Journey Drummer's Terrifying On-Stage Medical Emergency Rocks Concert
Journey's drummer Deen Castronovo was rushed to the hospital after falling ill during a concert in Tulsa, Oklahoma, prompting a temporary show delay and a request for prayers from his bandmates. The concert resumed with a drum tech filling in, as the band dedicated the night to Castronovo. This incident occurred amidst Journey's ongoing tour and a recent resurgence in popularity for their hit song, "Don't Stop Believin'."
Deen Castronovo, the esteemed drummer for the legendary rock band Journey, experienced a sudden medical emergency on Thursday night, October 8, while performing at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The incident, which occurred just two songs into the band's set, led to Castronovo being swiftly helped off the stage, causing a temporary halt to the concert.
News of the medical emergency quickly spread, with Eric Bailey, a sports reporter for the Tulsa World, sharing updates on X. His initial post indicated that Castronovo had a 'medical emergency' and was assisted off stage, leading to a delay in the show. A clip accompanying Bailey's message showed bassist Jonathan Cain addressing the crowd, urging them to offer their prayers for Castronovo, saying, 'Have your prayers ready. Have your prayers ready for Deen Castronovo, everybody. Thank you.'
Co-founder and lead guitarist Neal Schon later informed the audience that Castronovo was en route to the hospital and announced that the band's drum technician, Steve Toomey, would step in to complete the performance. Following a 20-minute delay, the concert resumed. Schon dedicated the evening's performance to Castronovo, expressing heartfelt wishes for his recovery. 'This concert’s for Deen tonight. I’d love you all to pray for him. Everybody’s been going through a lot. I think he’s going to be fine,' Ultimate Classic Rock reported Schon as saying.
Castronovo, 62, boasts a rich and extensive musical career. He served as Journey's drummer and provided backing vocals from 1998 until 2015, later rejoining the group. Beyond Journey, his impressive curriculum vitae includes tenures with bands like Bad English and Hardline, as well as collaborations with renowned artists such as the late Ozzy Osbourne, Steve Vai, Paul Rodgers, and GZR, which features Black Sabbath’s Geezer Butler. Last year, Castronovo garnered headlines when a stage fire erupted directly beneath his drum riser during a concert at NRG Stadium in Houston, an incident he humorously recounted on Instagram as 'an act of God tonight!' where he was 'literally on fire for 4 ½ songs.'
The incident in Tulsa comes as Journey continues their expansive 'Final Frontier North American tour,' which saw an addition of 40 concerts announced in May. The band's next scheduled stop is October 10, with a performance booked at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. Earlier this summer, Journey experienced a notable resurgence when their iconic 1981 hit, 'Don’t Stop Believin’,' re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart at No. 35, marking its first appearance since 1997. This renewed popularity followed its play at Lumen Field in Seattle during the United States’ FIFA World Cup match against Australia in June, which the home team won 2-0.
As of the time of reporting, Journey had not released any official update regarding Castronovo’s current condition.