After canceling a concert just 45 minutes before showtime last Friday, and pushing back two shows scheduled for earlier this week to September 2027, Rod Stewart’s upcoming show in Utah this Friday doesn’t seem to be a sure thing.
Rod Stewart cancels shows — and draws some backlash
Stewart drew backlash from fans last week when he abruptly canceled a show in Chula Vista, California. A statement from the 81-year-old rocker, who was already at the venue, said he had been diagnosed with an acute upper respiratory infection resulting in laryngitis, People reported.
Reaching out to disheartened fans, Stewart followed up on his cancellation: “Following treatment, I’m feeling much better, but my voice is not,” he said, per People. “I’m very disappointed and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience to my fans. I did everything I could to make the show happen tonight.”
Not much later, though, the “Maggie May” singer posted a short video that showed him talking and singing with two of his sons on a flight to Boston for a World Cup game between Scotland and Haiti on Saturday.
“Here we are flying off to Boston to see Scotland in the World Cup,” Stewart began in the clip, per People. “It’s been 28 years so these kids, I’ve told them about it, but they’ve never been. I’ve been to seven World Cups.”
Stewart drew criticism and disappointment from fans for cheering on Scotland at the World Cup so soon after canceling a show.
“This feels rather disingenuous, especially after your cancellation last night,” one fan wrote in a comment on the Instagram video. “Too ill to perform but okay to fly across the country for soccer?”
A couple of days after celebrating Scotland’s win, the singer canceled his shows scheduled for Monday and Tuesday at Colorado’s Red Rocks after a visit to a voice clinic in the area prescribed “strict vocal rest.”
“Evaluation revealed significant inflammation and strain of the vocal folds, making it impossible for him to safely perform without the risk of further injury and potential long-term damage to his voice,” reads a post from the Red Rocks Instagram account that was shared on the day of the first show.
Those performances have now been rescheduled to Sept. 2 and 3, 2027.
Connie Klibbe, a Stewart fan who bought Red Rocks tickets off StubHub for $473, expressed her frustration over the situation to Denver7.
“We do not get a refund and I called AXS, I called StubHub, they were delightful on the phone, but they just said, this is our policy. They said, your only option is to resell your tickets,” Klibbe told Denver7. “I’m thinking, OK, 15 months out, who’s going to buy tickets 15 months out when he’s been canceling shows? They’re not going to sell.”
Stewart also canceled a few of his residency shows in Las Vegas earlier this month while he recovered from the flu. He’s also canceled and postponed other shows on his current tour, per People.
Will Rod Stewart cancel his Utah show?
So what does this mean for Stewart’s show in Utah, which is scheduled for Friday at Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre in West Valley City?
The show is still scheduled as of Wednesday evening, according to the venue’s website.
Based on the singer’s recent show history, though, that still leaves plenty of time for a cancellation.