Lionel Richie was forced to cancel his concert in Saint Paul, Minnesota, halfway through on Wednesday night (June 24) after suffering a health issue on stage. The 77-year-old singer, known for hits like "Dancing on the Ceiling" and "All Night Long," was an hour into his set at the Grand Casino Arena when he halted the show for an unexpected intermission, explaining he felt dizzy and asking the audience to wait for his return.
Richie Sat Down During Performance
Richie was seen sitting down on stage several times, including during some of his mega-hits. One audience member told Bring Me the News: "He 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." After 30 minutes, the band had also left the stage, and the crowd was informed that Richie would not be returning as he was not feeling well enough to continue.
Video Shows Singer Struggling
Journalist Patrick Kessler shared a video of the star on social media and explained: "Richie sat down on stage during Dancing on the Ceiling, said he felt dizzy. Performed one more song at a piano, Three Times a Lady, then announced unplanned intermission. Did not return." The concert was part of Richie's Sing A Song All Night Long joint tour with Earth, Wind & Fire.
Similar Incident with Rod Stewart
The incident comes after Rod Stewart faced similar issues on stage, requiring an oxygen tank and admitting he "nearly fainted" before sitting down to breathe. Richie's health scare also follows a previous sinus infection that forced him to cancel two shows earlier in the month. He later cancelled another show after the on-stage incident, with a statement reading: "He travelled to the venue and made every effort to perform, but on the advice of his doctors and following a diagnosis of an acute upper respiratory infection that has resulted in laryngitis, he is unable to take to the stage this evening."
