Journey fans were left fearing the worst Thursday night after drummer Deen Castronovo suffered a sudden medical emergency just two songs into the legendary rock band’s concert.
The frightening incident unfolded October 8 at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the 62-year-old musician had taken the stage with Journey as part of the band’s Final Frontier farewell tour.
Castronovo made it through the opening songs “Be Good to Yourself” and “Stone in Love” before he was helped off the stage.
The concert abruptly stopped as the rest of the band disappeared backstage, leaving thousands of fans waiting for answers.
Keyboardist Jonathan Cain eventually returned and revealed that Castronovo was experiencing a medical emergency.
Cain apologized for the unexpected interruption and told the audience that the band was still trying to determine whether the concert could continue.
He then made an emotional request for fans to keep Castronovo in their prayers.
“Have your prayers ready,” Cain told the crowd. “Have your prayers ready for Deen Castronovo, everybody.”
About 10 minutes later, guitarist Neal Schon returned with a more concerning update.
Castronovo was being taken to the hospital.
Schon told fans that Journey planned to continue the performance and that Castronovo’s longtime drum technician, Steve Toomey, would take over behind the kit for the remainder of the night.
The concert ultimately resumed after an extended break, with Toomey stepping into an extremely difficult situation and helping the band finish the show.
Journey went on to perform some of its most recognizable songs, including “Lights,” “Open Arms,” “Faithfully” and the band’s signature anthem “Don’t Stop Believin’.”
Singer Arnel Pineda later offered the shaken crowd some encouraging words.
“We ask for your prayers for our brother Deen Castronovo,” Pineda said, before telling fans he believed the drummer was going to be fine.
Schon also sounded optimistic later in the evening and dedicated the concert to his hospitalized bandmate.
“This concert’s for Deen tonight,” he told the audience.
Exactly what happened to Castronovo has not yet been publicly disclosed.
As of Friday afternoon, neither a specific diagnosis nor details about the severity of the emergency had been announced. That makes speculation about what caused him to leave the stage premature, despite reassuring comments made by his bandmates during the concert.
It is also unclear whether Castronovo will be able to perform at Journey’s next scheduled stop.
The band is due to play the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio on Saturday, October 10, as its Final Frontier tour continues across North America. The tour has been billed as Journey’s farewell run and is scheduled to continue into late November.
Castronovo has a long history with the group. He originally joined Journey in 1998 and remained behind the drums until 2015. He returned to the lineup in 2021.
Over his lengthy career, the veteran drummer has also worked with acts including Bad English, Hardline and Ozzy Osbourne.
Journey itself has been a major force in American rock music for decades. Formed in San Francisco in 1973, the band became one of the biggest rock acts of the late 1970s and 1980s with songs including “Any Way You Want It,” “Open Arms,” “Faithfully” and “Don’t Stop Believin’.”
Thursday’s medical emergency put that farewell celebration on hold for several tense minutes, however, as attention inside the Tulsa arena shifted from the music to Castronovo’s health.
For now, fans are waiting for the update his bandmates were hoping for — confirmation that the longtime Journey drummer is recovering and will be able to return to the stage.
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