Key Takeaways
- Lionel Richie returned to the stage in Pittsburgh after a dizzy spell forced him to cut his tour opener short and postpone two shows.
- During his first night back, he joked with fans about the whirlwind 24 hours he had leading up to the concert.
- His postponed Chicago and Ohio dates will be rescheduled as the "Sing Along All Night Long Tour" continues through mid-August with Earth, Wind & Fire.
Lionel Richie is back in action after a “dizzy” spell during the opening night of his "Sing Along All Night Long Tour" forced him to cut the concert short and later postpone two show dates. On Tuesday (June 30) night, the “Hello” singer made his grand return to the stage at Pittsburgh’s PPG Paints Arena.
“I had you worried there for a minute, huh?” Lionel asked the crowd during his first night back, per TribLive. “You have no idea what I have been through in the last 24 hours, listening to my friends tell me their advice on what I should be doing.” According to the Pennsylvania-based publication, the Grammy-winning musician performed a medley of his greatest hits, including “Running with the Night,” “My Love,” and the Commodores’ “Three Times a Lady.”
Lionel’s eagerly anticipated comeback arrived just days after his ex-wife, Brenda Harvey Richie, gave fans a positive update on his condition. “Thanking everyone for their concern! Lionel is OK and will be back on the stage,” she wrote on X last Friday (June 26) amid news that he was hospitalized after the aforementioned tour opener.
What led Lionel Richie to postpone two of his “Sing Along All Night Long Tour” dates
As REVOLT previously reported, Lionel fell ill while performing “Dancing on the Ceiling” at Minnesota’s Grand Casino Arena, to the point that he later had to sit at the piano to get through “Three Times a Lady.”
In fan-captured footage from that night, he joked, “Now, what I have learned about my years of being in the business, when you’re feeling dizzy, sit your a** down.” Unfortunately, that ended up being the final song on his setlist, followed by him leaving the stage for an impromptu intermission.
In a statement issued last Thursday (June 25), Live Nation Chicago confirmed that his stops at Chicago’s United Center and the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio, would have to be postponed and rescheduled. “Under advisement by doctors to rest and return to full health, Lionel Richie has postponed his next two shows,” it read. “Lionel is heartbroken to postpone these two shows and cannot wait to be back performing for his fans.”
Why Lionel Richie being back onstage comes as a relief after his health scare
It’s wonderful to see Lionel back performing, especially considering how many Black music legends we’ve already lost this year due to health issues. For anyone interested in seeing him live, the “Sing Along All Night Long Tour” is expected to continue through mid-August, with Earth, Wind & Fire serving as the supporting act.