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 M. Vail

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Went to see Whitney in Vegas years ago.....vowed never to waste my money on her again....she was 1 1/2 hours late for the show...her apology was "hey...stuff happens!"

By amylpn1120

LOL! What do you want from a Crackhead??? Doesn't matter if she's not smoking right NOW - brains are fried - vocal cords damaged - lungs scarred. Once a crackhead - always a crackhead. Period.

By upurs

eeh well back in the 60's we couldn't get high enough and our music was the best...we had it all and we even turned a lieing-cheating-government on their ear-impeached a president-and practically cancelled the draft...we were awseome then... and for the ones still alive today...THEY ARE STILL THE FINEST HEROES OF PERFORMANCE IN THIS COUNTRY..!

By Barb46

Whitney is a crackhead who hurt herself. Bobby may drink and do drugs, but his attitude is much better than Whitney. I don't like her anymore. She is a very evil person and I will never buy any of her music again. She need to STOP! ripping people off and retire for good!!!! Her voice is GONE for GOOD!!!! Bee

By Cynthia

Again we glorify the druggie.. Call the chick a waaaambulance and stop giving these people attention!!

By tom n

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SHE WENT DOWN THE DRAIN YEARS AGO. SHE IS A DRUGGIE AND LOST HER CAREER MANY MANY YEARS AGO. ANYONE PAYING TO WATCH HER SING IS IN FOR A TERRIBLE TIME.

By john

Another queen of Africa... Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahhahahahaha!

By princezzutot

Whitney and Britney = TrainWrecksRUs

So true! A race that can't seem to get it together!

By Tristan

John, What a racist jerk you are. Yeah, we have no white celebs who screwed up on drugs! I am a white person who is always ashamed that there are still ignorant and racist people in this world. You can only imagine the upbringing they had.

By Gary

I recently saw Bob Dylan and after hearing 13 songs that I didn't recognize or could have even if I had known the song, I walked out. What a waste of money and time to hear that crap. People go to hear what made them famous, not new songs that no one likes or will ever buy....I feel that if you give the money, you should get what you paid for, not tricked into listening to something that you've never heard before or can't recognize.

By Dean

Who in hell is dumb enough to pay 200 dollars to this drugged up piece of crap?

By tom

She should choose songs that her vocals can handle.Her rendition of the Star Spangled Banner Was as big the next day as M.J. doing the moonwalk on motown 25. And well deserved.

By Jennifer

Look at her gut...she's started back on the alcohol.

By MIKE

THE VOICE GETS BETTER WITH AGE, TODAYS PERFORMERS KNOW THAT AND CAN PERFORM THEIR NONSENSE WHEN THEYRE OLDER. FANS WATCH MUSIC MORE THAN LISTEN TO MUSIC.

By Spaceace97

Sad, but it true, time 2 past the torch,Whitney,It over. Sorry.i agree with 1 fan say it well. Trainwreak.

By Willa

Drugs and alcohol ruined this once church girl. Her God given voice and talent is gone for good. She needs to stop ripping off concert goers with her bad act.

By MISS SWEET D

THE DIVA HAS FINALLY DIVED AND BOMB. NEVER CARED FOR HER ANYWAY. HOW THE MIGHTY AND ARROGANT HAS FALLEN

By Jim P.

Oh, please. If you don't like Whitney, don't listen to her. Some of us enjoy music and enjoy our lives without the burden of constantly having to criticize others to make outselves feel better. Live and let live and shut the F up.

By dman1125

I'm sorry Mr. Concert promoter but I'm not buying in to the Whitney is not 22 anymore excuse. Patty Labelle and Aretha Franklin are old enough to both be Whitney's mom and they are still singing their butts off!!

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