Photo: Hache/AFP/Getty
Leonard Cohen collapsed during a concert in Valencia, Spain, on Friday, September 18th after suffering from a case of food poisoning. After a brief hospital stay, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame poet-singer was released and is reportedly recovering well. Cohen is expected to perform tonight, September 21st, in Barcelona—a show that also marks the Canadian singer’s 75th birthday!
According to the AP, Cohen fainted during his performance of “Bird on the Wire,” causing his band to stop playing suddenly to tend to Cohen. The incident was initially blamed on a “stomach complaint,” while Cohen’s manager added that Cohen was reluctant to abandon the concert before being taken the Nueve de Octubre hospital in Valencia. A member of the band told the audience that Cohen was suffering from “stomach cramps and vomiting fits.” Video of Cohen’s collapse is below.
Cohen was released early the next morning. The organizers of Cohen’s tour told the BBC that Cohen is well enough to perform at tonight’s concert in Barcelona, and trucks carrying equipment for the show arrived as scheduled at the Palau Sant Jordi venue. Following his show in Barcelona, Cohen will embark back to North America for a tour of the United States kicking off October 17th in Sunrise, Florida. As Rolling Stone previously reported, Cohen returned to the stage following a long hiatus after he discovered that his manager essentially wiped out his retirement fund.
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Article Source: Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily