New meaning to "Break a leg"

Fallen Spider-Man Christopher Tierney returns to the scene of the accident

Christopher Tierney
The "Spider-Man" musical involves breaktaking ariel stunts that some considertoo dangerous, but Tierney is anxious to get back to the show

Christopher Tierney, the former Houston Ballet Academy student who fell from the ceiling during a preview of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, returned to the Broadway theater Friday night — 18 days after the accident occurred.

Wearing a back brace covered with Spider-Man stickers, Tierney watched the show from an orchestra seat after going backstage and telling his former co-stars to "break a leg" in the time-honored theater tradition.

Performing aerial acrobatics as Spider-Man in the $65 million musical's climatic scene, Tierney plunged 30 feet into the orchestra pit when his safety harness didn't hold. He fractured his skull and shoulder blade, breaking four ribs and fracturing three vertebrae. He was released from the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation in New York two days before attending the performance.

He has seven screws in his back, but hopes to return to the show as soon as possible. His rehabilitation is expected to take several months.

"It's what I've been waiting for for the past two weeks - to see my friends and finally watch the show," he told The Associated Press after the performance.

Tierney has won new fans for his positive spirit following the accident and his refusal to consider legal action, which in our litigious society seems unusually refreshing. He told the New York Times that the injuries were his first in 20 years of dancing and suggested that "all that karma couldn't last forever." He added that he believed in taking risks for his art and that the Spider-Man production was not unusually dangerous.

Tierney attended the Houston Ballet Academy in 1998-1999, as a springboard to his career. He has performed with Houston Ballet, Ballet New England and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and danced in the national tour of Twyla Tharp's Movin' Out. He had previously worked with Spider-Man director Julie Taymor in the movie Across the Universe. Spider-Man was his Broadway debut.

The musical officially opens on Feb. 7.

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journey cut short

‘Electrical incident’ abruptly cancels Journey concert at RodeoHouston

Photo by Brianna Griff

Journey left the stage early.

On Friday night, Journey’s sold-out RodeoHouston show in front of over 70,000 fans was cut short during the middle of “Don’t Start Believin’,” the fourth song of the evening.

According to a statement from RodeoHouston, an electrical fire near the starred stage scuttled the show.

“Due to an unforeseen electrical incident under the stage area, we regretfully announce the cancellation of tonight's Journey concert,” the statement read. “We sincerely apologize to all fans for this disappointment. Our team is working diligently to assess the situation, and we will provide updates regarding rescheduling options and/or refunds as soon as possible.”

When a legendary song like “Don’t Stop Believin’” is the fourth song in your set, you’ve sufficiently created a generational musical dynasty, that much is true. On Friday night, the believin’ came to a grinding halt.

Many fans thought that the power to the stage abruptly cutting out just before the second chorus was done for dramatic effect, to get the crowd to finish the chorus. The video screens surrounding the stage went black, and no audio was heard from the musicians. Broadcaster Jake Asman shared the moment the power on stage went out on X.

I lived in Houston for six years and went to over 30 rodeo concerts—but I’ve never seen anything like this. Journey was in the middle of ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ when the stadium speakers blew out.

The entire concert is on hold! pic.twitter.com/UxbDFbXBr8
— Jake Asman (@JakeAsman) March 15, 2025

Fans became more concerned once the band members left the stage. They were last seen being escorted off the stadium floor and into the service level of NRG, but not exactly in a rush. Many in the press box assumed the technical difficulties were minor.

An announcement over the public address system from Bob Tallman, the reassuring voice of RodeoHouston, let fans know that the music was over for the evening.

Back in March 2007, some fans that attended a twin-bill of Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus) and the Cheetah Girls were issued refunds after faulty speakers in the stadium left them without sound for a portion of the sold-out concert.

Here was the Journey setlist provided to media before the concert began. What a night it could have been.

Setlist

Only The Young
Be Good To Yourself
Stone In Love
Don’t Stop Believin’
Who’s Crying Now
Lights
Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’
Open Arms
Ask The Lonely
Faithfully
Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
Wheel In The Sky
Any Way You Want It

concert review rodeohouston