Birmingham Review 2 of 5 stars

[Barb]

Did anyone here go to this show? This guy has a lot of really harsh comments for Journey. Also, it really irritates me when they say only 2/5 of the original line up remain without acknowledging that Cain has been in the band since freaking 1981!

http://blog.al.com/scene/2008/08/journe ... ostal.html

Journey and Cheap Trick: Nostalgia just can't carry these tired acts
Posted by Jeremy Burgess -- Birmingham News August 11, 2008 9:42 AM
Two of five stars
Journey with with Cheap Trick
Verizon Wireless Music Center
Saturday night

On Saturday night, two of the biggest bands of the '70s and '80s -- Journey and Cheap Trick -- hit the stage at the Verizon Wireless Music Center. But while the evening was full of chart-topping hits, the concert was primarily a reminder that each band is past its prime.


Although Cheap Trick only played an hour, the band crammed in its biggest hits like "I Want You To Want Me," "The Flame" and "Dream Police" while also pulling out a few gimmicky surprises like a 12-string bass, a five-neck guitar, and a KISS record that guitarist Rick Nielsen threw into the crowd during "Surrender."

Cheap Trick showed its age at times (Nielsen's on-stage jumps barely lifted him off the ground and bassist Tom Petersson slurred his words on his one vocal appearance), but the band held things together for a good set as lead singer Robin Zander proved that he can still hit the high notes.

But when Journey arrived at 9:05, it was clear that the band's glory days were long gone. The set started with "Never Walk Away," the first track on the new album "Revelation."

"Good evening Alabama, and welcome to our show," said new lead singer Arnel Pineda as they moved into "Only the Young."

Journey filled out the rest of its almost-two-hour set by making the crowd suffer through more new songs before they could hear the hits like "Wheel In The Sky," "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)," and "Don't Stop Believin'." The band finished up the regular set with "Any Way You Want It" before returning for a short encore with "Escape" and "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'."

While Cheap Trick displayed its full original lineup, Journey could only scrape up two-fifths. The two original members -- guitarist Neal Schon and bassist Ross Valory -- seemed almost immobile throughout the set, and pianist/keyboardist Jonathan Cain seemed like he was reading from a teleprompter when he addressed the crowd.

And while new lead singer Arnel Pineda, who was hired last year after Schon saw YouTube videos of his band performing Journey covers, was rather lively and youthful, his hopping and smiling (and, yes, his singing) seemed more appropriate for "American Idol" than a real rock band. Both bands played almost all of the hits that the crowd wanted to hear, but it's hard to say that they fully did them justice -- especially in Steve Perry-less Journey's case.

Cheap Trick was all right. Journey was all right. They just seemed a little old.

[Michigan Girl]

What happened to HEART?????

[Saint John]

I don't mind this review a bit. Less than stellar reviews keeps the guys grounded and motivated. Nothing wrong with the guy giving his opinion...even if it was stupid.

[Onestepper]

Seems like he had more issues with the set list than anything else. Ahh the dog days of a summer long tour...

[Red13JoePa]

Smacked-ass reviewer wrote:
"Journey filled out the rest of its almost-two-hour set by making the crowd suffer through more new songs"


Asinine comment given the sales figures of Revelation.

[Enigma869]

Did anyone here go to this show? This guy has a lot of really harsh comments for Journey. Also, it really irritates me when they say only 2/5 of the original line up remain without acknowledging that Cain has been in the band since freaking 1981!

Well, it's tough to argue with the statement, considering it's actually factual!

the concert was primarily a reminder that each band is past its prime.

Regardless of how ardent of a Journey or Cheap Trick supporter you are...this is also VERY accurate!

But when Journey arrived at 9:05, it was clear that the band's glory days were long gone.

Once again, a very accurate statement, that even Schon would admit (in a private, off the record sort of way)

The two original members -- guitarist Neal Schon and bassist Ross Valory -- seemed almost immobile throughout the set

Well, they aren't young men. Perhaps the arthritis was acting up

Jonathan Cain seemed like he was reading from a teleprompter when he addressed the crowd.

Friga always comes across with that teleprompter glaze. I think it's just the way he is

Both bands played almost all of the hits that the crowd wanted to hear, but it's hard to say that they fully did them justice -- especially in Steve Perry-less Journey's case.

I wasn't at the concert so can't comment. I can say that from the concerts I've seen, Arnel does "justice" to most of the songs. Comparing the guy to Perry simply isn't realistic or fair. He's not Perry, and the songs definitely don't sound as good as the originals (in spite of what many will have you believe). The bottom line is that the music has to be accepted for what it is. It's paying tribute to a bygone era that all of us treasure. I still enjoy the music but never pretend that these guys are as good as they were in 1981, because they're simply not! I'm not as good as I was in 1981, and neither are they, period, end of story!

Journey was all right. They just seemed a little old.

Um...perhaps because they ARE OLD


John from Boston

[Michigan Girl]

Journey was all right. They just seemed a little old.

Um...perhaps because they ARE OLD


John from Boston

They are gettin' up there, but I think AP makes them seem even older!!!
He is so full of energy....like watching Wile E. Coyote try to keep up with the Road Runner!!!

[X factor]

What happened to HEART?????

They didn't play in Nashville cause of a solo gig they had at the Wildhorse- which was the same night as the Birmingham show.

My friend Wendy went to the Nashville show, and emailed me this tidbit:
I wasn't a really big fan I almost didn't go but since Iknow all the songs, and who wouldn't... I decided to go. Anyway, justthought I'd pass on that it was AWESOME. That kid is fantastic, hisenergy level is so high that the other guys really had to raise the bar(not that they aren't incredible musicians). Although, I'm a little lateto the Journey party my guess is that Steve Perry was wrongfullycredited with their popularity back in the day. I could say that I was partying like it was 1985 but those guys were sogood it was like a brand new 2008 version of Journey instead of tiredold back in the day Journey.

She's hardly a big fan, but sounds like she really dug Arnel...didn't have the heart to tell her that "the kid" is a year older than she is!

[separate_wayz]

Yawn.

With the internet, everybody's An Entertainment Critic. Websites, online newspapers, blogs, whatever ..... there's now a gazillion places to post your opinion, no matter how stupidly argued and ill-considered it is. And there could be almost 1,000,000 reviews of all the Journey concerts this year, because that's about how many seats will be sold during the tour.

When he says only 2 of the 5 are "original members", he loses credibility. (I guess Cain doesn't count, even though his name is of course one of the trifecta of Perry/Schon/Cain that were on almost all of Journey's hits from the '80s, except the blockbuster "Faithfully", which only has Cain's name on it.) This guy loses points for saying that fans "suffered through" Journey's new songs. Kinda hard to say that for an album that's on its way to being platinum and that fans really seem to be enjoying the new music (especially "After All These Years", which is on the Billboard charts). Lastly, he's a "freelance contributor." Oh. That means that he probably got paid as much for his review as I did for posting this comment on melodicrock.com.

I don't mind someone being critical if they can argue his points. Not a problem. But I'm sure-as-shit not going to give anybody credibility, just because he wrote some tripe and hit the "submit" button. Sorry, Jeremy Burgess -- you'll forgive me if I say "I don't know who the fuck you are", so you have no argument-from-authority .....

[Michigan Girl]

What happened to HEART?????

They didn't play in Nashville cause of a solo gig they had at the Wildhorse- which was the same night as the Birmingham show.

My friend Wendy went to the Nashville show, and emailed me this tidbit:
I wasn't a really big fan I almost didn't go but since Iknow all the songs, and who wouldn't... I decided to go. Anyway, justthought I'd pass on that it was AWESOME. That kid is fantastic, hisenergy level is so high that the other guys really had to raise the bar(not that they aren't incredible musicians). [i]Although, I'm a little lateto the Journey party my guess is that Steve Perry was wrongfullycredited with their popularity back in the day. I could say that I was partying like it was 1985 but those guys were sogood it was like a brand new 2008 version of Journey instead of tiredold back in the day Journey. [/i]

She's hardly a big fan, but sounds like she really dug Arnel...didn't have the heart to tell her that "the kid" is a year older than she is!

Pretty Good....but, yeah she is a little late if she believes that!!! Not sole credit...BUT MAJOR CREDIT!!! Tired.????

[Pacfanweb]

Not quite that harsh, but the comments about the setlist were pretty much identical to what I thought about it last night in Raleigh.

I don't know about that "2/5" of the original lineup, either.....even if Perry was there, that would have still technically been the case. I think after someone has been in the band over 20 years, or even 10, it's sort of irrelevant, unless it's like David Lee Roth, Roger Waters, or Freddie Mercury, or, oddly enough...Paul Rodgers.

[geforcefla]

This guys review is a joke......I was there and the theater was packed to capacity and then some!! At one point I looked around and everyone ..i mean everyone was standing, hands in the air, singing, all being led by AP himself!! It was a great show..everyone was into it. Ive seen Journey for 25+ years and they havnt had this much energy since 81. I wonder now if Perry himself could pull off a as entertainiong show this was. I also saw the Orange Beach show and it was just as good. I havnt had this much fun at a Journey concert since 81, and that show was chemiclly enhanced.....wink!

[AlabamaJourneyFan]

This guys review is a joke......I was there and the theater was packed to capacity and then some!! At one point I looked around and everyone ..i mean everyone was standing, hands in the air, singing, all being led by AP himself!! It was a great show..everyone was into it. Ive seen Journey for 25+ years and they havnt had this much energy since 81. I wonder now if Perry himself could pull off a as entertainiong show this was. I also saw the Orange Beach show and it was just as good. I havnt had this much fun at a Journey concert since 81, and that show was chemiclly enhanced.....wink!

I was there in Birmingham also, and I agree with Geforcefla. Almost everyone stood for the new songs, I saw very few people sitting. I thought Arnel sounded great! I don't understand where this reviewer is coming from... I have also seen quite a few complaints about ending the show with LTS, but I enjoy the song and thought it was a good way to end the show. My 2 year-old son sings it sometimes (along with Lights) and I get a big kick out of that! My only complaint is that some low-life (probably someone sitting behind us), stole my wife's concert shirt out of the bag that was under our seats at some point during the show. At least they only took hers and left mine alone, for some reason.

All in all I had a great time and will definitely see them again if I have the opportunity.

[UncleKG]

I have to ask: How is a 12-string bass "gimmicky" if Peterson (sp?) has been playing one for over 30 years? From doing a "Google" search, apparently he's the one that came up with the idea of having a 12-string made for him. To me, that qualifies as a "signature," not a "gimmick." Just sayin'.

[Michigan Girl]

This guys review is a joke......I was there and the theater was packed to capacity and then some!! At one point I looked around and everyone ..i mean everyone was standing, hands in the air, singing, all being led by AP himself!! It was a great show..everyone was into it. Ive seen Journey for 25+ years and they havnt had this much energy since 81. I wonder now if Perry himself could pull off a as entertainiong show this was. I also saw the Orange Beach show and it was just as good. I havnt had this much fun at a Journey concert since 81, and that show was chemiclly enhanced.....wink!

[MartyMoffatt]

I've seen reviews like this before, for other bands. It's pretty obvious to me that the guy didn't want to be there in the first place and had pretty much decided what he was going to write before he even set foot inside the theatre. When it comes to reviews there's adulation, there's honesty and there's deliberate negativity and I think this review falls squarely into the latter category.

Marty

[journeypower]

Did anyone here go to this show? This guy has a lot of really harsh comments for Journey. Also, it really irritates me when they say only 2/5 of the original line up remain without acknowledging that Cain has been in the band since freaking 1981!

http://blog.al.com/scene/2008/08/journe ... ostal.html

Journey and Cheap Trick: Nostalgia just can't carry these tired acts
Posted by Jeremy Burgess -- Birmingham News August 11, 2008 9:42 AM
Two of five stars
Journey with with Cheap Trick
Verizon Wireless Music Center
Saturday night

On Saturday night, two of the biggest bands of the '70s and '80s -- Journey and Cheap Trick -- hit the stage at the Verizon Wireless Music Center. But while the evening was full of chart-topping hits, the concert was primarily a reminder that each band is past its prime.


Although Cheap Trick only played an hour, the band crammed in its biggest hits like "I Want You To Want Me," "The Flame" and "Dream Police" while also pulling out a few gimmicky surprises like a 12-string bass, a five-neck guitar, and a KISS record that guitarist Rick Nielsen threw into the crowd during "Surrender."

Cheap Trick showed its age at times (Nielsen's on-stage jumps barely lifted him off the ground and bassist Tom Petersson slurred his words on his one vocal appearance), but the band held things together for a good set as lead singer Robin Zander proved that he can still hit the high notes.

But when Journey arrived at 9:05, it was clear that the band's glory days were long gone. The set started with "Never Walk Away," the first track on the new album "Revelation."

"Good evening Alabama, and welcome to our show," said new lead singer Arnel Pineda as they moved into "Only the Young."

Journey filled out the rest of its almost-two-hour set by making the crowd suffer through more new songs before they could hear the hits like "Wheel In The Sky," "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)," and "Don't Stop Believin'." The band finished up the regular set with "Any Way You Want It" before returning for a short encore with "Escape" and "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'."

While Cheap Trick displayed its full original lineup, Journey could only scrape up two-fifths. The two original members -- guitarist Neal Schon and bassist Ross Valory -- seemed almost immobile throughout the set, and pianist/keyboardist Jonathan Cain seemed like he was reading from a teleprompter when he addressed the crowd.

And while new lead singer Arnel Pineda, who was hired last year after Schon saw YouTube videos of his band performing Journey covers, was rather lively and youthful, his hopping and smiling (and, yes, his singing) seemed more appropriate for "American Idol" than a real rock band. Both bands played almost all of the hits that the crowd wanted to hear, but it's hard to say that they fully did them justice -- especially in Steve Perry-less Journey's case.

Cheap Trick was all right. Journey was all right. They just seemed a little old.

again, one of those writers who uses the crowd as an alibi to mask their own personal sentiments. I guess his definition of a crowd is equal to himself alone. why can't these kind of people develop some balls? and I can't seem to imagine what type of facial expression he wanted from Arnel. frown, laugh or cry at the crowd? it's not a rockband, it's a melodic rock band. this writer must be a KISS follower expecting a tongue thing performance from AP.

[journeypower]

I've seen reviews like this before, for other bands. It's pretty obvious to me that the guy didn't want to be there in the first place and had pretty much decided what he was going to write before he even set foot inside the theatre. When it comes to reviews there's adulation, there's honesty and there's deliberate negativity and I think this review falls squarely into the latter category.

Marty

he has a short career ahead of him.

[WykkedSensation]

Its someone's opinion at the end of the day, and there is NOTHING wrong with someone having an opinion.
Don't you think the world would be a real shitty place if everyone agreed on everything.

Some people are gonna love the band and some aint. So what.

John from Boston's post was absolutely spot on.

[lights1961]

Journey was all right. They just seemed a little old.

Um...perhaps because they ARE OLD


John from Boston

They are gettin' up there, but I think AP makes them seem even older!!!
He is so full of energy....like watching Wile E. Coyote try to keep up with the Road Runner!!!

HEY SOMETHING I LIKE AS WELL AS YOU DO... Wile E coytoe and the Road Runner... .

Rick

[lights1961]

oops

[Michigan Girl]

Journey was all right. They just seemed a little old.

Um...perhaps because they ARE OLD


John from Boston

They are gettin' up there, but I think AP makes them seem even older!!!
He is so full of energy....like watching Wile E. Coyote try to keep up with the Road Runner!!!

HEY SOMETHING I LIKE AS WELL AS YOU DO... Wile E coytoe and the Road Runner... .

Rick

Didn't say I liked them.......

[lights1961]

Journey was all right. They just seemed a little old.

Um...perhaps because they ARE OLD


John from Boston

They are gettin' up there, but I think AP makes them seem even older!!!
He is so full of energy....like watching Wile E. Coyote try to keep up with the Road Runner!!!

HEY SOMETHING I LIKE AS WELL AS YOU DO... Wile E coytoe and the Road Runner... .

Rick

Didn't say I liked them.......

hey now..

[Ehwmatt]

Yawn.

With the internet, everybody's An Entertainment Critic. Websites, online newspapers, blogs, whatever ..... there's now a gazillion places to post your opinion, no matter how stupidly argued and ill-considered it is. And there could be almost 1,000,000 reviews of all the Journey concerts this year, because that's about how many seats will be sold during the tour.

When he says only 2 of the 5 are "original members", he loses credibility. (I guess Cain doesn't count, even though his name is of course one of the trifecta of Perry/Schon/Cain that were on almost all of Journey's hits from the '80s, except the blockbuster "Faithfully", which only has Cain's name on it.) This guy loses points for saying that fans "suffered through" Journey's new songs. Kinda hard to say that for an album that's on its way to being platinum and that fans really seem to be enjoying the new music (especially "After All These Years", which is on the Billboard charts). Lastly, he's a "freelance contributor." Oh. That means that he probably got paid as much for his review as I did for posting this comment on melodicrock.com.

I don't mind someone being critical if they can argue his points. Not a problem. But I'm sure-as-shit not going to give anybody credibility, just because he wrote some tripe and hit the "submit" button. Sorry, Jeremy Burgess -- you'll forgive me if I say "I don't know who the fuck you are", so you have no argument-from-authority .....

If Cain's not an original member, then Perry sure as shit ain't either. Just sayin.

I think this dude just came up with the cutesy play on Surrender's chorus and decided to give it a negative review just to use it. Heh.

Although he's entitled to his opinion of the show, I do agree the "suffer through new songs" remark is really a glimpse into the prevailing attitude that's made mainstream music shit nowadays anyway: Just give us what we know, we don't have time to try out anything new. Aside from what JoePa pointing out about Revelation's sales figures. Why the hell wouldn't you want to hear new music if you like the band enough to go to their fuckin show? Blows my mind when people leave for beer as soon as a new song starts.

[Ehwmatt]

I've seen reviews like this before, for other bands. It's pretty obvious to me that the guy didn't want to be there in the first place and had pretty much decided what he was going to write before he even set foot inside the theatre. When it comes to reviews there's adulation, there's honesty and there's deliberate negativity and I think this review falls squarely into the latter category.

Marty

Most "music critics" will follow this negativity hook line and sinker when it comes to reviewing Journey or any of their ilk. Some cocksucker named John Soeder in the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes all of our music reviews. The only time you see something positive is when it's Bob Dylan, Springsteen, or some newfangled shitty new-wave crap like The Killers. The guy even had the balls to give Fall Out Boy a rave fuckin review.

[S2M]

Smacked-ass reviewer wrote:
"Journey filled out the rest of its almost-two-hour set by making the crowd suffer through more new songs"


Asinine comment given the sales figures of Revelation.

When are people going to realize that record sales DO NOT reflect quality of music? Britney, Backend Boys, and NStync have sold Zillions.....does that mean the music is quality?

Sales figures don't mean shit!

BTW, I'm not making a comment on the New journey. Just on the fallacies I've seen pertaining to quality/sales figures.

And that says NOTHING about fans that just buy a cd just to have everything by said band. Completists, if you will.

[Greg]

So just because the review was negative, it's suddenly stupid? Come on. Most of everything he said was pretty factual. Maybe this guy is only fans of the late 70's version of Journey. Nothing wrong with that. Journey's best days are well behind them. Anything success they have nowadays is pretty much just gravy.

[lights1961]

So just because the review was negative, it's suddenly stupid? Come on. Most of everything he said was pretty factual. Maybe this guy is only fans of the late 70's version of Journey. Nothing wrong with that. Journey's best days are well behind them. Anything success they have nowadays is pretty much just gravy.

i keep going back to you tube.

[Enigma869]

If Cain's not an original member, then Perry sure as shit ain't either. Just sayin.

What's your point, dude??? Neither Perry nor Cain are original members of Journey. Ask Schon...He'll tell you I'm not sure why the hell everyone is getting so worked up because some jackoff, anonymous reporter stated an actual fact that Cain isn't an original member of the band! Everyone who understands the history of Journey understands that Friga is a MAJOR contributor to the success that Journey became. Those same people know that without Perry's voice, Journey would have been forever unknown, and Cain wouldn't have had a band to join! It still doesn't change the fact that neither guy was an original member of the band. If you want to rip the guy's review, fine...but don't rip the guy for actually telling the truth

Why the hell wouldn't you want to hear new music if you like the band enough to go to their fuckin show? Blows my mind when people leave for beer as soon as a new song starts.

It doesn't blow my mind, AT ALL. People are there for the music that put Journey on the map. Everyone has to take a piss or get a beer, at some point, so it makes perfect sense to get those "errands" done when something is playing that you have no connection to! The reality is that 98% of all the fans going to these concerts are there to hear "The Dirty Dozen" and don't give a rat's ass about anything else. In spite of what some people on this board believe, Journey is and will forever be an 80's band! They're not "cool"...They're not "hip"...and They're not young! Most of them are members of A.A.R.P., at this point, and simply still have the ability to play some old, great songs that many of us still love to hear, from our youth!


John from Boston

[Enigma869]

When are people going to realize that record sales DO NOT reflect quality of music?

I agree that quantity sold doesn't equal quality. The Rolling Stones have sold an assload of albums and I think they suck. That said, I'm not sure what other barometer you want to use, to judge musicians. There has to be something, other than your own personal ear. Everyone has VERY specific taste when it comes to music. When an artist sells an insane amount of copies, there is at least some evidence that there are a lot of people who find their music appealing, whether you think it sucks or not!

Sales figures don't mean shit!

Perhaps if it doesn't fit someone's personal agenda, but the numbers have to count for something. There really is no other way of "keeping score", in the world of music. I believe that The Eagles, Greatest Hits 1971-1975 is the number one selling album, EVER, and I have to say...It's pretty damn good! I guess that many people voting with their wallets does sometimes indicate the music might be pretty good!


John from Boston