Blake Shelton is playfully blaming his manager after missing his wife Gwen Stefani’s major Las Vegas residency opening night. While Stefani reunited with No Doubt for the launch of the band’s new residency at Sphere on Wednesday night, Shelton was busy kicking off his own residency performances across town. And according to Blake Shelton, the scheduling conflict was less than ideal.
During his concert at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Shelton joked with the crowd about being unable to attend Stefani’s highly anticipated opening night show. “My wife came to town. She’s here. I mean, she’s not. She’s over there at the other venue,” he told concertgoers.
The singer then jokingly turned his frustration toward his management team. “What kind of a d-ckhead books us the same nights every single night? I think my manager did that,” Shelton quipped from the stage.
Although the couple’s shows are taking place just minutes apart on the Las Vegas Strip, Shelton’s residency obligations prevented him from attending in person.
Gwen Stefani Reunites With No Doubt At Sphere
Meanwhile, Stefani officially reunited with Tony Kanal, Adrian Young, and Tom Dumont for No Doubt’s new 18-show residency. The band reportedly opened the show with “Tragic Kingdom” from their iconic 1995 album of the same name, marking the first time in nearly two decades they performed the song live in that format.
Fans were also treated to several major hits and rarely performed tracks throughout the night. The residency is set to continue through June 13.
Gwen Stefani Admits She Got ‘Emotional’ During No Doubt’s Opening Night
While Blake Shelton was joking about missing the show, Gwen Stefani was busy delivering an emotional night of nostalgia for longtime No Doubt fans. Over the course of the nearly two-hour performance, Stefani and the band performed 21 songs, including several tracks that hadn’t been played live in decades.
One standout moment came when the band performed “The Climb” from 1995’s “Tragic Kingdom” for the first time in 29 years. At one point during the show, Stefani admitted the moment was starting to hit her emotionally. “I’m getting a little emotional up here,” she told the screaming crowd.
Fans attending the residency also had the chance to experience the “No Doubt Experience,” an immersive pop-up installation at the Venetian featuring memorabilia and artifacts celebrating the group’s history. But that’s not all, because Gwen Stefani also made sure fans became part of the show itself, inviting several superfans onstage throughout the night, including during one of No Doubt’s most iconic songs, “Just a Girl.”
Before launching into the track, Stefani reflected on writing the anthem decades ago and admitted she never expected it to remain so culturally relevant. “I wrote this song out of pure innocence in a time where I was just becoming aware of myself and my surroundings,” she told the crowd.
“But I always thought that I would be like … I would grow up too much to sing it and it would be out of style,” she continued, before asking fans, “but you tell me if you think it’s still relevant or stylish or? It’s up to you guys.”
Shelton Previously Joked About Competing With Stefani
This isn’t the first time Shelton has joked about the couple’s Vegas showdown. Earlier this year, the singer admitted he expected some “trash talking” between the pair as they prepared for their respective residencies. “I’m excited about that because i know there’ll be probably a little bit of trash talking,” he previously said.
Shelton also poked fun at the massive size difference between the venues, comparing the Sphere’s roughly 20,000-seat capacity to the more intimate Colosseum. “Whether we both sell out, there’s a big difference in selling out the Sphere and selling out Caesars, so she’ll have that over my head,” he joked. “Yeah, it’s not very friendly when it’s absolute a-s-kicking.”
Blake Shelton And Gwen Stefani’s Relationship Has Stayed In Spotlight
Shelton and Stefani first met while serving as coaches on “The Voice” in 2014 before confirming their relationship the following year. The couple got engaged in 2020 and married in 2021.
Stefani shares sons Kingston, Zuma, and Apollo with ex-husband Gavin Rossdale. According to reports, Stefani’s children were also absent from the residency opening because it fell on a school night. Still, despite the scheduling chaos, Shelton made it clear he’s cheering his wife on, even if it has to happen from across the Strip.
