This music veteran has angered fans after cancelling a sold-out concert due to ill health – then flying interstate to watch Scotland at the FIFA World Cup.
Rod Stewart has been blasted by fans after he was spotted downing wines at the FIFA World Cup, just a day after cancelling his tour amid health concerns.
The 81-year-old crooner was forced to call off his concert scheduled at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre in Chula Vista, California on Friday after a recurring battle with a sinus infection meant he couldn’t hit the stage.
A statement issued by event organiser Live Nation claimed the singer was suffering from an acute upper respiratory infection that had escalated to laryngitis.
Rod was forced to cancel his show thanks to ill health. Picture: John Medina/Getty Images
“Well, here I am in beautiful Chula Vista as the stage is being taken down around me. Following treatment, I’m feeling much better, but my voice is not,” Stewart himself said on his Instagram stories, along with a lonely image of him on the empty stage.
“I’m very disappointed and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience to my fans. I did everything I could to make the show happen tonight, but unfortunately it just wasn’t possible. I will do my utmost to reschedule.”
Fast forward 24 hours, and it appeared the Maggie May hitmaker was feeling MUCH better. So much better, in fact, that he decided to hop on a private jet and fly on over to watch Scotland play in the World Cup.
The singer hit the World Cup less than 24 hours after cancelling his show. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images
Rod looking rather well at the sporting match. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)
Pictures have emerged of the singer in a private box at Boston Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, cheering on his team as they played against Haiti in one of the first matches of the competition.
He was spotted getting quite vocal, jumping up from his chair cheering and drinking glasses of white wine – probably not what the doctor ordered.
Moments before the pictures popped up, Stewart aggravated fans by posting a video of himself and sons Liam and Alistair on their jet heading to the sporting match.
“Here we are flying off to Boston to see Scotland in the World Cup. 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,” he boasted on Instagram.
“We want them to get through to the next round and I’ll die a happy man. That’ll be great.”
NOT what the doctor ordered. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images
Fans were far from impressed by the post.
“Thought you were ill and cancelled your concert?” one person questioned.
“I understand that shows sometimes have to be cancelled, and if there was a legitimate reason, most fans would have accepted it. What’s hard to accept is seeing you apparently celebrating on a plane with friends less than 24 hours after thousands of people were sent home disappointed in San Diego,” another annoyed fan wrote.
“This feels rather disingenuous, especially after your cancellation last night. Too ill to perform but okay to fly across the country for soccer?” another added.
Rod with his sons on their private jet. Picture: Instagram
One person labelled him the “king of cancellations” while others took the time to point out that the singer sounded pretty good for someone who was suffering from laryngitis.
“Lost a little respect for you cancelling your concert the night before disappointing a stadium full of people … Hard to believe you really had laryngitis! You sound like you have a voice to me!”
The recent show cancellation will be the third Stewart has had to call off this year.
Last month, the singer cancelled his Las Vegas show just two hours before he was due on stage.
