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‘Heartbroken’ Sam Smith offers refunds to Manchester gig cancelled after four songs

"Sam has been told by doctors that if they keep singing, they will do permanent damage to their voice."

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 25th May 2023

Sam Smith has offered refunds to everyone who attended their Manchester gig last night after cancelling the show just a few songs in.

The 31-year-old has also announced cancellations of upcoming shows in Birmingham and Glasgow.

It comes after the multi Grammy and BRIT Award-winning singer-songwriter abruptly stopped their show at the AO Arena last night after only four songs citing “vocal issues”, leaving fans gutted and unsure whether the date would be rescheduled.

Dedicating the show to the late Tina Turner – who had passed away at aged 83 just hours before – the pop sensation performed four songs before stopping the show.

This initially left the thousands of fans inside the AO Arena thinking there had been been a power cut, only for the house lights to come back up around 23 minutes later and to be told the concert would not be continuing.

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‘Heartbroken’ Sam Smith offers refunds to Manchester gig cancelled after four songs / Credit: Sam Smith (via Instagram)

In an initial statement addressing the situation late last night, Sam wrote on Instagram: “Dearest sailors, I don’t know what to say honestly. I fought off a virus a few weeks ago and since then we have travelled across Europe and had such incredible shows.

“Today in soundcheck I felt fine and was so excited to give Manchester an amazing show tonight, with a special surprise at the end. During my third song, I noticed something wrong with my voice. I prayed it was just my voice waking up for the show but into the fourth song I could feel something was really wrong.

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“I came off stage and have tried everything to get my voice back in gear but it won’t.”

Sam’s addressed the incident in a follow-up statement on Instagram / Credit: Sam Smith (via Instagram)

Sam added that they were “heartbroken” not to have finished the gig in Manchester after being “so excited”, and even teasing a surprise at the end of the show.

Now, they have confirmed in a follow-up statement that refunds will be offered.

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Once again taking to Instagram to address the situation, Sam wrote: “Due to vocal issues during last night’s Manchester performance, regrettably we will be cancelling the rescheduled Birmingham and Glasgow Sam Smith shows.

“Refunds will be available at point of purchase for all three dates in Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow.

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“A spokesperson said ‘doctors have advised due to a vocal cord injury, Sam must have complete vocal rest. Sam is heartbroken to have had to cancel these shows but they have been told by doctors that if they keep singing, they will do permanent damage to their voice.

“If they take some rest they will be able to perform again.”

Featured Image – Supplied

Audio

Lady Gaga is a tour-de-force of talent at the Co-op Live Manchester

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

Lady Gaga proves she’s a truly world-class act after two sold-out nights at the Co-op Live Manchester, as if we needed any reminding.

The city of Manchester has been flooded with harness-wearing, mesh-sporting little monsters over the past two days.

And that’s because the absolute icon that is Lady Gaga brought her ‘Mayhem Ball’ to the Co-op Live for two nights.

I don’t think you’ll find anyone who doesn’t know who this fabulous woman is. Over the past decade, she’s won an Oscar, headlined the Super Bowl, performed in blockbusters alongside Al Pacino, no less, and her songs are literally ingrained into our minds.

Credit: Audio North

It’s been a whole 11 years (yes, really) since she performed in Manchester, and it’s safe to say she was back with a bang.

The performance was split up into five distinct acts, and each one was as exhausting and exhilarating as the next.

She begins the show by bopping out of a comically huge red dress, but this staging was only the start of what madness was about to ensue.

Luckily, we’d been prepared by the other half of the Audio North team, who had the equal privilege of seeing her on night one and were left similarly speechless.

Throughout the 30-song epic, we had crutches, sand pits, cages, skeletons, enough wigs to produce an amateur production of Annie, and we didn’t question any of it. Why would we? It’s Lady Gaga.

Kicking things off with ‘Bloody Mary’, the two and a half hour marathon didn’t leave any stones unturned.

We had all the bangers, from ‘Just Dance’ and ‘Paparazzi’ to ‘Bad Romance’ and ‘Applause’, it had us wondering why any other superstar even bothers putting a song out these days.

Pop is in a good place at the moment with the likes of Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish and so on, but you can make a strong case for Gaga having helped pave the way for every lady in the business ever since.

Credit: The Manc

Gaga truly had us in the palm of her hands (or claws at one point), even more so when she left the stage to de-robe and show her more vulnerable side for the last two songs – beanie firmly on.

It wasn’t just a concert: this was a fully-fledged tour de force of talent that Manchester won’t forget any time soon.

Sometimes there’s no point in intellectualising why someone has that ‘X-factor’; sometimes you just have to take a step back and say WOW.

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

Audio

Manchester nightclub clamps down on no-phones policy after ‘disappointing’ rule breakers

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Manchester nightclub Amber's clamps down on no-phones policy after 'disappointing' rule breakers

Amber’s, a nightclub in Manchester with a strict no-filming policy inside, has shared a strict new set of rules to prevent people using their phones.

The venue says it’s seen an ‘increased amount of phones on the dance floor’ despite its very clear policy against such a thing.

That’s included a recent set from Fred Again, where videos of his show were all over social media the next day.

Amber’s has said it’s ‘disappointing’ to see people flouting the rules of the space, leading to the venue introducing a zero tolerance policy.

Fans who are caught filming on their phones will be asked to leave Amber’s on the spot – no second chances.

There’ll even be extra members of staff patrolling the venue, to protect the ‘vibe of the space’.

“If you are spotted at any point across the night using your phone to record, you will no longer be permitted inside Amber’s,” they shared.

Amber’s wrote in a statement today: “Since our launch back in December, we have made it very clear that we are a No Phones venue. We want to create an experience for everyone where they are present in the moment and not distracted by phones.

“While the majority of people that attend Amber’s keep their phones away, there are a select few that don’t.

“This is of course disappointing.

“Over the recent weeks and months, we have seen an increased amount of phones filming on the dancefloor and we are aware of numerous videos shot on phone appearing online.

“To those that come to Amber’s and respect our house rules, thank you, you are contributing to an incredible vibe in the room.

“For those that don’t, we ask that you think about the space and the people around you before removing your stickers.

“The rules previously have been that if you are seen filming on your phone, you are politely asked to stop, if you are seen again, you are asked to leave the venue.

“From now on, as a renewed pledge to our No Phones policy, if you are seen recording in the venue, you will be asked to leave, there will be no second chances.

“There will now be extra members of staff patrolling the venue, ensuring that the vibe of the space is protected and if you are spotted at any point across the night using your phone to record, you will no longer be permitted inside Amber’s.

“Open your mind. Honour the concept. Respect the space.”

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Featured image: Supplied

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