In what was billed as the first event of its kind, 11 cinemas from the UCI chain in the UK and three in Germany linked up to the concert via satellite.

"UCI has screened pre-recorded music programming in cinemas before," said Gerald Buckle, vice-president of Business Affairs for UCI.

"However this was the first time we have been able to broadcast a live music event across our network of digitally enabled cinemas."

Audiences at London's Shepherds Bush Empire were also able to interact with crowds at other venues, by sending text messages which were beamed on to the cinema screens.

The show was also streamed live over the web in 63 countries - including Germany, France, USA and Brazil - as well as being broadcast by a dozen European radio stations.

The concert saw the band previewing their new album, Bounce, which is released internationally on Monday and in the US on 8 October and includes the single Everyday.

Singer Jon Bon Jovi said that the the new album was influenced by the events of 11 September.

Jon Bon Jovi says the band have always been "optimists"

"Obviously the whole of the American consciousness was shaken when terrorism first arrived on our shores on 11 September."

"We had to write songs about it, we live there - it's our backyard so it's hard not to do that."

But he also said the band was keeping an optimistic outlook when dealing with the subject.

"We knew the album would be coming out a year later and obviously Bon Jovi has always had this optimistic thing. People are happy to wrap their arms around optimism."

The band recently took part in a free concert in New York's Times Square, which Jon Bon Jovi said was a tribute to the resilience of the city's residents.

Bounce, the band's eighth studio album is the follow-up to Crush, which sold over eight million copies worldwide.

Bon Jovi have sold more than 92 million albums and played more than 2,000 shows in 47 countries to 31 million people. Their biggest hits include Living On A Prayer, Keep The Faith and It's My Life.

They plan to release a box set for their 20th anniversary later this year.