Rod Stewart sparks health concern after mid-concert medical intervention
At 81 years old, Rod Stewart is currently in the midst of a global tour. However, health concerns were sparked after a recent show in Utah.
The ‘Maggie May’ singer was performing at the Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre in West Valley City on June 19th when he was forced to head towards an oxygen tank on the side of the stage during ‘Young Turks’.
It had been a hot and dry 30°C during the day in Utah, and fan footage showed Stewart was clearly in discomfort as he approached the 16th song of his lengthy 23 song set.
After doubling over and leaning on various stage equipment, he awaited an instrumental break before heading to the side of the stage, where he was administered oxygen from a tank that was at hand. He seemed to steady after this and finished the set.
After trudging back onto the stage, he declared, “The show must go on.” However, some distressed fans were heard calling, “Take a break” in response.
“I really f**king nearly fainted up there, I tell you,” Stewart explained as he headed back towards the spotlight in a chipper fashion. “I tried to give you a little step and a dance and all that and I nearly f**king fainted”.
He proceeded to take a seat on the stairs that are part of his set, and he said, “Would you mind if I sat down for this one.” A concerned audience responded enthusiastically. The Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre is 4,300 feet above sea level and a notably testing place to perform.
Last week, the singer also cancelled a show in San Diego citing laryngitis, but any serious concerns were quelled when the very next day he was spotted in Boston at Scotland’s World Cup opener, much to the chagrin of some of his San Diego fans.
Despite his evident health issue in Utah, presently, it appears that his show scheduled for this evening, June 21st, at Agua Caliente Casino, Rancho Mirage, CA, USA is set to go ahead as planned.
During a radio interview with TalkSPORT on May 18th, Stewart was looking ahead to his UK tour in 2027, “Then I’m touring the UK next year, doing The O2, and that’ll probably be it, I think. I’ll have to do something new, come on your show more often, maybe.”
So, it appears that despite recent health complaints, he is still looking to stay on the road for at least another year.
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