PPL Center Concert Review: Journey brings precision to Allen

[jrny84]

REVIEW: Journey brings precision to Allentown's PPLCenter, but Santana brings power

John J. Moser Contact Reporter

When classic rock stalwarts Santana and Journey took the stage at Allentown’s PPL Center on Saturday, the latter band’s best feature was that it recreated with precision its 1970s and ‘80s hits. “New” Journey singer Arnel Pineda sounded, if not exactly like original singer Steve Perry, then what Perry likely sounds like today.

But it was Santana who brought the night’s power. For him and his band, which reunited the classic lineup that played Woodstock 47 years ago, precision didn’t matter. Even when it played classic hits, the band took them to new places – and in the case of frontman Carlos Santana’s guitar, the more divergence, the better.

The common thread through the show, which offered 34 songs in a total of three hours and 25 minutes, was guitarist Neal Schon – a member of Santana’s classic lineup who went on to found Journey and reunited with Santana for its sharp new (released Friday) album “Santana IV.”

Schon played on 28 of the night’s songs, and even his performances showed the differences between the bands.

Santana opened the night (a questionable move; more about that later) with a 100-minute set of 16 songs (including a smashup of “Happy Birthday” and Tower of Power’s “You’re Still a Young Man,” complete with cake, for the keyboard player).

From the start of “Soul Sacrifice,” the band showed it was sharp and tight, playing wild and forceful, making the music still sound fresh. As the music played, the big screens showed scenes from the Woodstock movie, with Carlos Santana and drummer Mike Shrieve matching their 1969 performances.

Santana – wearing a Lehigh Valley Phantoms jersey No. 1, with “Santana” across the shoulders – had a piercing playing style that was instantly recognizable. The fact that he’s so distinctive at age 68 is astonishing.

The best known hits were great. The early “Evil Ways” had such energy that Santana asked the near-sellout crowd, “Good Lord, how high am I?” And when the crowd responded enthusiastically, Santana replied, “That’s right. Are you feeling high?”

A seven-minute” Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen” with Santana’s guitar screaming, was the best of the set, and Santana paired it with an especially hard-rocking “Oye Coma Va” that brought the crowd to its feet, then kept them there for a standing ovation.

Schon joined the band for the fourth song, the new disc’s “Shake It,” which he wrote, and matched Santana’s playing intensity. He stayed for nine of Santana’s songs – often taking the lead, such as on the new “Caminando,” or shared the lead with Santana, playing off each other.

On the new “Anywhere You Want to Go,” Santana played as if he was in a trance. “New York City” was gutsy rock on the midsection of which Schon and Santana exchanged ethereal riffs before segueing into The Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black.”

After Schon left, the band finished with Santana’s latter-day No. 1 hits “Maria Maria” and “Smooth.” Those songs, along with the new disc’s cuts, showed that not only does the band’s classic material still hold up incredibly well, but it’s new music is as relevant – and musically good – as ever.

Conversely, Journey’s 18-song, hour-and-45-minute set consisted entirely – except for one song – of tunes from the 1970s and ‘80s.

Not that there was anything wrong with that. Songs such as the opening “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” and “Open Arms” hold up well – they had the largely advanced-age crowd on their feet – and an energetic and nicely elongated ”Stone in Love” was the best of the set.

But all were note-faithful recreations. Even when Schon took a long solo to end “Only the Young,” his playing was nowhere near as adventurous as anything he played with Santana. That showed when Santana joined the band for a mid-set jam, crouching and scratching his strings.

Similarly, Pineda – who now has been in the band nine years – gave a performance that was strong and confident, but also sterile. He made up for it in energy and enthusiasm – playing the crowd, running, spinning and jumping.

Its hits, too, were good, with “Lights” was nicely done. But its one newer song, 2005’s “Faith in the Heartland,” was undistinguished, and the middle of the set dragged with the deeper cuts “Mother Father,” and the title cut from “Escape.”

And by the time Journey played the deep cut “La Do Da,” it seemed to lose the crowd, with groups of people leaving – and compounded it by adding a long drum solo.

Thankfully, Journey roared back with a fury on “Wheel in the Sky,” and on “Faithfully,” Pineda even sang differently from Perry, and it sounded good.

And the ending run of the big hits “Don’t Stop Believin’” with a huge confetti drop, “Any Way You Want It” and an encore of a fun “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’” was the hits just as you remembered them.

And that was great. But Santana’s power was better.

http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/lehi ... olumn.html

[George_g888]

This is a fair assessment of Journey IMO

[FamilyMan]

This review is indicative of why the band doesn't deviate from the dirty dozen. Whether it's the crowd getting up in droves for piss breaks, or the ink from writers like this one, the guys can't get a break. If they try to shake up the set, they get condemned for it.

[Red13JoePa]

This review is indicative of why the band doesn't deviate from the dirty dozen. Whether it's the crowd getting up in droves for piss breaks, or the ink from writers like this one, the guys can't get a break. If they try to shake up the set, they get condemned for it.

EXACTLY it's a catch-22 and J, like most bands of their ilk, are victims of their 70s and 80s success. Had they rolled out like 3 Eclipse or Revelation cuts, this dude would've ripped them for THAT.

[Memorex]

Bands can go two directions. Play the latest music and serve smaller crowds, or play the hits and get more seats filled in the spring/summer/Christmas time.

I hate saying this - I do. But a true artist will play the smaller venue. The business-savvy group that wants to maximize dollars on their catalog will go the "Chicago" route. Journey is Chicago now.

Not saying either one is right or wrong, it's just the choice that has to be made at some point.

[George_g888]

Bands can go two directions. Play the latest music and serve smaller crowds, or play the hits and get more seats filled in the spring/summer/Christmas time.

I hate saying this - I do. But a true artist will play the smaller venue. The business-savvy group that wants to maximize dollars on their catalog will go the "Chicago" route. Journey is Chicago now.

Not saying either one is right or wrong, it's just the choice that has to be made at some point.

Except when Chicago is the only one on the bill, they play like 34 songs... It makes it much more worth it to spend money when a band is playing a lot of material. Even when Journey does "evening with" shows they barely play more than they already do when there are 2 other acts on the bill.

[The_Noble_Cause]

“New” Journey singer Arnel Pineda sounded, if not exactly like original singer Steve Perry, then what Perry likely sounds like today.

Yawn. How many lazy reporters have used this same approach to start a review of a Journey concert since 1998. Find a new angle already.

[tj]

Entirely different types of music. Santana leaves a lot of room for improvisation and is much more loose than Journey music. The Journey fans in general want to hear the hits like they sound on the album. Tight musicianship with tight, layered bg vocals and harmonies. Santana, particularly the classic hit stuff, is nothing like that. This leaves Journey at a big disadvantage in the comparison.

I get the Journey /Santana history, but the styles of music are so different that the casual fan of either band probably doesn't have much use for the other, outside of the hits the way they remember them. Seems like an odd pairing to me.

[tj]

Bands can go two directions. Play the latest music and serve smaller crowds, or play the hits and get more seats filled in the spring/summer/Christmas time.

I hate saying this - I do. But a true artist will play the smaller venue. The business-savvy group that wants to maximize dollars on their catalog will go the "Chicago" route. Journey is Chicago now.

Not saying either one is right or wrong, it's just the choice that has to be made at some point.

Except when Chicago is the only one on the bill, they play like 34 songs... It makes it much more worth it to spend money when a band is playing a lot of material. Even when Journey does "evening with" shows they barely play more than they already do when there are 2 other acts on the bill.

Chicago was cranking out hits long before and after Journey. They have been at it nonstop for almost 50 years and at least 20+ albums of material. They share lead vocals on different songs and change up arrangements frequently, so you won't always hear the same songs the same way each time you hear them.

They were never really a stadium filling band the way Journey was either, though. Even after Peter Cetera left 30+ years ago, they have been successful touring. Cetera made his demands, the other guys kicked him to the curb, and they just moved on. According to Andrew's interview with Herbie, it's what Herbie thinks probably what Neal and the guys should have done with Perry in 84 or 85.

[jrny84]

Bands can go two directions. Play the latest music and serve smaller crowds, or play the hits and get more seats filled in the spring/summer/Christmas time.

I hate saying this - I do. But a true artist will play the smaller venue. The business-savvy group that wants to maximize dollars on their catalog will go the "Chicago" route. Journey is Chicago now.

Not saying either one is right or wrong, it's just the choice that has to be made at some point.

Except when Chicago is the only one on the bill, they play like 34 songs... It makes it much more worth it to spend money when a band is playing a lot of material. Even when Journey does "evening with" shows they barely play more than they already do when there are 2 other acts on the bill.

Chicago was cranking out hits long before and after Journey. They have been at it nonstop for almost 50 years and at least 20+ albums of material. They share lead vocals on different songs and change up arrangements frequently, so you won't always hear the same songs the same way each time you hear them.

They were never really a stadium filling band the way Journey was either, though. Even after Peter Cetera left 30+ years ago, they have been successful touring. Cetera made his demands, the other guys kicked him to the curb, and they just moved on. According to Andrew's interview with Herbie, it's what Herbie thinks probably what Neal and the guys should have done with Perry in 84 or 85.

Exactly. Chicago never quite had the large audiences and draw that Journey had, especially in their heyday. While Chicago still remains a successful touring act today, they are mostly touring smaller arenas, concert halls, and theaters. Journey consistently packs out large arenas and amphitheaters throughout the U.S. They seem to have more of an appeal across the board in today's music culture.

[Memorex]

Exactly. Chicago never quite had the large audiences and draw that Journey had, especially in their heyday. While Chicago still remains a successful touring act today, they are mostly touring smaller arenas, concert halls, and theaters. Journey consistently packs out large arenas and amphitheaters throughout the U.S. They seem to have more of an appeal across the board in today's music culture.

My point is if Chicago focused mostly on new music, they'd be playing less often and fewer places. Same with many bands. Regardless of size, many bands would be playing smaller places less often if focused on new music.

[jrny84]

Exactly. Chicago never quite had the large audiences and draw that Journey had, especially in their heyday. While Chicago still remains a successful touring act today, they are mostly touring smaller arenas, concert halls, and theaters. Journey consistently packs out large arenas and amphitheaters throughout the U.S. They seem to have more of an appeal across the board in today's music culture.

My point is if Chicago focused mostly on new music, they'd be playing less often and fewer places. Same with many bands. Regardless of size, many bands would be playing smaller places less often if focused on new music.

Yup, I agree on that point. Maybe the exceptions being Rush and Springsteen. Rush has only a few radio hits, but a very loyal fanbase.

[Memorex]

Exactly. Chicago never quite had the large audiences and draw that Journey had, especially in their heyday. While Chicago still remains a successful touring act today, they are mostly touring smaller arenas, concert halls, and theaters. Journey consistently packs out large arenas and amphitheaters throughout the U.S. They seem to have more of an appeal across the board in today's music culture.

My point is if Chicago focused mostly on new music, they'd be playing less often and fewer places. Same with many bands. Regardless of size, many bands would be playing smaller places less often if focused on new music.

Yup, I agree on that point. Maybe the exceptions being Rush and Springsteen. Rush has only a few radio hits, but a very loyal fanbase.

Yea. Those are excellent examples of exceptions.

[George_g888]

Exactly. Chicago never quite had the large audiences and draw that Journey had, especially in their heyday. While Chicago still remains a successful touring act today, they are mostly touring smaller arenas, concert halls, and theaters. Journey consistently packs out large arenas and amphitheaters throughout the U.S. They seem to have more of an appeal across the board in today's music culture.

My point is if Chicago focused mostly on new music, they'd be playing less often and fewer places. Same with many bands. Regardless of size, many bands would be playing smaller places less often if focused on new music.

Yup, I agree on that point. Maybe the exceptions being Rush and Springsteen. Rush has only a few radio hits, but a very loyal fanbase.

Add Bon Jovi and U2 to that list, without a doubt

[Archetype]

Just saw some YouTube videos of this gig. The biggest thing that stuck out to me is Steve Smith's drumming on Faith In The Heartland. Totally different feel and it sounds awesome.

[Eric]

Just saw some YouTube videos of this gig. The biggest thing that stuck out to me is Steve Smith's drumming on Faith In The Heartland. Totally different feel and it sounds awesome.

It was crazy good. What a great effin tune.