Patti LaBelle was abruptly rushed off stage shortly after her Christmas concert began after a bomb threat forced authorities to evacuate the theatre where she was performing. Photo / Getty Images

Patti LaBelle was abruptly rushed off stage just a couple of songs into her Christmas concert in Milwaukee after a bomb threat forced authorities to evacuate the theatre.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that video from the Riverside Theatre on Saturday night (local time) shows what appears to be two security officers interrupting the 78-year-old LaBelle as she chats with an audience member. They rush her off stage. Shortly after, someone announced that the nearly full 2500-seat theatre had to be evacuated because of a bomb threat.

Catherine Brunson, who documented the evacuation on Facebook Live, told the newspaper that the evacuation happened two songs into LaBelle’s concert around 9.24pm.

“We came out and police had the block taped off ... A whole lot of people were pretty upset ... It’s scary,” Brunson said.

Scott Pierce, who also attended the concert, said everyone exited the theatre calmly, but it’s “just sad that someone does this”.

Milwaukee Police Captain Warren Allen Jr said in a statement that canine units searched the theatre and no explosive devices were discovered, so there was no threat to the public.

ALaBelle hasn’t issued a statement about the evacuation on social media. The operator of the Riverside Theatre said it would work with LaBelle to reschedule the show in the future.