Patti LaBelle rushed off stage in Milwaukee due to bomb threat

Patti LaBelle and concertgoers are safe after having a terrifying experience during her Christmas performance in Milwaukee on Saturday (Dec. 10).

The iconic vocalist was in the middle of speaking to someone in the audience who was celebrating their 70th birthday when she was abruptly rushed off stage at the Riverside Theater. As three men guided her away from the mic stand, she was heard confusingly saying, “Wait!” Without missing a beat, her band members quickly followed behind her.

The Milwaukee Police Department later revealed a bomb threat had been made. “Tonight’s Patti LaBelle show at the Riverside Theater has been postponed following a bomb threat investigated by the Milwaukee Police Department,” Pabst Theater Group, the concert organizer, said in a statement.

It continued, “We are thankful for the efforts of the Milwaukee Police Department and our customers and staff for their safe and orderly exit.” According to the police, theater patrons evacuated unscathed. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the building was searched by police K9 units around 1:13 a.m. on Sunday (Dec. 11) and no explosive devices were found.

The Pabst Theater Group also noted that they are working with the “If Only You Knew” artist to reschedule her show. The 78-year-old music legend has been wowing crowds with her powerhouse vocals for well over six decades. Her illustrious professional career began in the 1960s as the lead singer of Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles; the group was later renamed Labelle. Sadly, last year, the Grammy Award-winning songstress mourned the loss of one of the group’s founding members, Sarah Dash. Dash is famously heard on their hit song “Lady Marmalade.” She was 76 years old.

This year, LaBelle sat down with N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN on “Drink Champs,” where she shared several stories about her legacy and experiences with the industry’s biggest stars, both current and past. Check out the interview below.