Journey’s concert at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, took an unexpected turn on Thursday night, October 8, when long-time drummer Deen Castronovo suffered a medical emergency just two songs into the performance. The sudden health scare prompted an immediate pause in the show and required Castronovo to be assisted off the stage before being transported to a local hospital.
The disruption unfolded quickly, leaving concertgoers momentarily stunned. Keyboardist and guitarist Jonathan Cain was the first band member to address the audience regarding the sudden pause. He asked the crowd to keep their bandmate in their thoughts during the uncertainty.
“We’re going to see what happens as this progresses,” Cain told the Tulsa crowd. “It’s an unfortunate situation. We’re very sorry. We’re hoping it’s only a delay, but please – I’m sorry. Don’t worry. Have your prayers ready. Have your prayers ready for Deen Castronovo, everybody. Thank you.”
How Journey Continued the Tulsa Concert
Following a brief delay and an intermission while the band assessed the situation, guitarist Neal Schon returned to the stage to provide an update to the anxious audience. Schon confirmed that Castronovo was being taken to a nearby medical facility for evaluation.
Rather than canceling the remainder of the evening, the band decided to move forward with the help of a familiar backstage crew member. Schon announced that longtime drum technician Steve Toomey would step behind the kit for the remainder of the night.
“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,” Schon told fans. “Please give a big hand for Steve Toomey. We’ll be back in about 15 minutes. We love you all. We’re really sorry about the inconvenience.”
Bandmates Offer Encouraging Updates
As the concert resumed, frontman Arnel Pineda sought to ease the crowd’s concerns, offering an optimistic, lighthearted remark about their drummer’s condition while dedicating the rest of the performance to him. Later in the evening, Schon also echoed those hopeful sentiments, noting that everyone had been facing a lot of stress lately but expressing confidence that Castronovo would recover.
The band’s schedule remains active following the Tulsa stop. After having Friday off, Journey is slated to continue their touring commitments with a scheduled performance in San Antonio, Texas. Representatives for the band have not yet released an official detailed medical update regarding Castronovo’s specific condition or his timeline for returning to the stage.
