Iconic 80’s band Journey ‘rushed off the stage’ during electrical fire: ‘never seen anything like this’
Journey’s concert at the Houston Rodeo came to an abrupt halt on Friday evening when an electrical fire broke out under the stage.
The legendary rock band was just 30 seconds into performing their iconic 1981 hit Don’t Stop Believin’ when the music cut off and screens went dark.
Despite the unexpected interruption, the 79,000-strong crowd continued singing the anthem without missing a beat.
The incident occurred relatively early in the band’s set, just after their fifth song.
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As the power went out, crew members rushed to the stage carrying fire extinguishers.
Video footage shared on social media captured the moment when the music stopped, but the audience continued with the lyrics “It goes on and on and on and on”.
The band members were quickly escorted offstage as officials attempted to quell the electrical fire beneath the performance area.
One fan attending the event gave his account on X, writing: “I lived in Houston for six years and went to over 30 rodeo concerts—but I’ve never seen anything like this… The entire concert is on hold!”
Guitarist Neal Schon addressed the incident on Saturday via Instagram, sharing video of fans singing.
“Last night at Houston TX Rodeo we had an amazing overly packed house of 79-80 thousand fans that showed up to see us!!” he wrote.
Schon thanked Houston fans for continuing to sing after the band was rushed offstage.
He revealed he had “offered to play” at the rodeo the following night “but they were not able to make it happen”.
The Houston Rodeo confirmed the incident in a statement, saying: “Due to an unforeseen electrical incident under the stage area, we regretfully announce the cancellation of tonight’s Journey concert.”
“Our team is working diligently to assess the situation, and we will provide updates regarding rescheduling options and/or refunds as soon as possible,” the statement continued.
No injuries were reported from the electrical fire.
The Houston Rodeo later confirmed that the technical issue had been resolved ahead of the next day’s scheduled performance.
“The stage will be operating as normal, and we will host all activities in the stadium and on the grounds as originally planned,” they announced on social media.
Warren Zeiders’ concert was able to proceed without incident following the repairs.
Journey, formed in 1973, features vocalist Arnel Pineda and guitarist Neal Schon among others.