Lionel Richie sparked concern among concertgoers Wednesday night after illness forced him to stop the opening performance of his new tour.
The music icon was on stage at the Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota, launching his joint Sing A Song All Night Long tour with Earth, Wind & Fire, when he unexpectedly paused the show following a piano performance of Three Times A Lady, according to Minnesota outlet Bring Me The News.
His band reportedly exited the stage a short time later. More than 40 minutes after the concert was interrupted, one of the musicians returned to tell the audience that Richie would not be coming back because he was unwell.
“Unfortunately, Lionel is not feeling well,” saxophonist Dino Soldo told the crowd, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune. “He won’t be able to continue. Additional information will be available.”
Representatives for Richie have been contacted for comment. His team has not yet issued a public statement addressing the abrupt end to the performance.
Fans who were at the concert later took to social media to share their concern, with some saying Richie appeared to indicate during the show that he was not feeling his best.
Lionel Richie left fans worried after illness forced him to stop his concert on Wednesday; pictured on American Idol
After an extended break, a band member told the audience Richie was ill and would not return to the stage; pictured May 15 in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Videos of him performing showed the singer stopping to sit down multiple times during his second-to-last song Dancing On The Ceiling and he reportedly told the crowd he was feeling ‘dizzy’ while performing.
Richie was able to sit at the piano bench for what turned out to be his last song of the evening.
A fan who attended the concert told the publication Richie ‘said he has been in this business long enough, if you feel dizzy you sit down! And if you don’t feel right, you sit down!’
According to the Minnesota Star Tribune’s Jon Bream, Richie was even saltier with his advice, quoting the singer as saying, ‘When you’re feeling dizzy, sit your a** down.’
One video posted by journalist Patrick Kessler on X on Wednesday night showed a portion of his Dancing On The Ceiling performance in which he appeared unsteady as he walked across the stage, before he made an unexpected stop and sat down on the edge of a large stepped platform.
Despite apparently feeling unwell, Richie appeared to be singing throughout his seated portion of the song, rather than relying on a guide vocal.
Richie was seated for less than ten seconds before he stood up and started making his way across the stage again.
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However, less than 30 seconds later, he stopped to sit down again on the risers on the opposite side of the stage, even as he continued singing.
Richie reportedly told the crowd that he was feeling ‘dizzy’ while performing; pictured on American Idol
A band member reportedly told the audience that Richie had to cancel the rest of the show because he was ‘not feeling well’; pictured April 29 in NYC
Audience members reportedly began filing out once Richie’s band left the stage, about 15 minutes after his departure; pictured April 29 in NYC
He and the funk icons are next scheduled to perform in Chicago on Friday, June 26; Earth, Wind & Fire is pictured performing in Honolulu, Hawaii, on June 13
According to the Star Tribune, Richie’s saxophonist Dino Soldo, who later confirmed that the rest of the show was canceled, took a seat with the singer during Dancing On The Ceiling.
The publication reported audience members began to file out of the venue as soon as Richie’s band left the stage, about 15 minutes after he announced the surprise intermission.
One disappointed audience member called the surprise end to the show ‘horrible’ while speaking to the Star Tribune.
‘I’m super bummed. This was my first time [seeing Richie] and I’m old,’ they vented.
The first half of the concert featured a performance from Earth, Wind & Fire, while Richie took the stage for what would have been the second half of the evening.
The music icons are currently scheduled to visit 26 cities through August 14, with their next stop at the United Center in Chicago on Friday, June 26.
