What did you guys think of the Japan Video?

[Jeremey]

Hi folks!

I found the Escape/Frontiers concert on AppleTV recently and just watched it this week. I was really impressed! It was great to see Smitty & Ross on stage together again and Arnel sang his ass off and Neal played like a true guitar hero. Cain was great as the musical director role I guess Anyway that keyboard player who sang "Lay it Down" was an incredible singer too! Is he still with the band?

What is the general consensus on this release from the fan community?

[kmjrr]

His name is Travis Thibodaux and he is no longer touring with the band. I did not like his country twang and always skip his songs on the 2017 performance. He was replaced by Jason Derlatka whose voice is much better. Listen to his performance of Girl Can't Help It that I recorded in Lincoln, NE this year. It starts around 1:30 in the video.
https://youtu.be/cYL0oYPqN8E?feature=shared

[Monker]

Hi folks!

I found the Escape/Frontiers concert on AppleTV recently and just watched it this week. I was really impressed! It was great to see Smitty & Ross on stage together again and Arnel sang his ass off and Neal played like a true guitar hero. Cain was great as the musical director role I guess Anyway that keyboard player who sang "Lay it Down" was an incredible singer too! Is he still with the band?

What is the general consensus on this release from the fan community?

I do not recall this being discussed much at all here. I don't think there really is a consensus of how good or bad it is.

[19td73]

Hi folks!

I found the Escape/Frontiers concert on AppleTV recently and just watched it this week. I was really impressed! It was great to see Smitty & Ross on stage together again and Arnel sang his ass off and Neal played like a true guitar hero. Cain was great as the musical director role I guess Anyway that keyboard player who sang "Lay it Down" was an incredible singer too! Is he still with the band?

What is the general consensus on this release from the fan community?

I personally really enjoyed this as well. My only gripe is that "Troubled Child" was not on this. I've seen this on youtube years ago and always wondered why? Always loved the solo Neal did on this and was hoping to have and here it performed live in my collection Here it is below. Arnel is a little late on first chorus. Neal was smokin on the solo but seemed off. Oh well?

. https://youtu.be/baFllE1pV3k?si=cYIQULteGrWW1FWz

[Loneman1]

I personally really enjoyed this as well. My only gripe is that "Troubled Child" was not on this. I've seen this on youtube years ago and always wondered why? Always loved the solo Neal did on this and was hoping to have and here it performed live in my collection Here it is below. Arnel is a little late on first chorus. Neal was smokin on the solo but seemed off. Oh well?

. https://youtu.be/baFllE1pV3k?si=cYIQULteGrWW1FWz

Yeah I was really looking forward to Troubled Child finally making its debut, but clip showed that they sadly just couldn't pull it off. I was bummed when I got ahold of the concert bootleg pro recording of the show and heard it was so off the mark. I wonder how much they rehearsed it to be honest since other than that loooooong note Perry held it doesn't seem too much harder than some of their other songs technically.

[19td73]

Yeah I was really looking forward to Troubled Child finally making its debut, but clip showed that they sadly just couldn't pull it off. I was bummed when I got ahold of the concert bootleg pro recording of the show and heard it was so off the mark. I wonder how much they rehearsed it to be honest since other than that loooooong note Perry held it doesn't seem too much harder than some of their other songs technically.[/quote]

Perfectly said about how much rehearsing they did or didn't do for that song. I know its not one of their best songs but came off kinda flat and a bit of a mess in the video link i posted. Hence probably why it wasn't included.

[The_Noble_Cause]

I believe there is a recording of the rehearsal of this show on YouTube and you really notice how much Jonathan directs everything. He is literally the brains and the conductor of this outfit. I have the CD / DVD. I enjoy it. I thought Travis was a cool guy. However, unlike Jason, Travis was mostly kept in the dark and not considered an official band member. I had a chance to say hi to him at a casino show. He looked surprised anybody knew his name. He is interviewed in the upcoming Bobby Kimball documentary. I enjoy this release for what it is. I listen to it sometimes in the car. In terms of post-SP releases, I still prefer Vegas 2001.

[19td73]

I believe there is a recording of the rehearsal of this show on YouTube and you really notice how much Jonathan directs everything. He is literally the brains and the conductor of this outfit.

If you ever find this please post a link of this rehearsal. I would love to see this. I'll do some digging myself.

I have the CD / DVD. I enjoy it. I thought Travis was a cool guy. However, unlike Jason, Travis was mostly kept in the dark and not considered an official band member. I had a chance to say hi to him at a casino show. He looked surprised anybody knew his name. He is interviewed in the upcoming Bobby Kimball documentary. I enjoy this release for what it is.

That guy imo did a superb job singing "Lay It Down" on this. I had no problems with the three songs he sang. On a side note i really can't wait for the Kimball Documentry.

I listen to it sometimes in the car. In terms of post-SP releases, I still prefer Vegas 2001.

Vegas 2001 is my preferance also. Love "Live In Manilla" Arnel was awesome, but Augeri had a classy way on that video of doing the songs justice. I like his humbleness when fronting this band. Not at all saying JSS or Arnel lacked humblness in anyway but "Vegas 2001" im glad to still have a copy in my collection.

[Jeremey]

True confession, I only watched up to "Mother, Father," which Arnel did an incredible job on, as good as I've ever heard Deen sing it. I haven't really kept up with the band for a number of years and had read that they brought an auxiliary keyboard player out a few years back but didn't know who they were or where they came from. Now that I think about it I do remember something about Lukather's son playing keyboards and also marrying Madison Cain?

It's a little hard to keep track of it all, haha.

It's too bad Troubled Child didn't make the disc, it's one of my favorite songs and actually really wanted to sing this with the band back in '07. They couldn't remember it, so they played through the entire song as an instrumental to work out all the parts. Let me just say, that song - without vocals - is like a totally different song.

It's like this writhing engine that churns in this dangerous sounding way without all the melody over top of it. Just listening to Neal's guitar during the verses and into the chorus, it was like I'd never heard the song before. We did end up playing it together once they had it locked in. Maybe on YouTube or something there's a version of that song without the vocals. If anyone finds it, give it a listen because it really is an amazing and powerful tune.

[Jeremey]

Hey actually I was looking for an instrumental version of Troubled Child and found out they did perform it during that Tokyo concert, it just was cut from the release...

Probably a wise decision, oof - live train wreck ahead ...

https://youtu.be/baFllE1pV3k?feature=shared

EDIT: whoops, I see now where this was posted earlier in the thread!

[The_Noble_Cause]

Now that I think about it I do remember something about Lukather's son playing keyboards and also marrying Madison Cain?

You're close.

Trev did marry Madison. He's never done keys for Journey. The current guy, Jason, is Trev's best friend. Trev and Jason posted a few covers, including Journey, online prior to Jason joining.

[Loneman1]

It's too bad Troubled Child didn't make the disc, it's one of my favorite songs and actually really wanted to sing this with the band back in '07. They couldn't remember it, so they played through the entire song as an instrumental to work out all the parts. Let me just say, that song - without vocals - is like a totally different song.

It's like this writhing engine that churns in this dangerous sounding way without all the melody over top of it. Just listening to Neal's guitar during the verses and into the chorus, it was like I'd never heard the song before. We did end up playing it together once they had it locked in. Maybe on YouTube or something there's a version of that song without the vocals. If anyone finds it, give it a listen because it really is an amazing and powerful tune.

Well damn, now I have a new bucket list item to hear.

[Gideon]

Great to see you Jeremey. I loved the Japan DVD. Great audio, AP, NS, SS all sound great. JC unfortunately looks like sourpuss but as others point out, he's basically the conductor.

[Jeremey]

Great to see you Jeremey. I loved the Japan DVD. Great audio, AP, NS, SS all sound great. JC unfortunately looks like sourpuss but as others point out, he's basically the conductor.

Thanks, great to see all you guys. Always fun to drop in and say hi!

[Eric]

Glad I have it as part of the collection, but I felt it lacked the energy of their other concert releases: Journey 2001, Live from Manilla and Lollapalooza.