Rod Stewart has received backlash for attending a World Cup football game hours after cancelling a concert due to ill health.
The Maggie May singer, 81, was branded tone-deaf and insensitive by fans on Instagram after he posted a video clip of himself chanting “no Scotland, no party” with his sons while on a private jet to Boston, where Scotland faced Haiti in the tournament.
Stewart was also seen energetically celebrating Scotland’s 1-0 victory in the stands on Saturday, despite cancelling his Friday night show in San Diego, California at the last minute due to laryngitis.
In the comments underneath his private jet video, one fan wrote, “To see you flying across the country for a soccer game the very next morning makes the situation feel even more tone deaf. The cancellation was frustrating enough, but this comes across as incredibly dismissive of the fans who support your career. A little empathy and awareness would have gone a long way.”
“This feels rather disingenuous, especially after your cancellation last night. Too ill to perform but okay to fly across the country for soccer?” another asked.
Another user called him out for his “lack of sensitivity” and respect towards the fans who lost money on his cancelled California show.
On Friday, the day before his World Cup appearance, representatives for the Sailing hitmaker announced on Instagram that he was “unable to take the stage this evening” due to “a diagnosis of an acute upper respiratory infection that has resulted in laryngitis”, less than an hour before the concert was due to start.
Stewart later informed his fans, “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. I did everything I could to make the show happen tonight.”
The rocker has cancelled or postponed several shows in the past month to allow him to rest and recover from the flu.
He is next scheduled to perform at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre in Colorado on Monday.
