10 Rock Stars Who Left the Stage Mid-Concert
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When you spend your money to watch your favorite singer or band live, you hope to have an unforgettable experience, enjoying every song they play. However, live performances don’t always run smoothly, and there are many reasons why a performer might need to leave the stage unexpectedly.
KISS
Beneath their famous makeup and extravagant hairstyles, the members of KISS are advancing in age, now in their seventies. They’re currently embarking on their last tour around the globe, called the End of the Road World Tour. But during a concert in Manaus, Brazil, on April 12, 2023, Gene Simmons, the band’s vocalist and bass player, fell ill and had to exit the stage during the performance. Paul Stanley, the band’s singer and guitarist, told the concertgoers, “Hold on, hold on. We’re gonna have to stop. We know how much you love Gene, and it’s clear he’s not feeling well. We need to pause and help him out, because we all love him, correct?” The concert was halted for around five minutes while Simmons was attended to. He was able to come back and sing another song seated in a chair. He later shared on social media that he was just dehydrated due to the very high temperatures and humidity in Manaus.
Liam Gallagher
Liam Gallagher, who first became well-known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Oasis, embarked on a solo career in 2017, with his album “As You Were” quickly selling over 100,000 copies in its first week. Despite having 10 top-charting albums, the 48-year-old had to leave the stage during a concert in Hamburg, Germany in February 2020, right before the pandemic hit. His voice gave out, forcing him to cancel the performance.
Elton John
Elton John, an English singer and songwriter with over 30 albums and 300 million records sold worldwide, has topped the UK charts more than fifty times. However, during a show at Mount Smart Stadium in Australia in February 2020, he had to stop his performance early. Struggling to sing properly mid-concert, he revealed he was dealing with ‘walking pneumonia’.
Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson, the American musician known for his influence on the outlaw country genre that emerged in the 1960s, experienced a setback in 2018. Scheduled to perform at the Outlaw Music Festival in Charlotte, North Carolina, he walked off the stage after only his second attempt to start his set, tossing his cowboy hat into the audience. An illness was cited as the reason for his inability to perform.
Green Day
In a memorable incident at the iHeart Radio Music Festival in 2012, Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong reacted strongly when their set was unexpectedly cut short. Proclaiming that he was not “Justin Bieber,” he expressed his frustration by smashing his guitar and throwing the microphone.
Jim Morrison
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During what would be the last concert of The Doors in 1970, Jim Morrison famously damaged the stage with a microphone stand, creating a hole. Shortly after this dramatic exit, he relocated to Paris, where he passed away from a heart attack. An unforgettable farewell performance indeed.
Axl Rose
Axl Rose is known for frequently walking off stage during performances. In one notable instance captured on video, his departure was triggered after becoming upset with a concertgoer who was taking photos of him. When security failed to confiscate the camera, he left the stage in a huff, sparking a complete chaos among the crowd.
Art Garfunkel
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In a very private show, Art Garfunkel of the duo known for the hit “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” left the stage mid-performance because someone was using their phone. The intimate nature of the performance allowed for a resolution, and Garfunkel returned to finish his set after the responsible audience member apologized.
Jack White
In 2012, Jack White cut his performance at the renowned Radio City Music Hall short, completing his set after just 55 minutes. He expressed his disappointment with the low energy from the crowd, questioning aloud, “Is this an NPR convention?”
Morrissey
Morrissey, with each passing year, seems to become more prone to dissatisfaction, which isn’t helped by the critical reception to his recent music and written works. While performing in Warsaw, Poland in 2014, he left the stage after just 25 minutes following derogatory remarks made by someone in the audience about the singer.
