Rough Return to Live Stage for Whitney Houston

By PopEater Staff Posted Apr 14th 2010 10:16AM

Her fans may always love her, but catty reviewers across Britain aren't exactly singing Whitney Houston's praises following a bumpy return to the stage Tuesday night in rough-and-tumble Birmingham.

Invariably, every negative review included some variation of "Houston, we have a problem," but when they began describing the singer's vocals and overall stamina, even the normally prim BBC got in on the act, saying the singer was "panting more than John Prescott running for the bus," a reference to a well-known (and chubby) politician from Wales.

Whitney's performance of 'I Will Always Love You,' which goes awry at the 4:18 mark:

Houston was supposed to kick off her British tour last week, but had to cancel due to respiratory problems. Her breathing seemed to be one of the main problems, according to several reviewers.

A local paper, The Birmingham Post, said that although Houston's "voice was still there, the stamina was not," adding the 45-minute concert "was constantly broken up with water breaks and chats with the audience to catch her breath."

Whitney on tour in 1994

The Post's reviewer, Alison Dayani, said Houston angered the crowd after six songs when she "disappeared to let her brother Gary and the backing singers perform some of her tracks while she took a 15 minute break."

One of the song's she chose to let video and backup singers perform was her hit 'One Moment in Time.'

Her absence so soon after the show began led to boos around the arena, and when she returned to the stage, Houston quipped, "Thank you for being patient. I heard you getting p***ed off."

The notoriously rough-on-celebs tabloid The Sun said Whitney seemed distracted, "often losing her train of thought during rambling between-song chats with the audience."

The 'Today' Show Covered It:

When it came time to sing her signature song, 'I Will Always Love You,' Houston failed to hit the soaring high notes.

One audience member told BBC Radio 5 live: "She was good when she was good, but when she was not on form, she was awful."

Not all the reviews were bad, however, with The Independent's Elisa Bray saying she admired Houston, "who in the face of the negative press, stood up tonight to give her all."

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=708868&pid=708867&uts=1270736672

http://www.popeater.com/mm_track/popeater/music/?s_channel=us.musicpop&s_account=aolpopeater,aolsvc&omni=1&ke=1

http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swf

Whitney Houston Snapshots

Whitney Houston performs on stage at Acer Arena on February 24, 2010 in Sydney, Australia. Click for More Whitney Pics >>>

Don Arnold/WireImage.com

WireImage.com

Whitney Houston Snapshots

Whitney Houston arrives at Fountain studios on October 18, 2009 in London, England. Celebrity Sightings In London - October 18, 2009 London, England United Kingdom October 18, 2009 Photo by Sam Snap/FilmMagic.com To license this image (58676261), contact FilmMagic.com

Sam Snap/FilmMagic.com

Singer Whitney Houston performs during the German game show "Wetten Dass...?" (Bet it...?) in Freiburg, southwestern Germany, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009. "Wetten Dass...?" is one of the most popular Saturday night programmes in Germany. (AP Photo/Johannes Eisele, Pool)

US singer Whitney Houston talks with TV host Thomas Gottschalk during the 183rd edition of the TV show presented by "Wetten, dass..?" (Let's Make a Bet) on October 3, 2009 in Freiburg, southern Germany. AFP PHOTO DDP/ JOERG KOCH GERMANY OUT (Photo credit should read JOERG KOCH/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

US singer Whitney Houston performs on stage during the 183rd edition of the TV show presented by "Wetten, dass..?" (Let's Make a Bet) on October 3, 2009 in Freiburg, southern Germany. AFP PHOTO DDP/ JOERG KOCH GERMANY OUT (Photo credit should read JOERG KOCH/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

FREIBURG IM BREISGAU, GERMANY - OCTOBER 03: Singer Whitney Houston performs during the Wetten dass...? show at the Messe Freiburg on October 3, 2009 in Freiburg, Germany. (Photo by Miguel Villagran/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Whitney Houston

Getty Images

Tags: Whitney Houston

Comments

(414)

Thursday 15 April

By Sususuu

Vote down Vote up Report this

As much as I love Whitney Houston, I really don't think a tour was the wisest thing for her to try at this point in her life. She abused her body and her voice by smoking cigarettes and taking drugs for too long and the effects of doing that are painfully obvious. She's not getting any younger either, so for anyone to expect her to get back to the way she was when she was at her peak...with or without the smoking or the drug abuse...is ridiculous.

By skyavalanche

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

PATHETIC!

Saturday 17 April

By sharon

I thought she had the most magnificent voice I had ever heard when "I Will Always Love You" first came out and she may have just started the drugs.I'm sure she realizes how much she has lost abusing drugs. Its a horrible addiction and her mind ,body and soul is very sick if she's relapsed.She needs help, not ridicule and hatred.I feel for her family that loves her and hope she will find her way.

By Mo

So sad, she can't sustain her breathing, therefore, she phrases the songs differantly than they were originally done.....and she can't hit the high notes hardly at all. Her voice is not strong anymore, and she is raspy...........so sad, she use to be brillant. I love the Bodyguard soundtrack-have worn it out, listening to her beautiful voice-but it is gone now, and she needs to take what money she can make, sock it away, and stop trying to sing. It is over Whitney...........I am so sorry.

By oxjr

Save your money people, Tina Turner is on tour this summer... go to that instead.

and FYI the chick is still high as a kite...that is what the 15 minute interval was for... She is not as high as she used to be -but she is back to the point were most people are going to say "is she or isn't she???" Any ex-addict will would notice. She should have stayed away from the limelight until she was able to manage her addiction.

By Debbie

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Do you think she is still on crack????? Or something else????

Friday 16 April

By Lea

Yes, all singers can have "a bad night", we're only Human and It's just a matter of time, before one has a Bad Night. But, when a singer Drinks and Drugs and Screams continuously, there are going to be Many many Bad Nights. Lots of heavy drinking and [especially] crack pipes, Cigarettes and Pot, the absolute Worst! Holding that Hot Hot Smoke with the nicotine and pesticides and all, is KILLER To The Cords! Poor Whitney is just another talent, who Lived Too Hard and Too long and her Talent Was The Price She Paid!

By sue

Maybe it is hard for Whitney to hit her notes now, but give her a chance.I praise her for recovering from the addition.People should not take anybodys inventory unless you walk a mile in thier shoes. I love Whitney now, also I love her singing before. Whitney you are one the miracles from this deadly diease.

By melissa

This is probably the only time I will ever say that lip synching is the way to go. That was horrible! She had such amazing talent long ago-no more. Very sad.

By Joleen

I just watched her video and didn't anyone read the article? She has a respiratory problem. Didn't anyone hear her coughing??? Maybe she does or has done drugs, but I'm sure that once she gets over her sickness, she'll be just fine. I also sing since I've been old enough to speak...and I too have had many bouts with upper respiratory infections and my voice was horrible until I got well.
Don't judge someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes...We've all made mistakes, but God loves us all anyway...God bless you Whitney...

By laontour

The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away...that is what she gets for being a coke head.

By jceasars911

I don't understand why she just desn't use recordings like beyonce, rihanna, brittany, madonna, gay-z, eminem, diddy kong, fiddy cents, etc! They all use tapes to enhance their "live" performances! I personally think the world owes milli vanilli a huge apology!

By Rodney's girl...

Poor thing... her voice is damaged... maybe irreparably. She hit none of the notes in her song "I will always love you." Dolly Parton, you must be so upset by how your beautiful song sounded from her lips. I am so saddened by this. If you want to hear a singer with the quality that Whitney used to have in her recordings - go listen to Chandraadrianne on YouTube - she is not only amazing but is my best friend. We are hoping to get her on tour by the end of the year - what a gift Chandra has - beyond any voice I've heard in many years.

By earthyletty

She is DONE DONE DONE.

By Ed

I have been playing music a long time. She can Never get back her voice because of what the Rock did to her voice. It is gone forever. To try to regain it is just futile and a scam on the ticket buyers. Sad Sad girl....

Dear Joleen, She does NOT have a regular respiratory problem. She has a Respiratory problem from smoking Rock and her windpipes are
Burned" from the chemicals. That is IRREVERSABLE damage. I've seen it dozens of times with other performers who hired me to tour with them; only for me to quit after a few shows when it was too obvious.

By Mike

Gawd, She makes Tina Turner look good! What a waste of talent!

By Jim Booth

Obviously drunk and her bvest days are Waaaay behind her. Tragic.

By Lisa

That performance was pathetic. Bobby Brown brought her down to his level and ruined a good girl but she allowed it to happen. She's done in the music business but she might still have a chance as an actress..............though, granted, she'll probably never win an OSCAR.

By melcole32

gosh, talent gone way wrong. she is pretty much a has been. she was great at one time in her life but she will never be there again..and thats the problem she trying to be what she use to be but its not working for her, so she should just sing once in a while because she doesn't even have any new music to be on tour. her voice can't handle being on tour so unless she is broke there is no reason for her to strain her voice and give a bad concert its not fair to the people buying the tickets..
sorry whitney but you time has came and now it is gone pretty much for good.. people should really think about the choices they make in life and where it is going to take them..and is she still using drugs???

Page 5 of 21