Former Stray Cats frontman Brian Setzer treated and released in New Mexico after leaving stage

Stray Cats singer recovers after NM hospital trip

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Grammy Award-winner Brian Setzer was unable to complete a performance in Albuquerque and was briefly hospitalized because of dehydration, high altitude sickness and vertigo.

But he recovered quickly and planned to perform as scheduled Tuesday night in Phoenix, a posting on his Web site said. The rest of his current tour will continue as planned.

Setzer, former frontman of the Stray Cats, performed three Christmas-themed songs with his Brian Setzer Orchestra on Monday night during a sold-out concert at Isleta Resort and Casino. He then left the stage.

An announcer came onstage at about 9 p.m. and said the 50-year-old Setzer was ill and had been taken to an undisclosed hospital.

Petra Morris of Albuquerque and her boyfriend arrived at the show a little late. She had never seen Setzer in concert and was looking forward to the performance.

“As we walked in, he was playing what turned out to be the last song. I think I got about two minutes of it,” she said. “He was up there playing and then he sat down quite heavily, got up, finished playing and then walked off.”

Many in the crowd — some dressed in vintage suits in honor of Setzer’s style — said the performer looked shaky as he left the stage. The band played one more song after Setzer left.

“There were a lot of dedicated fans there,” Morris said. “Hopefully, he’ll come back.”