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Journey Drummer Deen Castronovo Hospitalized Mid-Concert
Confirmed
In Short: Journey drummer Deen Castronovo was hospitalized after a medical emergency during a concert in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Journey drummer Deen Castronovo was hospitalized after a medical emergency during the band's performance at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Thursday, Oct. 8.
Castronovo, 62, left the stage after playing just two songs, 'Don’t Stop Believin’' and 'Stone in Love,' according to a setlist published by Setlist.fm.
Keyboardist Jonathan Cain and guitarist Neal Schon informed the audience that Castronovo was en route to the hospital and that the band's drum tech, Steve Toomey, would take over for the remainder of the show.
Castronovo rejoined Journey in 1998 and left in 2015 before rejoining the band in 2022. The current lineup includes Castronovo, Schon, Jonathan Cain, and singer Arnel Pineda.
The band's 'Final Frontier' tour, which launched in Hershey, Pennsylvania, on February 28, expanded in May with the addition of 40 more concerts.
Castronovo's medical emergency has not been specified, and details about his condition and future performances have not been released.
Fans expressed concern and support on social media, with one X user writing, 'I’m at the same concert in the nosebleeds. Praying.'
Neal Schon previously commented on the band's energy during the tour, saying, 'The energy has been incredible every night.'
Castronovo's bandmates, including Cain, have asked for prayers for their drummer, expressing hope that he will recover soon.
Castronovo's medical emergency has not affected the band's plans for the rest of the tour, with the show continuing as scheduled.
What's confirmed
- Have your prayers ready for Deen Castronovo, everybody.
- "We're gong to see what happens as this progresses," Cain said.
- The band continued the Thursday, Oct. 8 concert with longtime drum tech Steve Toomey filling in for Castronovo Journey drummer Deen Castronovo suffered a medical emergency on Thursday, Oct. 8while the band was playing in Tulsa, Okla.
- Schon, 72, confirmed that the concert would continue with Castronovo’s drum tech in his place, according to Ultimate Classic Rock.
- Journey drummer Deen Castronovo suffered a medical emergency mid-concert at a show in Tulsa, Oklahoma — and worried fans are hoping for a health update.
- "He's heading to the hospital. We're going to continue the concert, and Deen's tech, his drum tech, is going to sit in with us tonight," he explained in a video shared by The Hair Metal Guru.
- "We ask for your prayers for our brother Deen Castronovo. He's gonna be fine. Too much Gatorade."
- About 10 minutes later, guitarist Neal Schon returned to the stage and told the audience that Castronovo had been taken to the hospital.
What's still developing
- Castronovo, 62, played drums and contributed vocals for Journey from 1998 until 2015, and later rejoined the group.
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- Earlier this summer, Journey returned to the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time since 1997 with “Don’t Stop Believin’.” The No.
- 10, when Journey is booked to perform at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.
- Castronovo later admitted that he emotionally, verbally and physically abused his now-wife and said that he will always be indebted to her for calling the police after his 24-day methamphetamine binge.
- “Unfortunately, our drummer is having a medical emergency right now at this very moment,” Cain said.
- The video shows Castronovo's bandmate, Jonathan Cain, explaining what happened.
- Video shows keyboardist Jonathan Cain apologizing to the audience for the “unfortunate situation” and asking them to pray.
- “Don’t Stop Believin’,” which was certified 18-times platinum in 2024, has had many resurgences over the years, thanks to the cut-to-black finale of The Sopranos, the TV show Glee, and Brad Pitt movie Moneyball.
- Local sports reporter Eric Bailey posted video from the show, explaining that Castronovo was helped off the stage just two songs into a concert at the BOK Center.
- "You're standing in the line of fire tonight, TULSA and we're comin' to ya!!"
- "We're going to get it fixed one day. I told the doctor, I go, 'Newly divorced, so the minute the boots are hung up, I'm going to come back to you and we're going to make these girls look real good, because these girls are going to get some action in the future and that can't look like that.'" In October 2026, the former The Bachelorette star detailed how she cracked a vertebra in her spine after setting her vibration plate—a motorized platform that rapidly moves back and forth to promote muscle activation and circulation—to "level 30, supersonic speed."