Adele’s claim that she cancelled her Las Vegas shows due to Covid have been thrown into doubt amid allegations that managers tried to make the ‘perfectionist’ perform with a 60-strong choir and the ‘anxious’ popstar’s ‘stage fright’ got the better of her.
After the British singer and songwriter abruptly ended her residency in America less than 24hrs before her first concert, fans around the globe who had spent thousands on tickets and travel are reeling.
In a video posted to social media from a £30,000-per-night suite at Caesars Palace, Adele sobbed as she apologised for the 11th-hour cancellation and insisted that she had been forced to scrap the shows following a Covid outbreak.
But fans are dissatisfied with her explanation that ‘half’ her crew had tested positive for the virus and are demanding their money back.
According to insiders, Adele clashed against Caesars Palace when a 60-strong choir auditioned for the opening song of Skyfall. It is alleged that the venue had been planning a spectacular display, while Adele wanted the show to be much more ‘low-key’ and ‘all about the voice’.
An industry veteran branded Adele a ‘perfectionist’ who has a track record of axing her shows at the last minute, adding: ‘She has cancelled shows before — she cancelled two shows in London in 2017 which she said she would reschedule and she never did.’
Another source with a foot in Adele’s camp says that while there is no doubt that Covid has caused issues, there is bound to be speculation about whether her concerns over performing live were an additional factor in the decision.
While she promised on Twitter: ‘All dates will be rescheduled. More info coming soon’, she has made no secret of the fact that she hates touring and suffers from crippling stage fright.
She told one TV interviewer that live performances have her searching for the door: ‘I’m scared of audiences. After one show in Amsterdam I felt so anxious that I ran out of the fire escape. I’ve vomited a few times. In Brussels, once I projectile vomited upon someone. I just gotta bear it. But I don’t like touring. I have anxiety attacks a lot.’
She spoke of ‘constant panicking on stage, my heart feels like it’s going to explode because I never feel like I’m going to deliver, ever’.
In an Instagram video from a £30,000-per-night suite at Caesars Palace, Adele sobbed as she apologised for the 11th-hour cancellation and insisted that she had been forced to scrap the shows following a Covid outbreak
Insiders claim that Adele clashed Caesars Palace following auditions by 60 performers to sing the Skyfall opening numbers. It is alleged that the venue had been planning a spectacular display, while Adele wanted the show to be much more ‘low-key’ and ‘all about the voice’
Adele performs onstage during the Brit Awards 2016, at 02 Arena, London, 02/24/2016
Even though Adele cancelled her shows, Billboards continued to promote Adele’s concerts on Thursday.
Fans were left angry and out of pocket when Adele opted to pull the plug at the 11th hour from the string of concerts that would have netted her £500,000 a show
It has been claimed that Adele was ‘in a panic’ before filming the Audience With show for ITV in October last year.
A source said: ‘Nobody cancels the day before. You have more than 24 hours’ notice of Covid problems. According to my sources, Adele didn’t want to perform the Vegas shows.
‘I very much doubt that they will be rescheduled; I don’t think she’s up to performing at this level for this amount of dates.
‘She is a perfectionist and you can see that in the way she puts her albums back and back until she is happy with them. She is an artist, not performer.
‘She suffers really badly from stage fright, she hates being on the stage. She cannot commit to being on stage for 3 months. The point was always going to come when she would decide she wasn’t going to do it.’
In 2017, during a concert in New Zealand, Adele said: ‘Touring isn’t something I’m good at — applause makes me feel a bit vulnerable. I don’t know if I will ever tour again.’
She has twice pulled out of US tours — once in 2008, when she was barely known, citing ‘personal family reasons’. Two times in 2011 she pulled out from American tour, one with laryngitis. The second was after she experienced a vocal hemorhage. She cancelled an Arizona concert because of illness in 2016.
From the start of this year, rumblings had begun to circulate in Vegas that Adele wasn’t keen on any spectacular staging.
Caesars Palace embarked on a complete overhaul of the dressing room originally created for Celine Dion — leading many to be convinced that Adele was in it for the long haul.
Many in Vegas believed that the plan was for her to keep on with the residency until 2024, potentially netting her up to £100million – £50million from performance fees and the rest from merchandising.
Roger Friedman, a gossip columnist was certain that something had gone wrong by January 18.
Though the shows sold out instantly online during the pre-sales period and many tickets have since been sold again at inflated prices, Friedman noted there were still hundreds of tickets available on a resale website at around £400 each, and prices were said to be dropping.
Yesterday he wrote: ‘The whole Adele Vegas residency is a disaster. The statement “We aren’t ready at the last minute” doesn’t make sense. This isn’t the Rolling Stones show on stage.
Upset: Thomas Wright (pictured) flew from South Carolina for the opening night with a friend for the opening night. MailOnline reported that each ticket cost $445.
Dawn Sinko from Los Angeles spent almost $4,000 on her tickets, and $1,500 to book a Caesars room for three nights.
Adele claimed that “half” of her crew was gone with the virus. The surge is in Nevada.
‘Adele live is her, an orchestra and some lighting. There aren’t any pyrotechnics, she isn’t gliding across the stage in a hookup.
‘Plus, let’s face it… this is only two shows per weekend. The show could be delayed for a few weeks if it isn’t finished. Missed shows can then have their scheduled rescheduled during the final run.
‘But they’ve scrapped the whole thing… so it’s not just a matter of not being ready… doesn’t make sense.’
Caesars Palace has been closing ranks and employees have been warned they may be terminated if the media is involved.
In a statement they said: ‘We understand the disappointment surrounding the postponement of Weekends With Adele. Adele, an extraordinary artist who is deeply committed to her music. A show of such magnitude can be difficult to create.
‘We fully support Adele and are confident the show she unveils at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace will be extraordinary.’
Last night it emerged that Adele’s residency could be delayed until June or even next year due to the singer’s ‘packed calendar’.
Insiders told The Sun: ‘There are two slots in this year’s calendar, from the end of February to the start of May, and from the middle of June to the middle of September. However, if they don’t get it done then it might be 2023 when they’re rescheduled.
‘The rest of the weekend dates in the year are taken up by other acts including Sting and Rod Stewart.
‘She is expected to still be a part of The Brit Awards next month and she has two headline gigs at Hyde Park on July 1 and 2.
‘Adele’s schedule is mammoth and it makes rescheduling a challenge but she is devoted to her fans and will do everything she can to get them back in the diary quickly.’
Many fans have demanded the singer covers the cost of their Las Vegas flights and hotels after her ‘astounding’ decision to axe all her shows when many were flying in or had already arrived in the entertainment capital of the world.
MailOnline has been inundated with emails from people who had already jetted in from across the US, Canada, Mexico, the UK and Europe to see the star, who is making a record-breaking £500,000 per gig before merchandising.
Fans paying between $85 and $12,000 for a ticket — or up to $30,000 on the black market — had already travelled to Las Vegas for the opening gig tonight.
They will have to pay more for tickets to the replacement show if they do not get them.
Ticketmaster are urging people to ‘hang on to their tickets’ for new dates but says they will give refunds if people apply online.
Many are in Vegas already, having traveled thousands to attend the opening night. They demand that the singer pays the thousands they spent on hotel and flights.
Many are questioning her reasons for cancelling, saying they don’t believe her claims that Covid and ‘delivery delays’ would require her to cancel all 24 nights and postpone them for months.
The songstress wrote that the dates for her residency — which would have started on January 21 and run through April — would be rescheduled
Mary Clare Donahue, her family and friends traveled from Illinois to Vegas for the show. It was cancelled because they had already been to Vegas. She now says that shortening their trip will only make them more money.
Gillian Rowland Khan, 32, had already boarded her flight to Las Vegas, New York, with her twin sister. She was informed via social media about the cancellation.
The attorney from Brooklyn said: ‘I was furious that Adele waited so last minute to make this call. It’s not an artist’s call, but I think she knew yesterday that it wouldn’t happen tomorrow. It is amazing that she didn’t give notice. I’m angry and frustrated’.
Thomas Wright traveled from South Carolina to attend the opening night along with a friend. MailOnline told him that they paid $445 for each ticket and $1,600 to fly, stay at a hotel and 100 on Covid test. The couple also purchased $400 worth of new clothing.
He said: ‘I know I will not be able to get off of work to come back, I know I wouldn’t be able to afford to come back. This trip has been a collection of Christmas and birthday gifts plus saving for myself.’
Gabriel flew from Quebec to Vegas and discovered when they reached Nevada.
He told MailOnline: ‘We lost a large sum of money on plane tickets and hotels to come see her for nothing, pretty unacceptable that a multi-million dollar production team could pull the rug on the people who flew and risked getting Covid to see her because her “show” wasn’t ready.
‘She is known for her voice not for her performances, for all I care I would’ve just enjoyed her sitting on a bench singing. Absolutely unacceptable, they have not mentioned anything about compensation for the travel expenses we had’.