Journey show halted after two songs after drummer Deen Castronovo has medical emergency onstage

Journey’s show at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma last night (October 8) was halted for a medical emergency when drummer Deen Castronovo took ill and had to be helped off the stage.

The band were just two songs into their set. They opened with Be Good to Yourself, following it with Stone in Love, and that was it, Castronovo’s night was over.

The group left the stage. The house lights came up, and after a pause, rhythm guitarist and lead keyboard player Jonathan Cain addressed the audience, asking them to keep Castronovo in their thoughts. Though he did not have much information to share with them, and at that point he was unsure whether the gig was going to continue.

“Our drummer is having a medical emergency, right now, at this very moment, so we’re going to see what happens as this progresses,” said Cain. “It’s an unfortunate situation. We’re really sorry. We’re hoping it’s only a delay. But please have your prayers ready for Deen Castronovo. Everybody, thank you.”

25 minutes later, the show was back on. Neal Schon introduced Castronovo’s drum tech, Steve Toomey, to the crowd, asked them to give him a round of applause before apologizing for the delay. “We love you all,” Schon said. “We’re very sorry for the inconvenience.”

Toomey duly stepped behind the kit, counted them all in, and away they went into Ask the Lonely. The show must go on. There was no further update on Castronovo’s condition, but Schon suggested that it was not that serious, and dedicated their performance to him.

“This concert is for Deen,” he said. “I think he’s going to be fine.”

Journey fans will still be in the dark as to Castronovo’s health. There is no mention of the incident on the band’s social media channels. Though they did post footage of Schon’s wicked solo before Wheel in the Sky on Instagram.

Journey are on their epic Final Frontier Tour, which has been winding its way around the enormodomes of the United States since late February. Tomorrow night they play the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. Here’s hoping Castronovo makes a speedy recovery.

Jonathan Horsley has been writing about guitars since 2005, playing them since 1990, and regularly contributes to publications including Guitar World, MusicRadar and Total Guitar. He uses Jazz III nylon picks, 10s during the week, 9s at the weekend, and shamefully still struggles with rhythm figure one of Van Halen’s Panama.