Grade the tours since 1998

[Eric]

1) They did TBF songs the first leg of Vacations Over in the Fall of '98, plus Remember Me.

2) They did World Gone Wild, Good Time Tonite and Live and Breathe the second leg with Foreigner in the summer of '99.

3) They played 2-4 songs off Arrival for the Arrival tour in 2001.

4) The only tour I had a big problem with was 2002's "Under the Radar" tour.
They played a long set (except the fairs at the end), had a new EP and just a 12-18 month old Arrival...plus were out from under a label's control, YET the setlist was mostly greatest hits and they didn't even change that up much. They did open with State of Grace, played The Time and usually Higher Place...but for the specific tour, it just wasn't enough and didn't make sense. Even the opening night they "debuted" the album in a club, they only played 2/4 songs off Red 13. I never have understood this tour at all...not to mention the amount of low prestige venues they hit. I know all about hitting the secondary markets, but....I don't think it is good for perception.


5) The 2003 Main Event tour was what it was, I give them credit for even playing State of Grace.

6) 2004 Detour tour they didn't play enough new stuff, but they did play some different stuff and Castronovo started to sing. I guess I have a little bit of a problem with this one.

7) The 30th Anniversary tour...who could complain? They played 3-6 songs of Generation, plus the whole Pre-perry set. I mean, nothing to complain about there.

JSS 2006 tour, well....it is what it is. I still don't think they should have opened each night, but they kicked the Leps butt so its all good I spose.

All in all, I give them a B for quality of setlists.

[jrnyman28]

I just saw this post at BT too.

1) I thought most of the TBF was in Japan. They did play Remember Me and they had a medley of pre-Perry stuff.
2) They didn't play those songs you listed when I saw them on that leg. I think I still got Remember Me. My introduction to Steve. A pleasant surprise as I was skeptical. Steve started timid but ended strong.
3) Arrival was a fair setlist. They didn't have a lot of time to play and they did play 3 Arrival tunes (plus NO OPEN ARMS, a major kudos from me!!;))
4) UTR was a GREAT show, 2nd only to the 30th anniversary. The acoustic set with TBF and Liberty plus they played State Of Grace and The Time and Higher Place. I still think they should have played a couple more Arrival tunes and less of the Perry-era album cuts. But an amazing show and Steve had finally taken over the band.
5) Main Event: Horrible set. Way too short. I never heard they played State Of Grace but I know after half the tour they put Higher Place back in. Unfortunately they dropped Precious Time from the set and that was the main song I wanted to hear as the rest was dirty dozen.
6) Detour, I didn't go, but seemed like the return to the GH package with a few deep cuts. Deen became THE reason to see this tour. He balanced out the negatives on the setlist.
7) The 30th Anniversary show setlist was a dream come true for me. If only it wasn't fraught with issues. The first 2 nights Journey plays 6 or so songs from Generations and there is the Pre-Perry set. Sadly the setlist quickly adapts to crowd response and the band backs away from their new material. However, they do still play 4 new tracks consistently...a "best" for the course of the 7 years. Add all the deep cuts, Deen's singing and just about every other hit and you have the best ever set list.
8 ) This years setlist is crap just like the Main Event. You do get a deep cut or two which seem to be revolving a little. But no new music. This was the tour that would have been perfect to feature 2-3 new "rockin'" songs from Generations to the Def Lep audience. But whether it was due to Steve's departure or the band simply returning to the safety of the DD I don't know.

I can find something to praise and something to complain about on every tour. What I think is wrong with the band and their setlist is that they relied on the safety of the Perry-era hits AND deep cuts in order to coax the audience back in. And when the audience ate it up they were afraid to rock the boat for fear they might lose them again. The audience reacts to the deep cuts the same as they would the new material, so why not play the new material anyway? Even if the audience goes to the beer tent or the bathroom they still hear the music. I just wish the band would have stood behind their new music and their singer throughout his tenure. There was no long term confidence. Journey should have been confident and cocky. And that is one thing Steve did not have...that cockiness. JSS has it. Maybe the band will utilize it.

Overall I would rate these 8 tours at a C-. When I do the math it is actually a B but that just doesn't feel right. I cannot flunk any tour because I was grateful the band was out there, I like Steve and even if I am tired of the hits they still were played well.

I give Arrival, UTR and the 30th A's but I give this year and the Main Event D's. The first 2 get B's and the Detour gets a C.

[AR]

Vacations Over: B+
bumped up just for the fact there was a Journey on the road again

Arrival Tour: A-
I had fun at the shows I went to

Under the Radar Tour: C-
Went to one show, horrible sound system that night. Definitely biases my grade on this one.

The Main Event Tour: A as a package, B- for just Journey

2004 Detour Tour: C
Deen's singing saves it from getting a much worse grade

30th Anniversary Tour/Generations: F
A big fat F for obvious reasons

2006 co-headlining: A-
would be an A+ if the sets were longer. Great return to form!

[jrnyman28]

30th Anniversary Tour/Generations: F
A big fat F for obvious reasons!

I thought this was supposed to be about the setlists...how did the setlist work for you?

[Eric]

I just saw this post at BT too.

Yeah I thought it would get more traction here....

FYI - I saw Castles Burning, When You Love a Woman, Can't Tame the Lion and I believe One More at the Syracuse show in October of 1998.

Also, they didn't play that acoustic set for all the shows for the Under the Radar tour.

[jrnyman28]

I just saw this post at BT too.

Yeah I thought it would get more traction here....

FYI - I saw Castles Burning, When You Love a Woman, Can't Tame the Lion and I believe One More at the Syracuse show in October of 1998.

Also, they didn't play that acoustic set for all the shows for the Under the Radar tour.

I think maybe that is the true problem...there is no consistency to their setlists. I understand the idea of changing it up and keeping it fresh for the band. That works for the fans that follow the band as well. But they seemed to take the good things out and keep the crap DD.

[AR]

I thought this was supposed to be about the setlists...how did the setlist work for you?

The title of the thread was "Grade the Tours" so that's how I gave my grades.

To answer your question, the setlist for the 30th in theory was very good and of course very different from previous tours. But anything mouthed by Augeri behind a puffy mic is disqualified so it turns it into a very short show.

[jrnyman28]

I thought this was supposed to be about the setlists...how did the setlist work for you?

The title of the thread was "Grade the Tours" so that's how I gave my grades.

To answer your question, the setlist for the 30th in theory was very good and of course very different from previous tours. But anything mouthed by Augeri behind a puffy mic is disqualified so it turns it into a very short show.

I certainly agree that the tour was tainted, I even mentioned that. But at the end of Eric's post it did say that this was how he graded the setlists...that's where I was coming from. Either way...I think we agree. (Even if I still do not subscribe to the "100% lipped" theory...)

[lights1961]

1) They did TBF songs the first leg of Vacations Over in the Fall of '98, plus Remember Me.

2) They did World Gone Wild, Good Time Tonite and Live and Breathe the second leg with Foreigner in the summer of '99.

3) They played 2-4 songs off Arrival for the Arrival tour in 2001.

4) The only tour I had a big problem with was 2002's "Under the Radar" tour.
They played a long set (except the fairs at the end), had a new EP and just a 12-18 month old Arrival...plus were out from under a label's control, YET the setlist was mostly greatest hits and they didn't even change that up much. They did open with State of Grace, played The Time and usually Higher Place...but for the specific tour, it just wasn't enough and didn't make sense. Even the opening night they "debuted" the album in a club, they only played 2/4 songs off Red 13. I never have understood this tour at all...not to mention the amount of low prestige venues they hit. I know all about hitting the secondary markets, but....I don't think it is good for perception.


5) The 2003 Main Event tour was what it was, I give them credit for even playing State of Grace.

6) 2004 Detour tour they didn't play enough new stuff, but they did play some different stuff and Castronovo started to sing. I guess I have a little bit of a problem with this one.

7) The 30th Anniversary tour...who could complain? They played 3-6 songs of Generation, plus the whole Pre-perry set. I mean, nothing to complain about there.

JSS 2006 tour, well....it is what it is. I still don't think they should have opened each night, but they kicked the Leps butt so its all good I spose.

All in all, I give them a B for quality of setlists.

vacations over 99 for me first time and only 1 show that year up at the Minnesota State fair... was way to far away from the stage to see anything--but the songs were great...B...but only because I cant remember to much from it--was just stunned to be hearing the music again..

Arrival tour of 2001... GREAT TOUR PACKAGE and set list for my taste.. went twice that year... MSP at the Target Center great---heard higher place and to be alive again... KC heard Message of Love and livin to do... so A+ Loved hearing Peter Frampton that year!!

2002 Under the radar saw that one twice too... the accustic set of liberty and trail by fire awesome.. hearing feeling that way anytime...always is a killer for me!! A+ and was invited to go to sound check in DM... WOW--- how thrilling!! hearing State of Grace and the Time was killer as well.

2003 main event kicked ass as a tour... saw that three times... A+

2004 once in minneapolis again--- loved hearing Precious Time.. and feeling that way anytime... by then though--- the guys seemed like they were not enjoying the road that year... so grade C... That should have been the year to stay home...

missed last years shows...

2006 GREAT TOUR PACAKGE!! A+ JSS has bought new excitement to the BAND...and loved all the shows I have seen this year..

Rick