Fresno show: 10/11/06, Journey/Def Leppard review

[Big J]

This'll be pretty brief because fuck all y'all, I'm tired. Baby woke me up at 6:15 this morning after getting in late from the show.

So...whoever this solo opening act guy is, Love Like a Mule or whatever, Cletus Jones or some such...get him off the stage. I figured DL was to blame since they hada similar opener on the Adams tour but then he brings out Valory and Cain for two songs. Umm...guys, this sounds not like Journey OR DL...go tour with Bon Jovi. Nice kid I'm sure, but jesus this ain't a bluegrass roots rock crowd.

Now, for the good stuff. My seats, while far, were fine. Journey came out blazing as expected. JSS was at the top of his game for MOST of the set. Only problems I really heard were with Wheel in the Sky...and I think I know the problem. He's trying to sing it like the album, not like the two note live chorus Perry almost always did. Perry ALWAYS ducked the up and down of that chorus live and Jeff, it's okay, you can too. My buddy didn't like Escape but I thought it sounded fine. Thought Jeff sung the best version of Separate Ways he'd ever heard though, so kudos there.

JSS is incredible. All over the stage, though maybe a little too Gary Cherone-ish for some. I like Cherone's stage antics though, so it's all good with me. Wailed through Edge of the Blade like a lawnmower through soft butter. Incredible job. Set list was pretty good, though I hate Dead or Alive, and I wish they'd quit making set lists as though Escape and Frontiers were their only two big albums. Play something off Evolution for Christ's sake. A little Infinity other than the big 2.

But I digress. Deen, as usual, stole the show for his part. What an incredible talent this guy is.

So anyway, all in all, great show. And Cain smiled a couple times, so good for him too. My buddy, who was skeptical going in, thought Soto was better than Augeri as far as a Journey fit. I won't go that far until I hear an album...but he certainly did an incredible job and made the night for me on a night when I was very distracted, calling friends for A's/Tigers updates. Fucking Tigers.

Leppard was next and I gotta admit I was tired. Yawning by this point. Too long a goddamned Wednesday. I'll be brief with them because more things bugged me than didnt and this is the Journey board. First...they cut Let It Go in favor of Make Love Like a Man. I don't think I have to explain why this would irritate me. Second, where the hell is Promises? It's always a hit live, and it's the best song off their last traditional style album. But Euphoria must not exist because during their little graphic during Rocket, when the Rocket flies thru the album covers, it skips it. Hysteria, Adrenalize, Retro Active, Slang, X, Yeah. Yup. Guess it never happened. Okay. Anyway...so they drop two of my favorite Lep songs. They play 20th Century Boy off Yeah though, which is a good choice. But they keep the abysmal Rock On in the set, and follow it up with the 15 minute circle jerk that is Rocket.

I wonder if they realize that by cutting Rocket down they can play two other actually good songs. May I suggest Too Late for Love and To Be Alive? Or in this case, fuck, Let it Go and Promises. Oh well, I suppose Joe needs to go backstage and have a Perrier and a celery stick. Or a cheeseburger. Love ya Joe. Cut Rocket.

So anyway, on top of all that, Joe lost his voice somewhat after coming out to wail at the end of Circle Jerk err Rocket and kinda sucked the rest of the show. The boys cover up for it well though.

All in all, great job by both bands.

Scores (10 point must system)

Overall Sound
Journey 10 Def Leppard 9

Vocals
Journey 10 Def Leppard 8

Stage setup/visuals (screen)
Def Leppard 10 Journey 8

Set List
Journey 10 Def Leppard 8

Crowd Reaction
Def Leppard 10 Journey 9

Journey 47 Def Leppard 45, Journey by split decision.

Side note, to the Journey guys if they're reading. I saw more people heading for the exits during Who's Crying Now and Escape than at any other point in both bands' sets. Moreso during WCN. The song slows the show to a halt night in, night out. I know it was a hit, but maybe it's time for a change? Also, your use of the screen is pathetic. Maybe it's Leppard's screen, I dunno...but seriously...ditch the screensavers and do more stuff like you did with Faithfully. That was awesome.

[journeyrock]

Hi all,

I was at the concert in Fresno as well and I agree with most of the review on Journey. I had a long drive home, so I didn't stay for Def Leppard and it seems as though I didn't miss anything.

I was very impressed with JSS, I thought he did an incredible job. He is very energetic and it is nice to see someone with their own style instead of a clone of Perry. He sang the songs for the most part exactly like Perry did but with his own performance style, and I can tell that he has a great respect for the guy. I, too, thought that Separate Ways was the best I have ever heard it.

I think if Journey is going to go forward with JSS, they need to get in the studio and do some new stuff instead of hanging on to the Perry era. Think they could make it on their own accord instead of on what Perry did for them? I don't.

Where I disagree is I thought the Faithfully video sucked. This video would be much more appropriate showing a history of Journey given the song list than splicing in Jeff and others to make it seem "today". And I did not like Deen's renditions of Open Arms and Who's Cryin now. I didn't think he did the songs justice. Jon was awesome as always. I never get tired of listening to him.

All in all, it was a fantastic show, well worth seeing.

[Moon Beam]

BigJ thanks for te review man and I gotta tell ya
I like the crack about a lawnmower cuttin through butter.
Good one

Oh ya, and............
GO TIGERS!, ya baby!

Journeyrock thanks for your review as well, I love to
read about shows I couldn't be at.

[SteveForever]

No offense to Journey, but Def Leppard's website is way better!!!

[Big J]

GO TIGERS!

FUCK YOU!

[conversationpc]

GO TIGERS!

FUCK YOU!

I'm seriously ecstatic that the Tigers handed the Yankees an ass beating and am pulling for them to beat the A's. The A's are an okay team though, not hate-able like the Spankees.

[Big J]

GO TIGERS!

FUCK YOU!

I'm seriously ecstatic that the Tigers handed the Yankees an ass beating and am pulling for them to beat the A's. The A's are an okay team though, not hate-able like the Spankees.

*grumble* at least you didnt throw it in my face. For that, you only have to endure a lower case fuck you. No exclamation mark or evil smilie.

[Big J]

No offense to Journey, but Def Leppard's website is way better!!!

Yes, yes it is. They got rid of that Pete Willis picture once he was out of the band.

[conversationpc]

GO TIGERS!

FUCK YOU!

I'm seriously ecstatic that the Tigers handed the Yankees an ass beating and am pulling for them to beat the A's. The A's are an okay team though, not hate-able like the Spankees.

*grumble* at least you didnt throw it in my face. For that, you only have to endure a lower case fuck you. No exclamation mark or evil smilie.

Thanks...I guess. Kinda disappointing after reading all those TNC put-downs.

[Big J]

GO TIGERS!

FUCK YOU!

I'm seriously ecstatic that the Tigers handed the Yankees an ass beating and am pulling for them to beat the A's. The A's are an okay team though, not hate-able like the Spankees.

*grumble* at least you didnt throw it in my face. For that, you only have to endure a lower case fuck you. No exclamation mark or evil smilie.

Thanks...I guess. Kinda disappointing after reading all those TNC put-downs.

In all seriousness I'll be rooting for the Pusses if they make the Series...no harm no foul. They're a goddamned good team. Goddamned good. And the Mets are repulsive and the Cardinals may not win and take solitary 2nd place for most world titles. So if they make it, go Pussy. But I hope they get chicken-theived in Detroit and the A's take game 6 in Oak.

[Tom Jrnyfn]

I would agree with this review..Lep seemed to just go through the motions..I swear they're using backing tracks of some sort..Things didn't seen right with them..My kid says, Neal is way better than those guys..

[Big J]

I would agree with this review..Lep seemed to just go through the motions..I swear they're using backing tracks of some sort..Things didn't seen right with them..My kid says, Neal is way better than those guys..

If they're sweetening the backup vocals, which I think they are, that's commonplace. The thing that raised such a stink around here was the lipsyncing lead vocalist issue which, I'm certain, Joe isn't doing or he'd sound better.

Incidentally I'd bet money Journey's sweetening the backing vocals too. Nothing wrong with it IMO, really. No worse than the old hidden keyboardist trick to me.

[Moon Beam]

I'm sorry you got the baseball blues BigJ
I was just funnin with ya, sorry

[conversationpc]

I would agree with this review..Lep seemed to just go through the motions..I swear they're using backing tracks of some sort..Things didn't seen right with them..My kid says, Neal is way better than those guys..

If they're sweetening the backup vocals, which I think they are, that's commonplace. The thing that raised such a stink around here was the lipsyncing lead vocalist issue which, I'm certain, Joe isn't doing or he'd sound better.

Incidentally I'd bet money Journey's sweetening the backing vocals too. Nothing wrong with it IMO, really. No worse than the old hidden keyboardist trick to me.

I was chatting with a guy on another board that says he helped engineer the Hardline album "Double Eclipse" and says they wanted to hire him to play keyboards backstage that would trigger the backing vocals.

[A Fire Inside]

Also, your use of the screen is pathetic. Maybe it's Leppard's screen, I dunno...but seriously...ditch the screensavers and do more stuff like you did with Faithfully. That was awesome.

YES YES YES

I have been saying this for ages.

[dcvader]

Journey's use of the screen has gotten better since the very start of the tour. The first month or so they were using Windows Media Player like gaphics and no camera work.

They were much better the last 2 shows I saw. At least the had some camera work and new graphics.

There is still a long way to go.

[NealIsGod]

They should let AR take over the video portion of the show.

[Just Mindy]

They should let AR take over the video portion of the show.

I can just imagine what would happen with that

[fredinator]

Well, you could bet there wouldn't be any beer runs