Rod Stewart needs oxygen tank during concert after nearly fainting on stage
The 81-year-old rock star was performing at the Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre in West Valley City on Friday night.
Sir Rod Stewart was seen using an oxygen tank on stage during a concert in Utah after doubling over in discomfort and telling the crowd he nearly fainted.
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The 81-year-old rock star was performing at the Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre in West Valley City on Friday night when he appeared to struggle with his breathing and had to lean on stage equipment and a pole at the side of the stage.
Backstage attendants eventually brought out an oxygen tank, and Stewart took several big inhales before steadying himself and continuing the show.
The singer made the crowd laugh by telling them he “dang near fainted”, a moment that showed his good humour even during a scary on-stage incident.
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Stewart finished the rest of the concert sitting in a chair on stage, needing to get off his feet, but he still delivered a full 23-song set featuring Faces hits, solo classics and covers.
The Utah concert came just six days after Stewart announced he had laryngitis and cancelled a June 12 show in Chula Vista, California, after his doctors advised him not to perform.
At the time, an official statement said he had travelled to the venue and made every effort to perform but was unable to take to the stage due to an acute upper respiratory infection that resulted in laryngitis.
Fans were left concerned after seeing the footage of Stewart using the oxygen tank, with many posting on social media that he was not moving around the stage as usual and clearly struggling during parts of the set.
The venue is in West Valley City, an area with higher altitude than many of Stewart’s usual stages, which could have made breathing more difficult during the performance, though no official cause has been confirmed.
Despite the health scare, Stewart made it through the show and received applause from the crowd for his effort, even as he sat for the remainder of the set.
There has been no further statement from Stewart’s team about his health after the Utah concert.