Winehouse booed as tour kicks off

At one point, Winehouse walked off the stage mid-song

Amy Winehouse was booed by fans as she delivered a shambolic set on the first night of her UK tour in Birmingham.

The singer also dedicated a song to her husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, who is being held on remand pending charges including GBH.

During the show, the 24-year-old told the crowd: "To them people booing, wait 'til my husband gets out of incarceration. And I mean that."

Some fans have contacted the venue and tour promoter to ask for refunds.

Winehouse's spokesman said the singer had had a particularly hard day on Wednesday after visiting her husband in prison for the first time.

He added it was completely Winehouse's decision to go on stage as she knew so many people had paid to see her.

The tour is due to continue as planned on Friday night in Glasgow.

Your views of the concert

The singer performed hits including Back To Black, Tears Dry On Their Own and Rehab during the concert at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena.

Before the song Wake Up Alone, she told the audience: "This is for my husband."

But during an encore cover of The Zutons' Valerie she stopped singing, dropped her microphone and walked off the stage.

Mr Fielder-Civil has been remanded in custody at Pentonville Prison, accused of perverting the course of justice and assaulting a pub landlord.

Ms Winehouse's support act, Remi Nicole, said: "She's professional and she knows what she's got to do.

"I'll be there to support her. If it was my husband, I'd be a bit upset.

"I have learnt all the songs on the Back to Black album so if she does need me to stand in, I can don a beehive and go ahead," she added.

The singer also had support from Jamie Cullum, who toured with her four years ago.

"I don't think she'd want to miss a tour because she likes playing too much," he said.

When she did sing she sounded phenomenal but she was not ready to be up on that stage Audience member Zoe Giorgio

She earned a mixed reaction from the audience.

Afterwards one fan, Zoe Giorgio, said: "When she did sing she sounded phenomenal but she was not ready to be up on that stage. She was so weak, so vulnerable."

Her 15-year-old daughter Nicola Giorgio added: "I felt sorry for her because she kept crying.

"Every time she did a song she put 'Blakey' or 'I love my Blakey' into it, and she changed the song Me and Mr Jones into Mr Blakey."

Gary Atwell, from Rugby, said "streams" of people left during the concert.

"I went out for a sneaky cigarette half way through and at least 40 people left, just in that five minutes," he said.

However Kelly and Sam from Birmingham were impressed by her performance.

"If my husband was in prison I wouldn't have the bottle to stand up on stage and do that, so I think fair play to her I really do," said Kelly. "Her fans should support her."

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Here is a selection of comments we received on this story:

Glad to see her getting booed that night. The set was a shambles, finally cracked and went to check her out after all this unnecessary hype and FUSS over her and she was just terrible. Not worth the money and certainly not worth all the attention she's been getting.
Gareth Brown, Birmingham

I thought she was absolutely brilliant. I wouldn't have the bottle to get up and perform like her if I was going through what she is! I'll definitely be going to see her again.
Gina, Sutton Coldfield

I had the misfortune of attending the Amy Winehouse concert on 14 November. Having paid our hard-earned money for tickets and travel we were subjected to an absolute shambles of a performance with mis-timing, out of tune lyrics and a general sense of incoherence from Ms Winehouse. We had a great deal of sympathy for her band who did an excellent job in spite of it all. She would do well to realise that greater artists than her have given professional performances despite extreme personal difficulties as they would not have wanted to let concert goers down. A great talent rapidly going to waste.
Jane Hughes, Tamworth, England

Was a poor gig on all accounts. She was not in a state to perform, and it was distressing and sad to see. The majority of people sitting around me had left during her first few songs.
Zoe Stevens, Derby, UK

I was unlucky enough to see Amy's so called "performance" last night and it was shambolic! This young lady thinks it's OK to waste other people's time and money just because of her talents. I think she needs to have a long hard look at herself in the mirror because somewhere in there is a very gifted young girl! Come on Amy!
Phil Ford, Aston, Birmingham

I was at the NIA last night, and walked out about three quarters through. It was absolutely terrible - it was embarrassing for everyone.
Adele, Stourbridge, England

I was at the concert with my husband, and had a thoroughly entertaining evening. I knew what to expect when I bought the tickets, but quite clearly some people were expecting to see a polished performance from an experienced entertainer ... wrong concert! Bonus, she turned up, bonus, there were moments of sheer excellence (what a voice) but there was also progressive drunkenness and much inner turmoil (she cried a lot), which was what I expected. Trying to play the guitar (or even holding it) was hilarious, and throwing the mic stand into the audience very rock and roll, but it didn't distract from the fact that she is talented and I was thoroughly entertained all night. The band and singers should take credit for holding things together in such trying circumstances, and I appreciate Amy putting on a show when she is so obviously suffering.
Chrissy Long, Stafford UK

A pathetic performance by a deeply troubled amateur. Gutted for her, but paying full price for a half-soaked effort is not on. She stumbled and at times mumbled her way through the set and broke down in tears on more than one occasion. Storming offstage before finishing the encore - a version of Valerie we were really looking forward to - and leaving her bewildered backing singers to finish the job, is so disappointing.
Andy Rea, Wolverhampton, UK

The people who booed her should be ashamed of themselves. She has more talent in her little finger than all of them put together. My daughter was disgusted at the people booing her. She is going through a very hard time and to have the bottle to get out on that stage and perform is admirable. Her group were very supportive. I had a great night
Jackie , Willenhall, England

The concert was a shambles. Having cancelled dates all over the place I would never buy a ticket to see her again. This was represented as a concert and it was nothing but a load of self pity bull. Her contract with the ticket holders is to provide a concert and this was not. I will be claiming a refund through the small claims court and I urge many others to do so. She is a joke.
Steve Walker, Manchester

I am due to see Amy in Blackpool next Tuesday and I am really looking forward to see this amazing singer live. She is obviously under a lot of strain in her personal life and we should respect that. She had great courage to get up and perform after the last few weeks and no doubt her voice was still phenomenal. I will still be there on Tuesday regardless!
Sue Walsh, Blackpool, England

It was shambolic from start to finish. Winehouse strolled onstage at 9.45pm as though she was merely walking down the street. No word of an apology and even fewer words in between her songs. Her incoherence and general stumbling around the stage provided some light relief in what was otherwise a shocking performance with no regard for the audience. The artist is clearly elsewhere right now and living with the misapprehension that we are interested in her husband which raises questions about the honour and integrity of her management and the promoter. The entire tour should have been cancelled until the artist is capable of delivering an acceptable and energetic performance.
Andy Ordidge, Birmingham, UK

I feel sorry for the band, I really do. They were the picture of professionalism and carried on regardless, the two men dancing on the right hand side of the stage still giving their all, and they deserve nothing but applause. But as for the lady of the hour, it was pathetic and that is truly sad. Her voice is nothing short of fantastic and her performance from Glastonbury earlier this year, was a joy to listen to. She has a great talent and to see it being thrown down the drain like this is nothing short of tragic. It appears now she has forgotten how to perform, and we have all seen examples of singers in rock bands with turbulent personal lives and drug problems, still managing to go on that stage and truly shine. But here was someone struggling for well, just being able to stand for starters. If things are that bad, and she truly is in no condition to sing, she should have never gone on that stage and instead done the decent thing and cancelled or rescheduled the tour.
Paul Hughes, Oswestry, Shropshire

I attended Amy's gig at the NIA, what an experience it was. I cringed all night because i could not believe what i was seeing or hearing. The wonderful voice of Amy Winehouse was not what I heard and left with a headache after hearing so much drunken babble and screeching. She threw a cigarette at the crowd (obivously hanging out with Pete Doherty too much). Her language was disgusting, there were children there as well. She cried and and nearly fell over twice, oh as well as dropping her microphone twice as well. It was truly SHOCKING! At first myself and my friend thought it was funny but I suddenly felt guilty for watching this talented young singer making a complete fool of herself, not to mention her very talented band (hats off to them). This tour needs to stop and she needs serious help! Simple as that! On a lighter note I will still continue to listen to Amy Winehouse on my iPod, but that's it, she is not getting my money again!
Carly, Birmingham

Others on this link have acurately described the performance but I haven't seen anyone yet comment on Amy spitting into the audience too! In her vulnerable state she should not have attempted this performance. In fact I hope her management have the courage to cancel the rest of her tour and give Amy a chance to find the time, and draw the right people around her to help her get grounded and back into the real world again. A spiritual healer would probably help Amy more than a rehab unit! We enjoyed the whole experience though, even if there might be better ways to spend our total costs of £100 plus. And the biggest plus point of all was... that Amy turned up!
Phil & Dawn, Chippenham, Wilts, Chippenham, Wilts