Key Takeaways
- Lionel Richie paused his tour after feeling unwell during the opening night of his “Sing Along All Night Long Tour.”
- The singer exited the stage mid-show in Minnesota, joking about feeling "dizzy" before band members confirmed he could not continue.
- Chicago and Columbus stops are delayed, with Pittsburgh currently listed as his next scheduled performance.
Lionel Richie is taking the weekend off after feeling “dizzy” during the opening night of his “Sing Along All Night Long Tour” with Earth, Wind & Fire. On Thursday (June 25) evening, Live Nation Chicago and the United Center confirmed that the Grammy-winning musician is postponing two shows scheduled for Friday (June 26) and Saturday (June 27).
“Under advisement by doctors to rest and return to full health, Lionel Richie has postponed his next two shows,” United Center’s statement read, adding that the “Hello” singer was “heartbroken” and “cannot wait to be back performing for his fans.” It continued, “We apologize for any inconvenience this causes fans who have tickets for these two shows. Rescheduled dates will be announced soon.”
Richie was scheduled to perform in Chicago tonight, followed by a stop in Columbus, Ohio, the next day. Fans can now expect him back onstage at Pittsburgh’s PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday (June 30), health permitting.
What happened to Lionel Richie during his “Sing Along All Night Long Tour” opening night?
In case you missed it, Richie fell ill while performing “Dancing on the Ceiling” at Grand Casino Arena on Wednesday (June 24). "Now, what I have learned about my years of being in the business, when you're feeling dizzy, sit your a** down," he joked, before taking a seat at the piano for “Three Times a Lady.” Shortly after, he left the stage while his five band members remained for about 15 minutes.
Saxophonist Dino Soldo later explained to the crowd that Richie was unwell and wouldn’t be able to finish the show. Speaking with the Minnesota Star Tribune, Earth, Wind & Fire’s drummer John Paris said Richie showed no signs of illness beforehand, adding that he was possibly just “a little dehydrated.” Hopefully, that’s all it was, especially since the Can’t Slow Down artist hasn’t posted since rehearsals for opening night.
The “Sing Along All Night Long Tour” is expected to continue through mid-August, with the trek wrapping up in Austin. In the meantime, fans can catch Richie performing in cities like Detroit, Toronto, New York, Atlanta, and more.