MR

So much for teased "rare deep cuts."
Fans who attended the band's tour kick-off show in Hershey, Pa were largely treated to the same ole, same ole.
I guess this is what happens when your lead singer only shows up to rehearsal 2 days before a tour.
The Rolie-era tracks are a welcome addition, but hardly anything exciting.
On the 30th anniversary tour, they actually stretched and did real deep cuts like Mystery Mountain, Kohoutek, Nickel and Dime etc.


Faith in the Heartland
Only the Young
Guitar Solo
Stone in Love
Be Good to Yourself
Just the Same Way
Lights
Still They Ride
Escape
Piano Solo
Who's Crying Now
Mother, Father
Suzanne
Guitar Solo
Wheel in the Sky
Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
Feeling That Way / Anytime
Dead or Alive
I'll Be Alright Without You
Open Arms
La Do Da
Any Way You Want It
Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'
Faithfully
Don't Stop Believin'

I think it’s a pretty solid set

Eric wrote:I think it’s a pretty solid set

Only if you haven't seen the band before.
Where are the rare deep cuts?
There is not a single NEW addition here.
Meanwhile, artists like Sammy Hagar are challenging themselves and shaking up their set on a NIGHTLY basis.

When was the last time they played Faith In The Heartland. I know these songs have all been played before but not all in one set. Still, you’re not wrong…

Arnel is sounding better and appears to be singing live.

Complete show - opening night in Hershey, PA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TWBD-58Mm4

The_Noble_Cause wrote:On the 30th anniversary tour, they actually stretched and did real deep cuts like Mystery Mountain, Kohoutek, Nickel and Dime etc.

The vast majority of those attending the shows don't care for the tracks above nor do they listen to the first three Journey albums. With that in mind the setlist ticks most boxes. Anything "deeper" than that will have to wait until the next JTT club tour.

AR wrote:Complete show - opening night in Hershey, PA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TWBD-58Mm4

Thanks. Arnel sounds a lot better than that NYE footage but still straining. Seems to enjoy himself at least. Todd now has 2x1 m space to move around onstage, so is a backing musician in the true sense of the word. Very little eye contact between the members creating a rather chilly atmosphere onstage. Too much reverb in Neal's sound as usual, so everything just becomes a blur. Not the band they once were, to put it in friendly terms.

danielb wrote:

The_Noble_Cause wrote:On the 30th anniversary tour, they actually stretched and did real deep cuts like Mystery Mountain, Kohoutek, Nickel and Dime etc.

The vast majority of those attending the shows don't care for the tracks above nor do they listen to the first three Journey albums. With that in mind the setlist ticks most boxes. Anything "deeper" than that will have to wait until the next JTT club tour.

I'm just going by what was touted in interviews and the press release. It ain't there. If I'm a hard-working fan in Hershey who spent $300+ to see the final show and got the same dirty dozen, I'd be rightly pissed. As a final hurrah, it doesn't really tick anything. Jon is even giving the same boring ass monologue leading into Faithfully. Nothing I've seen deviates this from any other tour.

The_Noble_Cause wrote:So much for teased "rare deep cuts."
Fans who attended the band's tour kick-off show in Hershey, Pa were largely treated to the same ole, same ole.
I guess this is what happens when your lead singer only shows up to rehearsal 2 days before a tour.….'

Arnel was likely only going to sing the dirty dozen (or 15-16). Neal, Jason, Todd and Deen (on vocals) rehearsed Loving You is Easy, Walks Like a Lady, and Stay Awhile so unless these or others appear later in the tour it will be because of Cain not Arnel.

NoMoreTails wrote:Arnel was likely only going to sing the dirty dozen (or 15-16).

I don't know why it's immediately assumed the band's frontman is excluded from learning or singing new material on a new tour. I know SA didn't participate much in the first part of the 30th tour shows, but he also had to sing the dozen PLUS new songs off Generations.

Neal, Jason, Todd and Deen (on vocals) rehearsed Loving You is Easy, Walks Like a Lady, and Stay Awhile so unless these or others appear later in the tour it will be because of Cain not Arnel.

Those four guys were rehearsing by themselves because NEITHER Arnel or Jonathan were there. Jonathan showed up about a week out and Arnel showed up two days out.

AR wrote:Complete show - opening night in Hershey, PA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TWBD-58Mm4

“Still they ride” and “Wheel in the Sky’s” ending were excellent. Loved Derelkta’s spin on the end of “I’ll be alright without you”.

Working a spin and mashup jam of “Whole Lotta Love” and Break on through” during La Do Da was cool.

Enjoyed it!

Having Arnel rest his voice for 4-5 songs while the others sing makes perfect sense, since he's already starting signs of wear and tear.

15 more songs were rehearsed:

https://x.com/nealschonmusic/status/202 ... _62qvrTpfw

I think for what it is it’s quite a varied set list, and I’m sure they will swap 4/5 for others over the tour.

At least there's Faith in the Heartland. Higher Place or other Augeri Arnel sings would've been great.
They are just a Steve Perry tribute band . Someone here said they didn't believe the deep cuts hype and that person was right.

Faith In The Heartland was also re-recorded with Arnel so the Augeri years are still being ignored. But FITH hasn’t been played in a LONG time. Has Dead Or Alive ever been played live? They did do a medley so that’s new. And the simple fact is still, while these songs may have been played before they haven’t all been played in one set.

jrnyman28 wrote:But FITH hasn’t been played in a LONG time.

Last time was in 2024. I think they took '25 off from touring. It's a great concert opener.

jrnyman28 wrote:Has Dead Or Alive ever been played live?

Plenty. It's on the 2017 Japan Escape/Frontiers dvd/cd and sung by Travis. JSS also did it during his time in the band. SA lineup did it while in the UK (tape not live). Played regularly in 22, 24, and on the DL 2024 tour.

They did do a medley so that’s new.

True. Wish it was Journey material tho.

...while these songs may have been played before they haven’t all been played in one set.

Brings to mind the expression, "damned with faint praise."

TOTO, as a counterexample, just started their tour and it's full of all sorts of actual deep rare cuts.

Wow, I really did not know DOA was played that much….
I do agree that the deep cuts are not that deep. Honestly, I feel like the best way to get deep cuts for sure are to play post-Perry era tunes.

jrnyman28 wrote:Wow, I really did not know DOA was played that much….
I do agree that the deep cuts are not that deep. Honestly, I feel like the best way to get deep cuts for sure are to play post-Perry era tunes.

Watching the upload that AR shared. I am really quite enjoying myself. Great concert. Neal is impeccable. Nobody plays like him. Cain's solo, (a mixture of classical, blues, maybe even some ragtime), before Who's Crying Now was actually quite impressive. Wish I saw some - or any - actual interaction between NS and JC, but whaddya gonna do. Jason's IBAWY was very good too. Even if you've heard these songs, I can't imagine anyone leaving unhappy. I sensed Deen and JC genuinely enjoying themselves on FTW / Anytime. The "Medley" actually seems more like Neal and the guys doing free-form jamming - something Neal has pushed for a long while. Arnel is really just scatting Led and Doors lyrics as the guys cut loose and improv. Very cool. Between Deen and Arnel, I think Deen sounded better - but both have lost a little bit of the high end.