Amy Winehouse Comeback Gig Woes | Singer Refutes Claims She Fired Her Band

Amy Winehouse took part in her first gig since coming out of rehab, apart from the live performances for the Grammy Awards, and the Brit Awards, over the weekend at the Rock In Rio festival in Portugal over the weekend. It didn’t go too well, but Winehouse has defended her appearance and denied the rumours that she fired her band which have since appeared in the tabloid press.

Her gig at the festival started badly, with her keeping the estimated 90,000 fans waiting for almost an hour before finally lumbering on stage. After the crowd started to express their displeasure by booing, she appeared and blamed a sore throat for the delay.

Even when she did finally get around to singing, she disappointed many expectant fans there with a poor performance. Her voice is said to have cracked repeatedly, and she kept stopping the show to talk to her band. She then cut short her show, and didn’t return for the obligatory (except for The Futureheads) encore.

Now, she has spoken to The Daily Star about the festival, and the rumours that she fired her band after her badly reviewed appearance. She said:

“I was really upset that anyone would suggest that I would act that way to my band. My band are my family and I did not ‘scream’ at my horn players and would never be ‘sick of the sight of them’. We have been through a lot together and I would never lose my temper in that way with them.”

“I suffered from a sore throat all week and was given the option to cancel. But I was determined to show my fans that I was back and working.”

I think the criticism she has been getting is a tad harsh as for a singer, especially one who puts their heart and soul in to a show as Winehouse does, a sore throat pretty much spells disaster.

However, the claims that she had visible cuts on her arms and a bandage on her hand are rather more worrying, as it means she is probably still self-harming. Come on Amy, sort yourself out so that the tour to support your new album when it finally arrives is as good as your legion of fans deserve.

[Photo Source: From Newscom with permission]