Vince Neil returns to the stage... then walks off again after voice fails

Vince Neil onstage in 2019
Vince Neil onstage in 2019 (Image credit: Stephen J. Cohen/Getty Images)

Vince Neil's post-pandemic return to the stage has not gone as well as the Motley Crue singer may have hoped. 

Neil, who joined Sammy Hagar on stage only last week for a sprightly rendition of Led Zeppelin's classic Rock And Roll in Orlando, FL, was performing his first full show since lockdown, at the Boone River Festival in Iowa alongside Great White and Night Ranger, when his voice gave out.

Neil was 14 songs into a set stuffed with Motley Crue classics when the wheels fell off. The singer abandoned the stage with his voice creaking as the band played on, and apologised to the audience, saying, "Hey guys. I’m sorry, you guys. It’s been a long time playin’. My fuckin’ voice is gone. We love you and we hope to see you next time, man. Thank you."

According to online reports, there were signs that not all was going to plan earlier in the set, with Neil's cover of The Beatles' classic Helter Skelter prompting a comment on YouTube from fan Mark Armstrong saying, "I was there front row. Seen Vince eight times, worst performance ever. He was reading the lyrics that his roadie taped on the floor while Vince left for a well-needed break. No way he could do a stadium tour."

Crue's long-awaited stadium tour with Def LeppardPoison and Joan Jett was postponed again last month, with the band releasing a statement that read, "To all our loyal fans, we wanted to let you know that we learned today that the tour is getting moved to 2022. 

"This is the only way to ensure that we can play all of the dates for all of you who have purchased tickets. We appreciate you hanging in there and can’t wait to get back on stage and bring The Stadium Tour to all of our fans.

“It is going to be one for the history books!”

Full dates below.

Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, Poison, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts 2022 North American tour

Jun 16: Atlanta SunTrust Park, GA
Jun 18: Miami Gardens Hard Rock Stadium, FL
Jun 19: Orlando Camping World Stadium, FL
Jun 22: Washington Nationals Park, DC
Jun 24: New York Citi Field, NY
Jun 25: Philadelphia Citizens Bank Park, PA
Jun 28: Charlotte Bank of America Stadium, NC
Jun 30: Nashville Nissan Stadium, TN
Jul 02: Jacksonville TIAA Bank Field, FL
Jul 05: St. Louis Busch Stadium, MO
Jul 08: Chicago Wrigley Field, IL
Jul 10: Detroit Comerica Park, MI
Jul 12: Hershey Hershey Park Stadium, PA
Jul 14: Cleveland First Energy Stadium, OH
Jul 15: Cincinnati Great American Ballpark, OH
Jul 17: Milwaukee Miller Park, WI
Jul 19: Kansas City Kauffman Stadium, MO
Jul 21: Denver Coors Field, CO
Aug 05: Boston Fenway Park, MA
Aug 06: Boston Fenway Park, MA
Aug 10: Orchard Park New Era Field, NY
Aug 12: Pittsburgh PNC Park, PA
Aug 14: Minneapolis U.S. Bank Stadium, MN
Aug 19: Houston Minute Maid Park, TX
Aug 21: San Antonio Alamodome, TX
Aug 22: Arlington Globe Life Field, TX
Aug 27: Inglewood SoFi Stadium, CA
Aug 28: San Diego Petco Park, CA
Aug 31: Seattle T-Mobile Park, WA
Sep 07: San Francisco Oracle Park, CA

Fraser Lewry
Online Editor, Classic Rock

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.