MR

Last night I attended Steve Augeri's first "solo" show in Cincinnati, OH / Newport, KY. All I can say is WOW! Anyone who doubted the man's vocal abilities should have seen and heard him last night. He was on fire. His "vocal problems" are definitely in the past. I was so blown away, that I'm even thinking of scheduling a business trip to Miami/Hollywood, Florida to catch his show in early November.

In addition to 10 Journey songs (3 from Arrival), he also premiered 3 songs from his upcoming cd. In all honesty, I was blown away by the new material. Two of the three songs were better (catchier) than any of the recent Journey releases. Seriously.

carleysdad wrote:Last night I attended Steve Augeri's first "solo" show in Cincinnati, OH / Newport, KY. All I can say is WOW! Anyone who doubted the man's vocal abilities should have seen and heard him last night. He was on fire. His "vocal problems" are definitely in the past. I was so blown away, that I'm even thinking of scheduling a business trip to Miami/Hollywood, Florida to catch his show in early November.

In addition to 10 Journey songs (3 from Arrival), he also premiered 3 songs from his upcoming cd. In all honesty, I was blown away by the new material. Two of the three songs were better (catchier) than any of the recent Journey releases. Seriously.

Nice to hear. Maybe you can chime in on the Higher Place youtube video in the September 10 thread. Vocally he sounds off. Maybe it was a bad sound. Since you were there, you would know better than a youtube video.

His new solo music sounds like what I wanted from him. Can't wait. Glad to see he sang Kiss Me Softly, which I think he shines on with his vocals.

I can't wait to hear them. Augeri with Valentine will make a formidable force. I can't wait to see them.

Jana wrote:

carleysdad wrote:Last night I attended Steve Augeri's first "solo" show in Cincinnati, OH / Newport, KY. All I can say is WOW! Anyone who doubted the man's vocal abilities should have seen and heard him last night. He was on fire. His "vocal problems" are definitely in the past. I was so blown away, that I'm even thinking of scheduling a business trip to Miami/Hollywood, Florida to catch his show in early November.

In addition to 10 Journey songs (3 from Arrival), he also premiered 3 songs from his upcoming cd. In all honesty, I was blown away by the new material. Two of the three songs were better (catchier) than any of the recent Journey releases. Seriously.

Nice to hear. Maybe you can chime in on the Higher Place youtube video in the September 10 thread. Vocally he sounds off. Maybe it was a bad sound. Since you were there, you would know better than a youtube video.

His new solo music sounds like what I wanted from him. Can't wait. Glad to see he sang Kiss Me Softly, which I think he shines on with his vocals.

Jana - Although there were definitely a couple of "rough spots" when he sang some of the Journey material, overall he nailed it. Steve was especially "on" when singing his 3 new songs. I've always thought that Mr. Augeri was a great singer, but he just wasn't necessarily the right person to sing some of the higher (pitched) Journey sings. When he attempted to sing these songs he often sounded strained (which I'm sure is what tore his voice up 3-4 years ago).

Is there a setlist floating around that I've missed? I'm curious. I saw video of All The Way. Was Signs of Life played?

StephenWJ wrote:Is there a setlist floating around that I've missed? I'm curious. I saw video of All The Way. Was Signs of Life played?

Separate Ways
Ask the Lonely
Higher Place
Photograph (new solo song)
Lights
Kiss Me Softly
Stone In Love
Riverside (new solo song)
Wheel In the Sky
All the Way
Common Ground (new solo song)
Faithfully
Don't Stop Believin
Lovin Touchin Squeezin
Anyway You Want It

Don wrote:

StephenWJ wrote:Is there a setlist floating around that I've missed? I'm curious. I saw video of All The Way. Was Signs of Life played?

Separate Ways
Ask the Lonely
Higher Place
Photograph (new solo song)
Lights
Kiss Me Softly
Stone In Love
Riverside (new solo song)
Wheel In the Sky
All the Way
Common Ground (new solo song)
Faithfully
Don't Stop Believin
Lovin Touchin Squeezin
Anyway You Want It

I'm shocked he didn't even throw in Wild on the Run or something from TS or Tyketto. If you're going to see Steve Augeri solo, you'd have to imagine that the people know more about him than just Journey.

Steve Augeri is a class act guy,
A pro Journey set list,

and funny how Steve Perry was crucified for a very similar set list.

This is the latest from Steve about his new song. I won't be by a computer at that time. Anyone willing to record it?

Tomorrow, Monday October 4th, 2010, at approximately 3PM central time, WKRK 99.9 Western Kansas Rocks, will air and debut my new track "RIVERSIDE". Bless their hearts.

Performing along with me on this song is Adam Holland/Guitar/co-writer, Craig Pullman/Keys/co-writer, Gerard Zappa/Bass and Mike Morales/Drums.

Also appearing on the recording on Background vocals are longtime friend and singing legend Marge Raymond (Flame/Aerosmith/ELO) and newer friend and legend in the making, the golden voice of Nick Lynch.

RIVERSIDE! RIVERSIDE! RIVERSIDE!

... with a song your heart, we'll make love over there, down by the river.

Take care all,

Steve

Soooo anyone record this?

If Mr Augeri is performing in the Miami area in November...I'll be there! )

Anybody check him out in Tahoe Saturday night? Nothing here, and no YouTubes.

marco17 wrote:Anybody check him out in Tahoe Saturday night? Nothing here, and no YouTubes.

Ya, I was there... it was a GREAT show!

Sweet we have another Journey cover band out there.

It's nice to see the guy out there touring, but for him to be doing 9 songs that he had no hand in writing while performing 6 songs that he was a part of is kind of funny. What's equally as funny is that he's continuing to perform songs that originally screwed up his voice.

Now I know what you're going to say "well he was part of the band for almost 10 years". Here's my response to that. I'm not faulting him for singing some songs from the old Journey back catelog. However they released Arrival, Red 13 and Generations, and "Renenber Me" with Augeri as the front man and the only songs in the set are from Arrival and 3 of his new songs. They just released a new Tall Stories album not to long ago, then there is the original Tall Stories album and Tyketto. The guy has enough matierial that he was part of that he could make a killer setlist while not leaning to much on the old Journey matierial to make his act seem like a cover band.

jestor92 wrote:Sweet we have another Journey cover band out there.

It's nice to see the guy out there touring, but for him to be doing 9 songs that he had no hand in writing while performing 6 songs that he was a part of is kind of funny. What's equally as funny is that he's continuing to perform songs that originally screwed up his voice.

Now I know what you're going to say "well he was part of the band for almost 10 years". Here's my response to that. I'm not faulting him for singing some songs from the old Journey back catelog. However they released Arrival, Red 13 and Generations, and "Renenber Me" with Augeri as the front man and the only songs in the set are from Arrival and 3 of his new songs. They just released a new Tall Stories album not to long ago, then there is the original Tall Stories album and Tyketto. The guy has enough matierial that he was part of that he could make a killer setlist while not leaning to much on the old Journey matierial to make his act seem like a cover band.

Pretty damned good post. WTF is Augeri relying upon Perry's songs for? It just looks cheap.

jestor92 wrote: However they released Arrival, Red 13 and Generations, and "Renenber Me" with Augeri as the front man and the only songs in the set are from Arrival and 3 of his new songs. They just released a new Tall Stories album not to long ago, then there is the original Tall Stories album and Tyketto. The guy has enough matierial that he was part of that he could make a killer setlist while not leaning to much on the old Journey matierial to make his act seem like a cover band.

Pull your head out of your ass. No one wants to hear that shit. The set list the guy is playing is perfect, as it's what the people want to hear.

Without songs form the Dirty dozen, that 500 person crowd would whittle down to about half a dozen bikers, and a couple of three-holers who just finished up their shift at Head Queens.

Don wrote:Without songs form the Dirty dozen, that 500 person crowd would whittle down to about half a dozen bikers, and a couple of three-holers who just finished up their shift at Head Queens.

Don wrote:Without songs form the Dirty dozen, that 500 person crowd would whittle down to about half a dozen bikers, and a couple of three-holers who just finished up their shift at Head Queens.

So true. Probably most of his fans going are from his Journey tenure of almost ten years, not his long ago Tyketto or Tall Stories years.

Jana wrote:

Don wrote:Without songs form the Dirty dozen, that 500 person crowd would whittle down to about half a dozen bikers, and a couple of three-holers who just finished up their shift at Head Queens.

So true. Probably most of his fans going are from his Journey tenure of almost ten years, not his long ago Tyketto or Tall Stories years.

Simple economics, and surprised most people don't understand that. Unless you get some kind of festival show like the MelodicRockFest that Andrew did or Firefest, the chances of seeing Augeri play a basically non-greatest hits set are slim to minimal. It's the same reason the JSS tour a few years ago failed. No name recognition, and therefore no audience without the Journey hits.

So basically everyone is alright going to pay $20-50 to see a cover band of Journey.

I've said it once and I'll say it again. I have no issues with Augeri playing some of the old Journey songs that he sang for many years, but sometime he's got to make do on his own and be proud of the music that he contributed not only in Journey, but also with his other bands. Hardcore Journey fans are going to see him reguardless of what he plays because he was in Journey. The casual fans aren't really going to care about him because it's not like "Hey lets go see that guy who sang "All The Way" at the local club tonight, that song was so awesome."

I mean hell it's a 15 song set he's doing would it be so hard for the guy to do:
3 Arrival songs
1 Red 13 song
1-2 Generations songs
2-3 of his new songs
1 Tall Stories song
1 Tyketto song or a medley from that album
3-5 classic Journey songs

An example:

Separate Ways
Higher Place
Photograph
Kiss Me Softly
Stone In Love
Faith In The Heartland
Riverside
Anyway You Want It
Something from the Skyscraper Tall Stories album or their debut album
Get Me There
All The Way
Faithfully
Remember Me
Encore:
Saving Grace
Don't Stop Believin

The setlist gives him more credibility

jestor92 wrote:The setlist gives him more credibility

... and less tickets sold.

jestor92 wrote:Separate Ways
Higher Place
Photograph
Kiss Me Softly
Stone In Love
Faith In The Heartland
Riverside
Anyway You Want It
Something from the Skyscraper Tall Stories album or their debut album
Get Me There
All The Way
Faithfully
Remember Me
Encore:
Saving Grace
Don't Stop Believin

The setlist gives him more credibility

Great setlist but replace All The Way and Faithfully with...well...anything...
But the bottom line is, if this show is going to be advertised as "former lead singer of Journey" the majority of people (casual fans)are going to expect to hear the Journey songs they know.

Saint John wrote:

jestor92 wrote:The setlist gives him more credibility

... and less tickets sold.

What, is he going to sell 4 dozen tickets rather than three dozen?

Saint John wrote:

jestor92 wrote:The setlist gives him more credibility

... and less tickets sold.

I really don't care one way or another about what Augeri is doing as a solo act because I won't support him after tape gate and I won't support Journey by going to a live show after tape gate.

On to the subject at hand. Augeri would get about 500 people in a club to see him perform reguardless if he played the Dirty Dozen or if he relied on a set similar to what I mentioned because he was in Journey. The hardcore fans who know him as the touring singer will go see him because he was their touring singer for so long. You mention JSS and his failed tour, JSS was in Journey for what a year? Before that no one in America even knew who the dude was other than he was the singer for Malmsteen and singer from the Rock Star sound track

You're not going to see many 40 year old people who are casual fans of Journey hear an ad on the radio or see an ad in a local paper and think "wow it's Steve Augeri from Journey lets go see him perform his trademark songs like Open Arms and Faithfully." The majority of people that he's going to attract to his shows are your hard core Journey fans or people with nothing to do and would be at the bar/club irregardless of who was playing.

Anyway if Augeri wants to be the 2010 karaoke vocalist like Hugo and rely on music that he had no hand in composing or singing then so be it. I just think it's a sad thing for the man to be doing.

NoMoreTails wrote:

jestor92 wrote:Separate Ways
Higher Place
Photograph
Kiss Me Softly
Stone In Love
Faith In The Heartland
Riverside
Anyway You Want It
Something from the Skyscraper Tall Stories album or their debut album
Get Me There
All The Way
Faithfully
Remember Me
Encore:
Saving Grace
Don't Stop Believin

The setlist gives him more credibility

Great setlist but replace All The Way and Faithfully with...well...anything...
But the bottom line is, if this show is going to be advertised as "former lead singer of Journey" the majority of people (casual fans)are going to expect to hear the Journey songs they know.

See that's the thing. The casual fans know he's not the vocalist that sang the hits for Journey. When I first saw Journey with Augeri people were telling me that I was nuts for going because the original vocalist isn't with them anymore. He's out there touring and the only part of the original band that he's going to have in tow with him are the guitar tabsand some of the 40+ groupies that are hard core fans.

The promoter(s) probably have some input on the set list for Augeri, believe it or not. For example, someone I know, who has done quite a bit of promoting, but on a smaller scale (of course), when asked a question about whether a promoter would have any influence on an act's set list, basically had this to say, in a nutshell: The agreement was that [the band] play the [such and such], plus a few new songs time allowing. It's not about picking the set list, it's about making sure that we [bands, event staff, and fans] know exactly what's on offer, and personally I see nothing wrong with ensuring any band playing are playing a set that the fans are happy with....after all it's fans that pay for tickets and deserve the best we can all offer.

So, however much Augeri may want to play more of his own music and much less of what someone else is known for, he may not have much of a choice anyway, as the promoter is in the business to sell tickets and is also using the words 'former Journey vocalist' in the advertising to promote the shows.

Debbie

jestor92 wrote:

NoMoreTails wrote:Great setlist but replace All The Way and Faithfully with...well...anything...
But the bottom line is, if this show is going to be advertised as "former lead singer of Journey" the majority of people (casual fans)are going to expect to hear the Journey songs they know.

See that's the thing. The casual fans know he's not the vocalist that sang the hits for Journey. When I first saw Journey with Augeri people were telling me that I was nuts for going because the original vocalist isn't with them anymore. He's out there touring and the only part of the original band that he's going to have in tow with him are the guitar tabsand some of the 40+ groupies that are hard core fans.

Actually it didn't even occur to me that they'd think he was the singer on the recordings of the classic songs, but I think most would expect to hear those songs anyway.
I thought you made a good point about drawing the same size crowd regardless of what he plays.

RC may have a good point there too.

jestor92 wrote:

Saint John wrote:

jestor92 wrote:The setlist gives him more credibility

... and less tickets sold.

I really don't care one way or another about what Augeri is doing as a solo act because I won't support him after tape gate and I won't support Journey by going to a live show after tape gate.

On to the subject at hand. Augeri would get about 500 people in a club to see him perform reguardless if he played the Dirty Dozen or if he relied on a set similar to what I mentioned because he was in Journey.

If Augeri could get 500 people in a club to see him, he would have been touring long before now. The reality is that he can't get that many....and would get less if he did a primarily original-material set--which I would much prefer, but that is beside the point.

jestor92 wrote: The hardcore fans who know him as the touring singer will go see him because he was their touring singer for so long. You mention JSS and his failed tour, JSS was in Journey for what a year? Before that no one in America even knew who the dude was other than he was the singer for Malmsteen and singer from the Rock Star sound track

The "hardcore fans" will surmise about 200 people (maybe) out of 15,000 that Journey will play for on a given night. Out of those, Augeri would be lucky to rope in 15 of them at any particular city touring on his own. By far, the majority went to see Journey, and could care less who was singing as long as it still sounded the same. I'd bet 90% of them couldn't even name the lead singer by the end of the show unless that person was named Steve Perry.

jestor92 wrote:You're not going to see many 40 year old people who are casual fans of Journey hear an ad on the radio or see an ad in a local paper and think "wow it's Steve Augeri from Journey lets go see him perform his trademark songs like Open Arms and Faithfully." The majority of people that he's going to attract to his shows are your hard core Journey fans or people with nothing to do and would be at the bar/club irregardless of who was playing.

Anyway if Augeri wants to be the 2010 karaoke vocalist like Hugo and rely on music that he had no hand in composing or singing then so be it. I just think it's a sad thing for the man to be doing.

The majority of people who will go see him are the same people that will see a Journey tribute show. There aren't enough hardcore fans of Augeri's own work with Tall Stories/Tyketto/Journey to make it feasible to tour with a setlist based on that. The only way he has a prayer of being able to tour is to do a fair amount of Journey stuff, with some of his stuff with the band and maybe 1-2 other tracks thrown in.

Sad? Maybe, but that is reality. If Neal Schon can't keep a tour together doing something other than a Journey concert (and he is at least somewhat known), someone like Augeri has no chance at all.

NoMoreTails wrote:I thought you made a good point about drawing the same size crowd regardless of what he plays.

RC may have a good point there too.

It may or may not have much effect the first time around. The 2nd tour would likely show a difference--meaning the people that wanted the Journey hits wouldn't show up.

As a one-off show, if the promoter doesn't have a stipulation, obviously he could play a set of Madonna covers if he wanted to. I'll leave that one to your imagination...