On Thursday, October 10, Barry Manilow made his long-awaited return to the stage.
The 83-year-old singer and songwriter kicked off the Las Vegas residency he was forced to delay earlier this year, in order to recover from surgery after being diagnosed with lung cancer.
An Unexpected Cancelation
By all accounts, Manilow was in fine form for his return performance, the first time he’s taken to the stage since undergoing surgery to remove part of his lung after being diagnosed with lung cancer.
However, Manilow announced he was canceling the next scheduled concerts, which had been set to take place on Friday, October 9 and Saturday, October 10 at the International Theater at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino.
“After a triumphant welcome-back concert on Thursday, Barry got hit with bronchitis and had to cancel his Friday and Saturday shows,” a representative for the 83-year-old music icon told Variety.
An Abruptly Ended Show
That announcement, according to a report from Vital Vegas, came after reports that Manilow didn’t cancel the Friday show until after it had already begun, abruptly ending the concert mid-performance when he walked offstage after just two songs.
Before exiting the stage on the second night of his residency, Manilow reportedly told the audience, “Talk amongst yourselves,” while the band continued playing in the expectation that he would return; he did not.
No reason was given for Manilow’s exit. While fans waited hopefully that Manilow would return, an announcement eventually came over the venue’s PA system to declare, “Due to circumstances beyond our control, that will be the conclusion of tonight’s show.”
“Our source says no explanation was provided for Manilow’s departure and there was no announcement about refunds or rescheduling,” the outlet added.
Manilow is next scheduled to return to the venue on October 15 through to the 17th, and isn’t slated to return after than until November 5.
Previous Halted Concerts
This latest incident echoes previous show cancelations and an abruptly ended performance that took place in August.
As The Independent reported, Manilow halted his August 20 performance at the Westgate after 40 minutes.
At the time, the reason given for the stopped concert was “technical difficulties.”
The following day, subsequent shows were canceled. “We’re very sorry, but we have to cancel tonight and tomorrow’s performances,” read a statement posted on Manilow’s Instagram account.
Once again, the same excuse was used. “Due to technical and vocal problems, we’re unable to put on our show,” the statement continued.
A Long Recovery — But Perhaps Not Long Enough?
At this point, the official explanation for the most recent canceled show remains bronchitis.
However, it has led to speculation that Manilow may have returned to performing too quickly.
Back in May, Manilow took to social media to share an update on his recovery.
“Good news! I went to the doctor yesterday and he said I’m making great progress and look great,” he wrote on X.
“Well of course I do!” he added. “Thank you very much! All the training and exercising I’ve put in is paying off. He did say, however, that I’m not quite ready for Vegas. That means I won’t be able to return for our May shows at [Westgate Las Vegas]. But the good news is he said I will be ready for my June arena shows in the UK. It’s going to be great to see you all in the UK. Westgate Las Vegas is my home away from home…and I’ll see you all in July. In the meantime…come to the UK! We’ll be there in June and hope you will be too! See you then… Barry.”
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Barry Manilow Cancels Vegas Shows Days After Return to the Stage Following Cancer Surgery