In the middle of his concert, Rod Stewart (81) began to falter: During his performance on Friday evening at the Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre in West Valley City, the British singer had to reach for an oxygen bottle. As the U.S. celebrity portal "TMZ" reports, the musician nearly fainted on stage.
Video footage obtained by the portal shows Stewart bending forward during the show and appearing weakened, before crew members brought the oxygen bottle from backstage. The "Maggie May" singer then addressed the audience, reportedly saying that he had almost fainted - and cracked a few jokes in the process. He completed the rest of the evening sitting on a chair.
A Series of Setbacks
A statement from Stewart's management is not yet available: His team initially did not respond to an inquiry from "People", according to the magazine. However, the incident adds to a series of health problems.
Earlier this month, the musician had postponed several dates of his residency show at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas - his doctor had "prescribed him a bit more rest" while he recovered from the flu. Less than a week later, Stewart canceled four concerts and postponed two others in Nevada and California. "I am devastated and sincerely apologize", he wrote on Instagram.
Criticism Following Stadium Visit
Another episode recently caused discontent: After Stewart canceled a concert in California last weekend due to health reasons, he appeared just a few hours later at a World Cup match of the Scottish team in Boston.
His team justified the cancellation with the diagnosis of an acute respiratory infection that had led to laryngitis - even though the singer had already traveled to the venue. Shortly afterward, Stewart added that after treatment he felt better, "but not my voice yet".
Tour Expected to End in August
Additional U.S. performances of the "One Last Time" tour are scheduled for July and August. The final concert is planned for August 15 in St. Louis.
