The “King of Hearts” is resuming his soulful sojourn on the Strip.
Lionel Richie is returning to the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas for a half-dozen dates Oct. 14, 16 and 17 and Nov. 11, 13 and 14 (ticket info at lionelrichie.com/shows; sales begin at 10 a.m. Pacific time Friday).
The 77-year-old “American Idol” judge made news last month as he halted his show at the Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota, on his tour with Earth, Wind & Fire. He paused for a seat onstage during the performance of “Dancing on the Ceiling,” telling the crowd, “When you’re feeling dizzy, sit your a– down.”
Richie played “Three Times a Lady” at the piano, then cut the show short after an unplanned intermission. He went on postpone shows in Chicago and Columbus, Ohio, on doctor’s orders to rest and recover.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer returned June 30 in Pittsburgh, addressing the crowd: “I had you worried there for a minute, huh? You have no idea what I have been through in the last 24 hours, listening to my friends tell me their advice on what I should be doing.”
Richie opened at Wynn in 2019 and has since sold out nearly 60 shows at the resort. He previously headlined Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood (PH Live today) from 2016 to ’18. His first appearance in Las Vegas was in that venue, when it was the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts, in 1982.
He has been an “Idol” judge since 2018. The generational superstar has sold more than 125 million albums, winning an Academy Award (“Say You, Say Me,” best original song), four Grammys and a Golden Globe. His Encore set list features an abundance of solo hits, among them “Hello” and “All Night Long.” From his Commodores days, Richie performs “Brick House” and “Still” in his Encore production.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.