08.25.09 Journey @ Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, MI

[fightingilliniJRNY]

Sounds like Deen did "Higher Place" at Grand Rapids.

Where is the setlist? I'd love to hear Deen on this one!

No setlist It was in a comment on Neal's JF blog. Too bad they didn't throw this one in there a couple shows agaon. Sigh!

I know! Too bad. I would have loved it in Louisville or Indy. Of the songs in the catalog that I have yet to see live, that's the one I want to see the most I think.

[RaisedOnRadio92]

Sounds like Deen did "Higher Place" at Grand Rapids.

Where is the setlist? I'd love to hear Deen on this one!

No setlist It was in a comment on Neal's JF blog. Too bad they didn't throw this one in there a couple shows agaon. Sigh!

Co-sign!! I was at Rockford 1 weeks ago and Deen didn't sing a dang thing! I'm 0-2 on getting to hear Deen sing anything on the Revelation tour.

[Since 78]

Sounds like Deen did "Higher Place" at Grand Rapids.

Where is the setlist? I'd love to hear Deen on this one!

Here you go, but its from Tokyo in March
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLOFFkFhQqU

And BTW Neal, I meant I wanted Arnel to sing something from Arrival not Deen! Its all good though, I'm sure you just misunderstood.

[Don]

Plan to see a concert after two weeks of continuous shows and you are pretty much guaranteed to hear Deen Sing. If you check all the set lists over the last two years, you'll see that the bunny's battery starts to dip below optimum around that time.

[Don]

Sounds like Deen did "Higher Place" at Grand Rapids.

Where is the setlist? I'd love to hear Deen on this one!

Here you go, but its from Tokyo in March
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLOFFkFhQqU

And BTW Neal, I meant I wanted Arnel to sing something from Arrival not Deen! Its all good though, I'm sure you just misunderstood.

So, no TDTWT or WIN. Glad to see something from Arrival though.

I just read another comment about Heart having the better sounding show. Not performance wise but technically wise. This isn't the first comment I've seen this year regarding that. What are they doing different with the sound system that has people feeling this way? The most common complaint is distortion. Is it because the venues are not acoustically friendly for their type of music? Even the band has acknowledged it at times so it' just not the fans complaining for the hell of it.

[isla]

http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/gran ... deliv.html


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Lead singer Arnel Pineda delivers the voice for Journey at Van Andel Arena concert
by John Sinkevics | The Grand Rapids Press
Wednesday August 26, 2009, 9:31 AM

He hit the really high notes, he held out the really long notes, and he confidently rode the challenging vocal rollercoaster ride of "Lights," "Open Arms" and "Wheel in the Sky."

But mostly, lead singer Arnel Pineda made a convincing case for why he's a bona fide, full-fledged member of classic rock's Journey ... maybe even the star of the show. Because while many of the 8,000-plus fans cheering on the band in Van Andel Arena on Tuesday were there to revel in the nostalgia of pop hits such as "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Any Way You Want It" and others came to see founding guitarist Neal Schon's flamboyant musicianship, most also were curious to know how in the world a 41-year-old Filipino could fill the shoes -- and replace the vocal cords -- of Steve Perry, one of the most distinctive voices of the power ballad-era of the late '70s and '80s.

Well, the newest member of this band answered the question, met the challenge, hit the mark and filled in the blanks of whatever other cliche you choose. Schon had raved to me in a recent phone interview that Pineda "has got some pipes," plus an "amazing" versatility that allows him to convey not just Journey songs, but everything from Led Zeppelin to Sting.

On Tuesday, Pineda conveyed Journey's cavalcade of greatest hits not only with chilling accuracy but with boundless stage energy, acrobatic leaps off of speakers and drum platforms and an endearing rapport with an audience that treated him like part of the family, even if most had never seen him perform before.

With his glittery tennis shoes sparkling in the stage lights, Pineda impressed fans from the opening song, "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)." Schon, meanwhile, displayed his arena-rock flashiness and dexterity on guitar as the band swung virtually nonstop through the first several songs of the night -- "Only the Young," "Stone In Love," "Never Walk Away," "Ask the Lonely."

Granted, despite its enduring popularity and the renewed interest in its music by teens and 20-somethings, Journey has rightly earned some knocks for being a one-trick band, meshing classic and prog-rock elements with upbeat and sappy love balladry in a semi-pretentious sort of display.

But make no mistake. These guys -- Schon, Pineda, keyboard player/guitarist Jonathan Cain, bassist Ross Valory and drummer Deen Castronovo -- comprise a fine-tuned operation, with Schon and Cain, in particular, giving fans the kind of jamming and instrumental fire they adore. The pair's inspired interplay on an extended intro to "Wheel in the Sky," with Schon on a 12-string guitar and Cain on harmonica turned what could have been a routine rendition of one of their oldest hits into a highlight of the evening.

Even detractors would have to concede that Journey does what it does very well, with Pineda giving the band that Red Bull kick of extra energy.

(On a side note, the ever-resurgent Journey -- which recently was honored as having the most downloaded song in digital music history ("Don't Stop Believin' ") -- heads to New York City for a live performance Friday morning on CBS-TV's "The Early Show." The band also filmed interviews in Grand Rapids Tuesday for an upcoming documentary about Detroit's Cobo Hall/Arena, where Journey has performed in the past.)

While it didn't exhibit the same fine-tuning as Journey, Heart did get the evening started with its own trove of greatest hits, from "Barracuda" and "Straight On" to "Crazy on You" and "Magic Man," with covers of The Who ("Love Reign O'er Me") and Led Zeppelin ("Goin' to California") thrown in for good measure.

Lead singer Ann Wilson and her guitar-playing sister, Nancy, led their six-piece band through an adequate career retrospective, though the performances weren't always crisp, and Wilson changed notes on certain more challenging vocal passages.

Pineda had no such difficulty during Journey's set, nailing all the required notes with power and shocking ease on everything from "Change for the Better" to "Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'," which closed out the show.

He may never have sounded more like Perry than he did on the soaring ballad, "Faithfully," with many in the crowd locked arm-in-arm, swaying to and fro, singing along, waving cell phones and lighters.

And maybe that's Journey's secret: They play the kind of music that people love to sing in the shower, wail in their cars on the commute home from work or, in this case, croon along with several thousand of their closest pals.


3 1/2 OUT OF 4 STARS
Journey and Heart at Van Andel Arena

Highlight No. 1: "Stone in Love," which really showed off Arnel Pineda's vocal range

Highlight No. 2: A veritable hard-rock rendition of "Wheel in the Sky," with Pineda's striking delivery and Neal Schon's sinewy guitar solo

Time on stage: 1 hour 13 minutes for Heart; 1 hour, 46 minutes for Journey


E-mail John Sinkevics: jsinkevics@grpress.com

[wildchild1]

I was there....cool to hear Dean do "Higher Place"....and glad that "Be Good To Yourself" was played. Surprise of the night? No "Escape"...

[JRNYFan]

Sounds like Deen did "Higher Place" at Grand Rapids.

Where is the setlist? I'd love to hear Deen on this one!

This wasn't last night (earlier this year), but maybe some haven't heard it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLOFFkFhQqU

[RocknRoll]

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Lead singer Arnel Pineda delivers the voice for Journey at Van Andel Arena concert
by John Sinkevics | The Grand Rapids Press
Wednesday August 26, 2009, 9:31 AM

He hit the really high notes, he held out the really long notes, and he confidently rode the challenging vocal rollercoaster ride of "Lights," "Open Arms" and "Wheel in the Sky."

But mostly, lead singer Arnel Pineda made a convincing case for why he's a bona fide, full-fledged member of classic rock's Journey ... maybe even the star of the show. Because while many of the 8,000-plus fans cheering on the band in Van Andel Arena on Tuesday were there to revel in the nostalgia of pop hits such as "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Any Way You Want It" and others came to see founding guitarist Neal Schon's flamboyant musicianship, most also were curious to know how in the world a 41-year-old Filipino could fill the shoes -- and replace the vocal cords -- of Steve Perry, one of the most distinctive voices of the power ballad-era of the late '70s and '80s.

Thanks for posting this Isla. That was a great article.

[Chevypv]

I was there and I was most surprised and excited to hear One More. I thought Arnel really nailed it no problem and it turned out great!

[fightingilliniJRNY]

I was there and I was most surprised and excited to hear One More. I thought Arnel really nailed it no problem and it turned out great!

Wait...they did One More AND Higher Place? In a 105-minute set? Did they still do three songs off Revelation?

[steveo777]

Set list is apparently still a mystery.

[RaisedOnRadio92]

I was there and I was most surprised and excited to hear One More. I thought Arnel really nailed it no problem and it turned out great!

They did 'One More'????? And 'Higher Place'????????????

Man....I got that shaft in Rockford!

[KDOUBLEU]

OK Everyone Here is the Set list:
1.Majestic
2.Seperate Ways
3.Only the Young
4.Stone in Love
5.Never Walk Away
6.Ask The Lonely
7.Change For the Better
8.Lights
9.Jonathan Cain Piano Solo
10.Open Arms
11.One More (which was incredible)
12.Jam Session with Neal and Jon
13.Wheel In The sky
14.Higher Place( Deen on vocals)
15.Wildest Dream
16.Be Good To Yourself
17.Faithfully
18.Dont Stop Believing
19. Anyway You Want It
20.Neal Schon Solo
21.Lovin Touchin Squeezin ( Encore)

The concert was fantastic, every song sounded great. I do have some Videos and they turned out great. As soon as I get a chance Ill get them posted for you all to see.

[Saint John]

They did 'One More'????? And 'Higher Place'????????????

Man....I got that shaft in Rockford!

You sure did. You got fucked with a telephone pole-sized dick.

[RocknRoll]

They did 'One More'????? And 'Higher Place'????????????

Man....I got that shaft in Rockford!

You sure did. You got fucked with a telephone pole-sized dick.

And I just saw 4 shows in 2 weeks. NONE of which had One More or Higher Place. CRAP !!!

I knew I should have gone to Grand Rapids. It's not that far.

[KDOUBLEU]

They did 'One More'????? And 'Higher Place'????????????

Man....I got that shaft in Rockford!

You sure did. You got fucked with a telephone pole-sized dick.

And I just saw 4 shows in 2 weeks. NONE of which had One More or Higher Place. CRAP !!!

I knew I should have gone to Grand Rapids. It's not that far.

You should have it was a GREAT show!

[RocknRoll]

Good Ol' Hindsight. Now I have to think about maybe catching something else next month.

Did you get video of Higher Place?

[Jana]

They did 'One More'????? And 'Higher Place'????????????

Man....I got that shaft in Rockford!

You sure did. You got fucked with a telephone pole-sized dick.

And I just saw 4 shows in 2 weeks. NONE of which had One More or Higher Place. CRAP !!!

I knew I should have gone to Grand Rapids. It's not that far.

Ah, sorry to hear that. I hope in a month we get those songs. Love One More and Higher Place. But I want WIN and Mother Father too. So knock out Wildest Dream and put WIN and knock out BGTY and give me MF and I'm happy. I wanted to go to Atlanta b/c I think it's just them, so a longer set, but not enough time. And I believe I screwed up on my tickets royally in Orlando. Messed around too late, and I wanted close tickets, like the first five rows, on Neal's side and bought tickets on the main floor of the Amway Arena , which is flat on the main floor, and it ended up it looks like the seats will be about 15 rows back I think. I misjudged and thought it was ten rows back. At that rate, should have gone up higher in the arena with the inclined rows for a better view. I should have waited for some better ones to pop up at the end. I hope there's no 6'5" man in front of me.

[KDOUBLEU]

Good Ol' Hindsight. Now I have to think about maybe catching something else next month.

Did you get video of Higher Place?

Im not sure my Wife was doing a lot of recording. I still have not seen everything she recorded. She is getting ready for a Garbage sale so it might be a couple days.

[fightingilliniJRNY]

OK Everyone Here is the Set list:
1.Majestic
2.Seperate Ways
3.Only the Young
4.Stone in Love
5.Never Walk Away
6.Ask The Lonely
7.Change For the Better
8.Lights
9.Jonathan Cain Piano Solo
10.Open Arms
11.One More (which was incredible)
12.Jam Session with Neal and Jon
13.Wheel In The sky
14.Higher Place( Deen on vocals)
15.Wildest Dream
16.Be Good To Yourself
17.Faithfully
18.Dont Stop Believing
19. Anyway You Want It
20.Neal Schon Solo
21.Lovin Touchin Squeezin ( Encore)

The concert was fantastic, every song sounded great. I do have some Videos and they turned out great. As soon as I get a chance Ill get them posted for you all to see.

That is a solid, solid set. Three tunes from Revelation, one from Arrival and a deep cut from Trial By Fire, to go along with the hits. Well done, Journey. Very impressive for a 105-minute show.

But I'm pissed I didn't see Higher Place or One More in Indianapolis or Louisville!

[jrny84]

I also went to this show and it was one of the best concerts I have ever seen. Heart came out and set the bar really high playing huge hits such as "Barracuda", "Magic Man", "What about love", and "Never". Ann's voice was spot on as usual and they did not dissapoint. Journey was just unbelievably awesome! Arnel is a great entertainer working the crowd and nailing the vocals on every song. The band played with such energy and excitement and the setlist was one of the better Journey setlists I have experienced at their concerts.

And like others have said the performance of "One More" was one of the highlights of the concert. I also really liked how they had Deen sing "Higher Place".

[RaisedOnRadio92]

They did 'One More'????? And 'Higher Place'????????????

Man....I got that shaft in Rockford!

You sure did. You got fucked with a telephone pole-sized dick.

I think Neal knows when I'm gonna be at these shows!!! It's no secret that 'Higher Place' is my favorite Post-Perry song, and 'One More' is my favorite TBF song.

GRRRRR!! lol

[RaisedOnRadio92]

OK Everyone Here is the Set list:
1.Majestic
2.Seperate Ways
3.Only the Young
4.Stone in Love
5.Never Walk Away
6.Ask The Lonely
7.Change For the Better
8.Lights
9.Jonathan Cain Piano Solo
10.Open Arms
11.One More (which was incredible)
12.Jam Session with Neal and Jon
13.Wheel In The sky
14.Higher Place( Deen on vocals)
15.Wildest Dream
16.Be Good To Yourself
17.Faithfully
18.Dont Stop Believing
19. Anyway You Want It
20.Neal Schon Solo
21.Lovin Touchin Squeezin ( Encore)

The concert was fantastic, every song sounded great. I do have some Videos and they turned out great. As soon as I get a chance Ill get them posted for you all to see.

That is a solid, solid set. Three tunes from Revelation, one from Arrival and a deep cut from Trial By Fire, to go along with the hits. Well done, Journey. Very impressive for a 105-minute show.


That's a very very impressive set list. For a band that doesn't venture much outside of their dirty-dozen, playing 5 songs that 75% of the audience doesn't know is VERY rare for Journey.