Whitney Houston's Train Wrecks in Australia

By Sam Brand Posted Feb 23rd 2010 02:11PM

Australian fans are in an uproar after watching Whitney Houston flub her way through a concert in Brisbane on Monday night. The 46-year-old diva reportedly took a break after just two songs, brought her brother onstage to hit her high notes and slurped from a water bottle through a closing performance of 'I Will Always Love You.'

"She couldn't entertain a dead rat," one concertgoer told the press outside the show. Yikes.

Monday's performance at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre was the first of several Australian stops on Houston's comeback 'Nothing But Love' tour. It was an ominous Down Under rebirth for an R&B queen frequently dogged by rumors of health and drug problems.

Today, concert promoter Andrew McManus took to defending the star against the many ticket purchasers calling for a refund.

"It was not a train wreck," McManus told Agence France-Presse of Houston's performance. "She was hitting most of the notes; yes, her throat was a little croaky. Her health is fine, but she's also not 22 years of age anymore."

The promoter's comments are of little consolation to those who paid up to $200 for seats. One fan tells Brisbane's Courier-Mail, "I have e-mailed the fellow down in Melbourne to get our money back but I don't think we will get it."

"We saw Liza Minnelli and she was marvelous," the fan continued. "But this one just walked all over the stage going: 'Um, I've got to go and have a drink.'"

According to concert reviews cited by the AFP, Houston appeared disoriented during the show, relied heavily upon backup singers and struggled to remember the names of her bandmates.

"This show was like watching a slow and painful death of a living legend," a Courier-Mail reader wrote in.

McManus saw it differently.

"If [fans] expected to hear Whitney of 20 years ago, go buy a CD."

Maybe the guy's got a point.

Tags: andrew mcmanus, australia, brisbane, i will always love you, nothing but love tour, trainwreck, whitney houston

Comments

(103)

Tuesday 23 February

By lucie

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Again another bunch of crap about how bad an aging performer is. Yes Whitney did drugs and her voice is shot because of it.. but for anyone to think that shes the 22 year old she was should look in the mirror.. Are you the same person vocally, physically, mentally when u were 22 ? Look what happened to Elvis. He was not allowed to age and then he self-destructed. Be realistic.

By Wayne

Tina Turner is the only one that isn't getting getting older. Tina is alive and well. I remember seeing her in the 60's, with Ike. Yep, Tina is an artist. Long live Tina.

By Bill

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I can't believe some of you nitwits in Austrailia paid..PAID 200 bucks to hear that has been "can't sing no more" singer TRY to sing...what a bunch of chumps, you deserve what you got......
TAKEN!

By Rodney Gholston

Tell you what butthole why don't you try singing. And I would love to see a has been as oppose to you a never was. Hater hater hater!!!

By Brenda

Well if we are expected to go by what they REALLY sound like by how they sound on their CD's then they SHOULDNT be allowed to "doctor" the sound of their REAL voices ON the CD. You listen to a CD and you THINK the person is talented..THEN you pay money for a ticket based ON the CD and it's ALMOST ALWAYS a bit of let down at the very least.
They SHOULD refund the the tickets if someone asks. If they promote the person as being talented and we find out they are NOT..to tell us to go by a doctored CD if we want to hear them SOUND GOOD is ridiculous. What a jerk.

By aslinemit

I agree that she doesn't sound that good, but man, you guys are worst!

By roryzsss

Saw Whitney on a TV show recently and she was absolutely terrible. Couldn't believe it was her. Whatever they say has happened to her voice, one thing is clear, her singing is a shadow of what it was. At 46 she should still be able to sing well and hit the high notes. A tragic story of a fallen star. She should have remained in retirement.

Sunday 28 February

By doodybykke2

I LOVE DIANA ROSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A TRUE STAR.

By dragonflower

What do you expect, you can't do drugs that long and expect it to not affect your voice. If you want to hear a crack head sing go down on the corner and offer one ten dollars.

By Wilde Childe

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She is a has been and it she has only herself to blame for it. Sheneeds to go away and raise her child to be clean and sober while she stays clean and sober herself.

By valeskas

She probably could not find a dope dealer in Australia.Please, don't push her on us. She is a loser.

By suz-ee

Point is she gave a poor show; she may not be 20 any more but the concertmasters are charging like she is and they dont want to return the money for a poor show

By KARL

WHITNEY IS ALL WASHED UP FROM ALL THOSE YEARS ABUSING DRUGS AAND ALCOHOL WITH CRACKHEAD BOBBY BROWN. SHE IS A WASTE OF MONEY AND ANYONE THAT PAYS FOR TICKETS TO SEE HER WILL BE DISSAPPOINTED. WHITNEY AND OPRAH NEED TO LEAVE THE PUBLIC EYE ASAP ! GOOD RIDDANCE.

By Mr. Mojo Risin

I didn't see nothing bout no train wrecking

By Ex Crackhead

" Every little snort i take is going to end up being a big mistake "

By Star

How do you say used up washed out train wreck, simple : Whitney Houston

By motherof 4

I remember going to a we-fest in MN the closing act was Hank Willams JR. That was the last time I went to a concert that had an older singer that had a bad track record. It was a waste of money. He couldn't remember any words, his band walked off after many starts to songs and he couldn't sing or remeber words. He ended up sitting on the edge of the stage mumbling something that we couldn't even understand. Stars are over rated!!!

By Kathy

Whitney Houston needs to get back into rehab again. She is obviously not together at all. Don't those close to her see this? I can't believe she was even let on the stage. Is this going to be another Michael Jackson ending?

By Cory Harris

It's so funny how people always blame age when a singer screws up. Have you guys every hear about a singer called LUTHER VANDROSS? Before he pass he was sick for years,but when he sings you dam sure would have not known it. Whitney just screwed her body up and drugs are the blame not her age.

By Rosemary ford

both shows should go off the air especially the view

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