Country star Jason Aldean says he suffered heat exhaustion during Connecticut concert
Temperatures in Hartford during the concert were in the upper 70s and lower 80s, but with dew points in the lower to mid-70s, feels-like temperatures were in the mid-80s when factoring in the tropical humidity.
Country star Jason Aldean seen running off stage after suffering heatstroke
A video shared by K.C. Schweizer obtained by TMX shows country star Jason Aldean running off stage while performing his hit "Crazy Town" at the Xfinity Theatre in Hartford, Connecticut, on Saturday, July 15, 2023. (Credit: K.C. Schweizer/POP NATION/TMX)
HARTFORD, Conn. – The opening weekend for country star Jason Aldean's Highway Desperado Tour was cut short when he ran offstage after suffering heat exhaustion during Saturday night's show in Hartford, Connecticut.
A video shared by K.C. Schweizer obtained by TMX shows Aldean running off the stage while performing his hit "Crazy Town" at the Xfinity Theatre in Hartford.
A video shared by K.C. Schweizer obtained by TMX shows country star Jason Aldean backing away from the microphone before running off stage during his hit "Crazy Town" at the Xfinity Theatre in Hartford, Connecticut, on Saturday, July 15, 2023.
(K.C. Schweizer / POP NATION / TMX)
"Jason has become ill and can’t continue the show," the concert venue tweeted just before 11 p.m. Saturday night. "We are in the process of attempting to reschedule the performance. Please stay tuned on all social media channels for updates."
A representative for Aldean confirmed to the venue on Sunday that the country artist experienced heatstroke during Saturday night's show. However, Aldean later said on social media that it wasn't quite that serious and was more likely heat exhaustion rather than heatstroke.
"We appreciate your patience as we work on rescheduling a new date, as well as the outpouring of well wishes for Jason," the Xfinity Theatre posted on its social media pages. "A rep has confirmed he is now doing well after experiencing heat stroke during last night's performance."
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Aldean took to his Instagram story Sunday afternoon to provide his fans with an update on his condition.
"I'm doing fine. Just one of those things. It was hot. I was playing golf all day yesterday and then got to the show, and just I think it was a combination of dehydration and just heat exhaustion," Aldean said in his video on Instagram. "So I'm hearing a lot of stuff going around – heat stroke and all this stuff – I don't think it was quite that serious, but it was pretty intense last night at the show."
Aldean added that he got through as much of the show as he could, but eventually, he knew he couldn't continue on with his performance, so he quickly got offstage to figure out what was going on.
Temperatures in Hartford during the concert were in the upper 70s and lower 80s, but with dew points in the lower to mid-70s, feels-like temperatures were in the mid-80s when factoring in the tropical humidity.
Aldean said he received an IV after he stopped his performance Saturday night and then received another one on Sunday to help prepare for his scheduled Sunday night show in upstate New York.
"Obviously, it's not the way I wanted the show to end," the singer said on Instagram. "Not what I was hoping for on our first weekend of the tour by any means."
The Hartford show was just the second stop on Aldean's Highway Desperado Tour, which kicked off Friday night in Bethel, New York. Aldean is currently scheduled to perform Sunday night in Saratoga Springs, New York.
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What is heatstroke?
Heatstroke is a life-threatening condition. It involves the body temperature rising up to about 103 degrees or higher, harming the central nervous system.
Doctors say heatstroke can be difficult to diagnose because it shares similar symptoms to heat exhaustion, such as dizziness, headaches and nausea. What sets heatstroke apart from heat exhaustion are symptoms such as hot or dry skin and a fast, strong pulse, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Information from the National Weather Service
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Doctors advise people who might have heatstroke to seek emergency medical care immediately. While waiting for medical help to arrive, the CDC recommends trying to lower the individual’s temperature by putting them in a cool bath, placing a cool cloth on them and moving them to a cooler location.