Stewart later apologised directly to fans on Instagram, writing: “Following treatment, I’m feeling much better, but my voice is not. I’m very disappointed and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience to my fans.”
He added: “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.”
How did he address his health on stage?
Over the weekend, Stewart returned to the stage at Rock in Rio Lisboa in Portugal, where he appeared to be in much stronger form. According to reports, he performed a full set without breaks.
He also offered the crowd a brief health update, raising a glass of whisky to his own future.
According to The Mirror, Stewart said: “I’m going to drink to health. It’s been most enjoyable, but we’ve still got a long way to go.”
The line was short, but it landed clearly: Stewart knows people have been watching closely, and he is not presenting this as a farewell lap.
Stewart’s illness had already drawn attention after another recent performance in Utah, where he used an oxygen tank to get through the show. Afterward, he joked that he had “nearly f*****g fainted.” Not exactly the sort of backstage update that lowers anyone’s blood pressure.
Why were some fans upset after the cancellations?
The health update followed a small backlash earlier this month, after Stewart was seen attending a World Cup match shortly after cancelling performances.
Just days after the San Diego-area show was axed, he was spotted in Boston cheering on Scotland as they beat Haiti 1-0. He shared a clip from a private jet with his sons, chanting “No Scotland, no party,” and used the same phrase as the caption.
For some fans whose concert plans had been cancelled, it was a bad look. The issue was not that Stewart felt well enough to watch football; it was that the celebratory post landed so soon after disappointed ticket-holders had been told his voice could not manage a show.
One fan, Emily Hamilton, wrote on Instagram: “I love Rod Stewart I always have I always will. This is the only thing I’ve ever disagreed with that he’s done. I am so sorry to all of you in San Diego that were heartbroken and then have to see this video. In my opinion he should not have posted this.”
What else did Stewart say during the Portugal set?
Stewart’s Portugal performance was not only about reassuring fans that he was back on his feet. He also wished Portugal good luck in the World Cup and paid tribute to his late friend Tina Turner by performing their 1991 hit It Takes Two.
Later in the set, he dedicated Rhythm of My Heart to the people of Ukraine, making his stance plain.
“There’s wars going on everywhere; people are dying,” he told the audience. “This particular war I’ve been interested in since it started four years ago, nearly five.
“This is the desperation of the Ukrainians – so this song is for the Ukrainian people and Zelenskyy and f**k Putin.”
For an artist who has spent decades making large rooms feel personal, the moment fit the evening: part recovery update, part political statement, part reminder that Stewart still prefers to communicate from a stage when possible.
