Rod Stewart cancels four weeks of farewell tour after coronary stent procedure

Stent procedure triggers four-week pause

Rod Stewart's representatives announced on August 11 that the 81-year-old singer has canceled the next four weeks of performances on his 'One Last Time' farewell tour and 'The Encore Shows' Las Vegas residency after undergoing what they described as a routine coronary stent procedure. His rep said doctors are 'pleased with his recovery' and that Stewart has returned to normal daily activities, though he will need time to recover before performing live again. The cancellation affects roughly six Las Vegas residency shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, which were set to begin August 18 and run through the end of the month, plus dates in Des Moines, Kansas City, Minnesota, Illinois and Mexico, with U.S. shows booked through September 5.

Two consecutive cancellations preceded the announcement

The four-week pause followed two back-to-back show cancellations. On August 9, Stewart postponed his Cincinnati concert at Riverbend Music Center just hours before showtime, with the venue citing 'an unforeseen but minor medical procedure that required prompt attention.' The next day, Cleveland's Rocket Arena announced that his August 11 show was also canceled after doctors advised at least 48 hours of rest following a period of monitoring. Refunds were made available at point of purchase for the Cleveland show, while Cincinnati tickets were said to remain valid for a rescheduled date.

A summer of health setbacks

The coronary stent procedure caps a string of health-related disruptions during Stewart's 2026 tour. In May, he canceled two Las Vegas shows on his doctor's advice, later explaining on social media that he was on vocal rest recovering from a sinus infection. On June 12, he canceled a show in Chula Vista, California, less than an hour before showtime due to an acute upper respiratory infection causing laryngitis. The cancellation drew criticism when, 24 hours later, Stewart was seen at a Scotland World Cup match at Gillette Stadium in Boston with his sons Liam and Alastair. He later acknowledged that attending the match had been a bad idea, saying he had promised his sons he would take them and that while he was fit to travel, he was not fit to sing.

A week later, on June 19 at the Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre in West Valley City, Stewart paused the show after appearing unwell and doubling over. He used an oxygen tank backstage before returning to finish the concert mostly seated, telling the audience he had nearly fainted while trying to dance. No official medical explanation was given for the Utah incident.

Stewart's own words

Stewart addressed fans directly in a statement released alongside the four-week cancellation announcement.

I'm already feeling better and very much on the mend. I want to thank the doctors, nurses and everyone who has taken such wonderful care of me. I'm deeply disappointed to miss these shows and sorry to let my fans down, but I look forward to getting back on stage and having a good time with you all again soon.

The farewell tour continues

The 'One Last Time' tour, which began in 2024 with Richard Marx as support, is billed as Stewart's final large-scale tour. Its 2026 extension initially included 15 North American dates starting March 13 in Connecticut and originally ending August 15 in Kansas City. The Iowa State Fair stop in Des Moines was announced later, and Stewart now has concerts scheduled through September 2027. Despite the disruptions, Stewart delivered what was described as a strong, energetic show on July 31 in New York, and he performed without incident at Rock in Rio Lisbon on July 27 before a large crowd at Parque Tejo. With over 250 million records sold, the London native has notched 16 Top 10 hits in the U.S. and, in the UK, five No. 1 singles among 25 Top 10s and 11 chart-topping albums.