Journey's Deen Castronovo Hospitalized Mid-Set in Tulsa; Drum Tech Finishes Show

Deen Castronovo, Journey's 62-year-old drummer, was helped offstage and later hospitalized Thursday night after performing just two songs at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, prompting a roughly 20-minute pause before drum tech Steve Toomey stepped in to finish the set.

A representative for the band confirmed to Variety on Friday that Castronovo "wasn't feeling well two songs in and was transported to the hospital to get checked out. The show was paused for about 20 minutes and the experienced drum tech filled in to finish the show." No further details about his condition were available.

What happened on stage?

Keyboardist Jonathan Cain was the first band member to address the crowd, according to the Tulsa World. With the rest of the group offstage, Cain acknowledged an unspecified issue and said, "we're going to see what happens as this progresses. It's an unfortunate situation… We're hoping it's only a delay, but please — I'm sorry. Don't worry… Have your prayers ready for Deen Castronovo, everybody. Thank you."

Ten minutes later, guitarist Neal Schon returned and told the audience that Castronovo had been taken to a hospital and that the show would resume shortly with Toomey, whom Schon described as "very good." Eight minutes after that announcement, Journey resumed playing.

What have band members said since?

Once back at full strength on stage, Schon dedicated the rest of the set to the absent drummer. "This concert is for Deen," Schon told the crowd, according to the paper. "I think he's going to be fine." Cain added that Toomey "saved the night for us. Thank you, sir."

Schon later posted on Facebook — the page is currently set to private — "Thank you Tulsa OK for sticking with us. God bless Deen. … We pray," per the Tulsa World.

No update has appeared on Castronovo's Instagram. His last post, made before the concert, read: "You're standing in the line of fire tonight, TULSA and we're comin' to ya!!"

What is Castronovo's history with the band?

Castronovo first joined Journey in 1998. He was reported to have been let go in 2015, then rehired in 2021 after a six-year absence. Before his tenure with Journey, he played with Schon and Cain in Bad English from 1987 to 1991.

What's next on the tour?

Journey is scheduled to perform Saturday in Biloxi, Mississippi. The current run — billed as a farewell — is slated to continue through a Nov. 28 show in San Francisco, the city where the group originated. The band has not indicated that the November date will be its final concert.