Earth, Wind & Fire postponed their concert with Lionel Richie at Chase Center in San Francisco on Thursday night after a band member suffered a medical emergency. The announcement came just before the show was set to begin, leaving thousands of fans already inside the arena.
Band statement confirms rescheduling
In a statement posted on Instagram, the band said: "We are unable to perform as scheduled tonight at Chase Center in San Francisco due to a medical emergency involving a member of our band."
The statement added: "As a result, tonight's show with Lionel Richie will be rescheduled, with a new date to be announced soon. Ticket holders should retain their tickets, which will be honoured for the new date, or refunds will be available at the point of purchase. We sincerely apologise for the unexpected change and appreciate everyone’s understanding."
No further details have been given about which band member was taken ill or their current condition.
Previous health issues on tour
The cancellation comes just over a month after Lionel Richie, 77, was forced to postpone two shows himself after falling ill on stage at the end of June. Performing at the Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota, he announced an unusual 40-minute break after singing Three Times A Lady from the piano.
He left the stage, and minutes later his band followed. One member returned to say Richie would not be coming back out as he wasn't feeling well. Saxophonist Dino Soldo told the Minnesota Star Tribune: "Unfortunately, Lionel is not feeling well. He won’t be able to continue. Additional information will be available."
This incident occurred on the first night of the Sing A Song All Night Long tour with Earth, Wind & Fire, where Earth, Wind & Fire perform their hits for the first half and Richie takes the stage for the second.
Fans share concerns
Fans who attended that show took to social media with concerns for Richie's health. Videos showed him having to sit down multiple times during a rendition of Dancing On The Ceiling. He reportedly told audiences he was feeling "dizzy".
In one video on X, Richie could be seen singing as he walked around the stage before becoming unsteady and abruptly stopping to sit on the edge of a large platform. He continued to sing whilst sat, but was soon on his feet again. However, it wasn't long before he needed to sing sitting down again.
Following the song, Richie told the audience: "What I have learned about my years of being in the business - when you are feeling dizzy, sit your ass down. And when you are feeling strange about yourself, sit your ass down."
"Now I want you to know that that is the first time in the history of 'Dancing on the Ceiling' I’ve done it sitting down," he continued to audience laughter and cheers. "That’s a bad sign! That’s a bad sign, y’all."
Earth, Wind & Fire drummer John Paris told local media that Richie had been "a little dehydrated", but that he hadn’t noticed any health issues before the show.
A statement from Live Nation said at the time: "Lionel is heartbroken to postpone these two shows and cannot wait to be back performing for his fans."
