucks so it could be driven to the next concert venue.

The stadium will be busy over the weekend as the preparations begin for pop superstar Rihanna’s performance next Thursday (June 20).

Sunderland AFC commercial director Gary Hutchinson said: “It was a fantastic show and a great way to kick off our summer concert season.

“There’s a huge amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to get a stadium show up and running and to see it come to fruition in such style is really pleasing.

“Once again, as a city we’ve demonstrated that by working together we can deliver major events in spectacular fashion, but with two more shows next week we certainly won’t be resting on our laurels.”

Sunderland City Council leader Paul Watson said: “Over 40,000 people had a great time at the Bon Jovi concert last night.

"We're delighted to welcome them all into our city for such high-profile events as these.

“The concerts bring millions of pounds into our city and our economy, and the fact that major bands and artists continue to choose Sunderland for their concerts is proof of our ability to host major events, and provides a fantastic boost for the city."

Rihanna will be followed by the biggest pop show ever staged in the region, North East Live, featuring JLS, The Wanted, Little Mix, Rita Ora among others, on Saturday June 22.

For ticket and hospitality details visit www.safcconcerts.com