Journey drummer Deen Castronovo reveals he was "literally on fire" for four songs of live concert
The drummer shared an update after the terrifying moment that ground the gig to a halt.
Journey drummer Deen Castronovo has shared the terrifying reason the band had to cut short their live show in Texas.
The iconic '80s rockers, famed for their hits Don’t Stop Believin’ and Any Way You Want It, were forced to halt their set during RadioHouston in Texas on Friday 14th March, when it was disrupted by an electrical fire.
After only playing five songs, the 70,000-people theatre was thrown into darkness midway through their performance of Don’t Stop Believin’, with the sound and stage visuals at the venue cutting out.
While fans continued to sing the song, believing it to be part of the performance, the road team quickly stormed the stage with fire extinguishers and aimed at the drum’s riser.
The event was then abruptly cancelled, with the crowd asked to evacuate.
On social media, Deen Castronovo, who has been a drummer with the band since 1998, shared pictures of the tech team crawling under the drum riser to try and observe the damage.
He wrote: "Hey, Houston! An act of God tonight! Fire broke out underneath the stage – right under my drum riser!
"I was literally on fire for 4-and-a-half songs, all the power cables melted, and the show was a BUST! That doesn’t mean we won’t be back soon, because we love you all – and WE WILL RETURN! #dontstopbelievin God bless you all!"
The band have continued their other scheduled performances, appearing at Yaamava Resort and Casino in Highland, California, the next day.
Houston Rodeo’s official statement about the cancellation read: "Due to an unforeseen electrical incident under the stage area, we regretfully announce the cancellation of tonight’s Journey concert. We sincerely apologise to all fans for this disappointment.
"Our team is working diligently to assess the situation, and we will provide updates regarding rescheduling options and refunds as soon as possible."
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Authors
Tilly Pearce is a freelance TV journalist whose coverage ranges from reality shows like Love Is Blind to sci-fi shows like Fallout. She is an NCTJ Gold Standard accredited journalist, who has previously worked as Deputy TV Editor (maternity cover) at Digital Spy, and Deputy TV & Showbiz Editor at Daily Express US.
