The Difference - Journey Live

[Jeremey]

Last night Sabrina and I were getting ready for the weekend, and a friend of mine had lent me a copy of the (somewhat) new Police DVD, a 1983 concert from the Synchronicity tour. The Police are among my top favorite bands of all time, so we popped in the video and started watching.

Now The Police were an amazing band. The musicianship in that band is quite nearly unmatched and I would go so far as to say Stewart Copeland is one of the greatest drummers alive. The video was a little dated (it was produced in 1983, so lots of cheesy 80's video effects, and quite a few shots of the Pat Benatar wannabes in the audience), and the audio quality was definitely lacking. It hadn't been remastered and remixed like the Houston DVD, but I'm sure the stereo track had been cleaned up. All in all, a pretty good concert.

But about halfway through the show, I just started wondering "Where's the magic on that stage?" Watching those 3 guys do what they do, technically, was amazing. And I love the songs. But you know what it was - 3 guys playing music. There really was no electricity in the air, nothing to draw you into their world. So I looked at Sabrina after about 40 minutes and said "Can we put in the Journey concert?"

So let me tell you the difference here - From the moment the camera comes up on Steve Smith during the intro to Escape, there's just some sort of electricity - some sort of force that takes over that stage. I've never seen anything like it anywhere else....Just the energy and - most importantly - The absolute enjoyment that this band seemed to get from sharing these songs with the audience. Steve Perry was right in a recent interview - The songs and the performance deserved the right treatment. Just amazing. All the great musicianship, pin-up boy looks, or even great songs (let's face it, Sting is one of the great songwriters of the 20th century) can't create that kind of magic...It's that unnamable x factor that for a few short moments in time captured that lightening in a bottle. I'm so happy that I'm able to do what I do, that I can feel and appreciate what this band meant to so many people.

Anyway....Make the Journey comparison! Take your favorite band's DVD and play it alongside Journey's Escape 1981 DVD - You'll taste the difference!

[TRAGChick]

Hey there, Jeremey....excellent post!

You know something? You're absolutely right.

I bought Mark the "Rush In Rio" DVD - and the only time that I was able to sit and REALLY pay attention was during Neil Peart's Jaw-dropping drum solo....other than that, I agree with you: That Alex, Geddy, and Neil are technically perfect, but it looks very "auto-pilot" onstage.

There is something very "X-Factor" about the Journey era: 81-83, IMO...

[Abitaman]

Styx's Return to Paradise is good. Band having fun, same with their Arch Allies-ERIC

[Wildfire]

I think that is why the music of Journey endures after so much time. Like Perry said..it was magic. There is no denying that. Great post Jeremey. Seen you before at Amos, excellent show.

[Moon Beam]

I am hoping to recieve the Houston dvd for Valentines day from hubby
and if I do I will be comparing it to Great Big Sea's,Great Big DVD.
I have seen them in concert and although Journey is my fave
and always will be Great Big Sea is the most energy filled concert I have ever had the pleasure of partaking in.
Thanks for posting this thread I will be making the comparisson.

(Egghead Editing)

[Pastel]

Last night Sabrina and I were getting ready for the weekend, and a friend of mine had lent me a copy of the (somewhat) new Police DVD, a 1983 concert from the Synchronicity tour. The Police are among my top favorite bands of all time, so we popped in the video and started watching.

Now The Police were an amazing band. The musicianship in that band is quite nearly unmatched and I would go so far as to say Stewart Copeland is one of the greatest drummers alive. The video was a little dated (it was produced in 1983, so lots of cheesy 80's video effects, and quite a few shots of the Pat Benatar wannabes in the audience), and the audio quality was definitely lacking. It hadn't been remastered and remixed like the Houston DVD, but I'm sure the stereo track had been cleaned up. All in all, a pretty good concert.

But about halfway through the show, I just started wondering "Where's the magic on that stage?" Watching those 3 guys do what they do, technically, was amazing. And I love the songs. But you know what it was - 3 guys playing music. There really was no electricity in the air, nothing to draw you into their world. So I looked at Sabrina after about 40 minutes and said "Can we put in the Journey concert?"

So let me tell you the difference here - From the moment the camera comes up on Steve Smith during the intro to Escape, there's just some sort of electricity - some sort of force that takes over that stage. I've never seen anything like it anywhere else....Just the energy and - most importantly - The absolute enjoyment that this band seemed to get from sharing these songs with the audience. Steve Perry was right in a recent interview - The songs and the performance deserved the right treatment. Just amazing. All the great musicianship, pin-up boy looks, or even great songs (let's face it, Sting is one of the great songwriters of the 20th century) can't create that kind of magic...It's that unnamable x factor that for a few short moments in time captured that lightening in a bottle. I'm so happy that I'm able to do what I do, that I can feel and appreciate what this band meant to so many people.

Anyway....Make the Journey comparison! Take your favorite band's DVD and play it alongside Journey's Escape 1981 DVD - You'll taste the difference!

The Police Concert was filmed over 2 nights at the Omni in Atlanta Georgia. Most of the video & DVD was from night one. I was at night two. It was a great concert, but I'm not so sure the DVD captured it all. When I see the DVD, I'm in awe that they were as good as they were. Bands like the Police and the Cars are better suited for the studio, not a live show. That not saying they were bad live, it's just that you lose some of the sutle textures in the mix. Journey on the other hand was very well suited for a live arena. Journey just has a more simple structure to their music and it's easier to reproduce live.

Pastel