Weeks after canceling a series of gigs due to health issues, Rod Stewart nearly fainted during a concert in Utah on Friday night and was forced to use an oxygen tank on stage.
The 81-year-old rock legend was performing at the Utah First Credit Union Amphitheater in West Valley City when a fan noticed that he wasn’t moving around the stage as much as he usually does.
Video obtained by TMZ shows Stewart continuing to perform while leaning on his instrument, stage railings and poles.
At one point, an official brought out an oxygen tank and Stewart took several deep breaths before addressing the crowd.
“The show must go on,” he told concertgoers. “I almost passed out there. Is it okay if I sit down for a second?”
The British star then finished his performance by sitting on a chair.
West Valley City is located approximately 4,300 feet above sea level, and its altitude may have been a factor in the singer’s apparent discomfort.
The incident occurred a week after Stewart canceled his June 12 concert in San Diego less than an hour before it was scheduled to begin.
Organizers initially cited sinusitis, but Stewart later revealed he had been diagnosed with an acute upper respiratory infection that causes laryngitis.
Stewart later faced criticism when he was spotted attending a World Cup game in Boston less than a day after leaving the San Diego concert.
Photos and videos shared online showed him supporting Scotland from the stands and enjoying a drink while watching the match, after traveling on a private jet with his sons Aidan and Alastair.
The singer also canceled two performances in Las Vegas in May and told fans that he was taking a break from his voice as he battled sinusitis.
“I’m sorry to my fans’ families. I’m taking a break from my voice as I recover from a sinus infection,” Stewart said at the time.
“We look forward to seeing you at future shows at Caesars Palace or on tour this summer.”
Despite his recent decline in health, Stewart insists he has no intention of retiring.
After announcing her “One Last Time” farewell tour in 2024, the singer made it clear that she was taking a break from major world tours, and had no intention of stepping away from live performances completely.
“This is the end of my big world tour, but I have no intention of retiring,” Stewart said on Instagram at the time. “I love what I do and I do what I love.”
“I am healthy, have full hair and can run 100 meters in 18 seconds despite my cheerful old age of 79,” he added.
Stewart has long credited his fitness routine with helping him stay on tour.
“I keep myself very healthy,” he told AARP last year. “I played soccer all my life, but I don’t play soccer as much anymore because I had knee replacement surgery. And I’ve always had a trainer, the same person for 38 years.”
The singer added that she has a “huge” gym and indoor pool at home, saying: “We do a lot of water training, and when the trainer throws a brick into the pool, I have to jump in and push the brick to the edge of the pool and come back up.”
Stewart will continue his “One Last Time” tour across the United States through July and August, with the final date currently set for August 15th in St. Louis.
