Paramedics Rush to the Stage During Zach Bryan Fainting Stunt

A team of paramedics working a Zach Bryan show got a false alarm on Friday night (Nov. 22), after they thought they saw a member of his band having a medical emergency onstage.

Bryan was in the middle of introducing his band to the crowd when his steel guitar player and banjoist Read O’Connolly began to slump over and fall to the ground. His bandmates rushed to his side, holding him up and fanning him with a hat.

It’s all part of the show: Eventually, Read gets brought back to life and rushes out to the front of the stage for a fast-picking banjo solo to kick off one of the night’s biggest songs, “Revival.”

Bryan and his team do this stunt as a regular part of their set, but if you’re not privy to the tradition, it can look a little scary.

Read More: Is Zach Bryan Really Quitting Touring in 2025?

And on this particular occasion — Night One of the Quittin’ Time Tour’s three-night stand at Tacoma, Wash.’s Tacoma Dome — security didn’t get a heads up that O’Connolly was going to need a “Revival” in the middle of the show.

Paramedics charged up the aisle toward the stage, carrying bags of medical equipment as they prepared to handle a real emergency. One fan in the crowd got a close-up shot of the action, including the medical team’s return down the aisle after they realized that O’Connolly wasn’t really losing consciousness onstage.

“They should tell us that’s part of the act!” one paramedic told concertgoers as he passed by.

In their defense, the moment does look pretty realistic: Watch the video below for a better view of the fainting stunt, including the shock on a couple of fans’ faces after they didn’t get the memo, either.

Bryan’s Quittin’ Time Tour still has a number of dates left on the calendar. After it wraps in December, the singer is taking some time away from the stage. He has said that he’s giving up touring in 2025 in order to pursue a master’s degree in Paris.

Currently, his only shows scheduled for next year are a performance at Stagecoach, as well as a couple of concerts in London and three in the New York City area.