Amy Winehouse Late, Fidgety for Post-Rehab Concert
LISBON, Portugal (AP) - June 2, 2008 Her performance in front of 90,000 people, at an outdoor
performance at a music festival in Lisbon, Portugal, was brief,
clocking in at 55 minutes.
At least she apologized.
"Hey Lisbon," Winehouse told the crowd, which booed when she
failed to appear at her advertised time but gave her a warm welcome
when she appeared. "I'm sorry I'm late."
The Grammy-winning jazz-pop diva also apologized for a sore
throat and her voice cracked during the set.
Wearing a short dress, Winehouse paused to talk to members of
her band, fiddled at length with her microphone, sucked on lozenges
and at one point dashed offstage but quickly returned. Cuts were
visible on her left arm, and her right hand was bandaged.
Winehouse's musical career has flourished despite her erratic
behavior, missed concerts and stints in drug rehab.
The sellout crowd, gathered in a Lisbon park for the Rock in Rio
festival, warmed to Winehouse as the 24-year-old sang hits
including "Rehab," soul classics and reggae songs.
She mostly failed to thrill the crowd, however, and walked off
stage without playing an encore. The crowd remained subdued.
Winehouse was the third act of the day on the festival's main
stage, coming on before headliner Lenny Kravitz. Her management
told the festival organizers she would not speak to the media.
Last week she won an Ivor Novello award, a prestigious British
prize, for "Love Is a Losing Game" from her "Back to Black"
album. Her father received the prize after Winehouse arrived late
to the ceremony.
Earlier this month, the 24-year-old singer was arrested and
questioned by police about video footage that appeared to show her
inhaling fumes from a crack pipe. Authorities said the singer would
not be charged.
Last year she canceled a series of British concerts and
postponed a tour of the U.S. and Canada after British media
reported that she was in and out of rehab.
Winehouse is booked to play at a series of music festivals in
Europe this summer.