Journey drummer Deen Castronovo taken to hospital after Tulsa stage emergency
Journey drummer Deen Castronovo suffered a medical emergency on stage during the band's show in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Thursday night. The concert at the BOK Center stopped after two songs while he received attention. He was then taken to hospital.
The concert was paused after the emergency, according to Rolling Stone. That pause came very early in the evening. Only two songs had been played.
Journey then continued the Tulsa show. Drum tech Steve Toomey took over on drums for the remainder of the performance.
A drum tech is the crew member who sets up and looks after the drum kit. Toomey stepped from that backstage role to the drum stool. It allowed the band to finish the night for the audience in the arena.
Castronovo is Journey's drummer. Guitarist Neal Schon confirmed on social media in 2021 that Castronovo had rejoined the band, as Ultimate Classic Rock reported at the time.
He has spoken before about playing on through a difficult night on stage. After an incident at a gig in Houston, Castronovo said he "was literally on fire" for four songs, according to NME. That account was published in March 2025. It relates to the Houston gig, not to Thursday in Tulsa.
No cause for the Tulsa emergency has been made public. No update on Castronovo's condition was included in the first report. There is also no confirmed information about any effect on future shows.
Details remain limited. The initial account did not describe symptoms or treatment. It did not include a statement from doctors or family members. In cases like this, further information usually comes from the artist or the band when they are ready to share it.
For fans in the room, the night was split in two. Two songs with the regular drummer. Then a wait. Then the rest of the set with his technician behind the kit. Those who were not there will need to rely on confirmed updates, as posts from the audience are not a substitute for a medical update.
What makes this stand out is the swiftness of that changeover. A drummer sets the pace for every song. Losing that player mid-show leaves the largest gap on stage. Continuing took a quick decision and a member of crew ready to play.
