Houston, we have a problem: Fans slam 'wheezing' Whitney, the diva who failed to deliver

By Liz Thomas
Last updated at 9:36 PM on 14th April 2010

It was supposed to be a stunning comeback to show fans how well she'd survived years of drink and drug addiction.

But Whitney Houston's first UK concert for 11 years ended in catcalls and demands for refunds.

Her performance at Birmingham's LG Arena on Tuesday night was at times off key, bad tempered and shaky.

She's back: Whitney Houston performing live on the UK leg of her Nothing But Love world tour at the LG Arena in Birmingham last night

Fans, who had paid up to Ł180 for the two-hour concert, grew particularly angry during a 15-minute costume change and many began to boo and jeer.

Scores have since complained that Miss Houston, 46, failed to deliver value for money.

One said: 'I had to leave before the end - it was a total farce - certainly not worth the money, time and effort. If she was not up to it they should have offered a refund or rescheduled.'

Another added: 'I was waiting for the Trading Standards guys to call a halt and offer us our money back. It was a con - a rip-off. It wasn't a concert.'

Outfit change: The singer was forced to temporarily put off three concerts at the start of the UK leg of the tour while she recovered from an infection

THE CRITICS' VERDICT

The Sun: 'Time and crack addiction - which she claims to have beaten - have not been kind to her once astonishing voice. It is now deeper and huskier. Houston, we still have a problem'

The Independent: 'If tonight was the first to attempt to recreate her early zest, she did not quite make it. But it's still an impressive voice – and you feel lucky to hear Houston live.'

The Guardian: 'Some of her behaviour petered between the eccentric and the charmingly kooky – but the proof of her sanity was in her singing.'

The Mirror: 'To paraphrase an earlier song: not quite right, but OK.'

And another said: 'She kept the crowd waiting for ages after every song and all she did was talk to stop her from having to sing. I was so looking forward to it but appear to have wasted Ł180.'

Miss Houston has already faced similar heavy criticism from fans for her performances during the Australian leg of her Nothing But Love world tour.

She was forced to postpone three concerts at the start of the UK leg of the tour last week while she recovered from a respiratory infection.

But fans said she still appeared wheezy on Tuesday night in Birmingham, and struggled to hold the notes.

The concert did not get off to a good start as Miss Houston's microphone broke and a technician had to rush on stage with a replacement during her second song.

Dressed in tight white trousers and a metallic white jacket, the star sang classics such as Greatest Love, Dance With Somebody and I Will Always Love You.

But her performance was described as 'breathless' and 'disoriented'. Miss Houston blamed some of her problems on the air conditioning and asked organisers to turn it off.

At one stage, someone in the crowd shouted 'sing properly' at her, prompting the star to stop and change the running order, telling her backing singer she could do what she liked because it was her show.

After the boos, when she disappeared for 15 minutes to change costume, she said: 'I heard you got a little p***** off while I changed my clothes. But I'm here now.'