Journey drummer leaves stage amid medical emergency

Journey drummer Deen Castronovo was hospitalized Thursday night after an unspecified medical emergency forced him to leave the stage.

The 62-year-old percussionist played with the 1980s hitmakers for their first two songs in Tulsa, Okla., according to Tulsa World. Video shows keyboardist Jonathan Cain apologizing to the audience for the “unfortunate situation” and asking them to pray.

Guitarist Neal Schon soon after announced that drum tech Steve Toomey would finished the show behind the drum kit following a 15-minute break.

“We love you all, we’re really sorry about the inconvenience,” said Schon, who formed the San Francisco band in 1973.

Singer Arnel Pineda, who joined the group in 2007, assured fans at the BOK Center that Castronovo would be fine.

“Too much Gatorade,” he joked.

A setlist published by Setlist.fm shows that Castronovo left after playing the band’s 1981 tune “Stone in Love.”

They reportedly went on to perform his songs including “Wheel in the Sky,” “Faithfully” and “Don’t Stop Believin” before finishing with “Any Way You Want It.”

Castronovo, who played with Schon in bands including Bad English, joined Journey in 1998. He was cut loose in 2015 following a domestic abuse arrest. That incident led to the drummer’s fifth visit to a rehabilitation center, according to Parade. He told that publication following his dismissal that he preferred cocaine to alcohol.

“I can’t really stand the taste, but I would get drunk to get wasted,” Castronovo confessed.

Castronovo returned to Journey in 2021. He’s also performed with Ozzy Osbourne, GZR and the Dead Daisies.

Journey is performing its Final Frontier Tour, which is scheduled to roll through San Antonio, Texas Saturday. The band visits the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale on Nov. 7. Journey hasn’t responded to a request for comment regarding its drummer’s status.