Houston 81 Escape Tour Revisted

by **madsplash** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:31 am

Really listened closely today to the live Houston 81 concert for the first time in a long while and was re-blown away. Once in a while, I'll think that maybe they weren't quite as good as I remembered and because the music was so tied to my youth and great memories, that maybe I overate them as a band and SP as a vocalist.

Well, after listening to the entire show again, what I always knew is so reconfirmed that's it scary. The sound of that show is amazing that it was 28 years ago and it confirms how far ahead of the game the band was as far as live sound. Every one of those guys is so on that it's almost not believable. I've heard no one since then play a rock show live that can get to that level.

As for The Voice of the band, I can only say that the fact that that man sang that show anymore than once every 4 or 5 days is flat out amazing. The vocal acrobatics are ridiculous throughout the whole concert. His pitch couldn't humanly be more on and singing that way while running all over the damn stage is mind boggling. Don't forget that he was 32 years old on this tour and seemed to just be hitting his vocal peak. I liked his voice as much or even more later, from Frontiers on, but he's almost unhuman sounding here.

I know we've all watched this show a lot and love it, but if you haven't listened to it in full in a while, do it and see how you feel about it.

Friggin' amazing and unparalleled. The guy comes off of Line of Fire and in a few minutes is singing Mother Father, the greatest live rock vocal ever recorded.

Just insanely great.

by **Johnny Mohawk** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:30 am

That Escape DVD is incredible.

I still wish they would release the 1980 Houston show on DVD. The audio from it has been floating around for years, and a couple of songs have seen the light of day on video, but not nearly the entire show.
This is the Holy Grail of Journey concerts in my opinion!!!

by **journeyrock** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:55 am

Johnny Mohawk wrote:That Escape DVD is incredible.

I still wish they would release the 1980 Houston show on DVD. The audio from it has been floating around for years, and a couple of songs have seen the light of day on video, but not nearly the entire show.
This is the Holy Grail of Journey concerts in my opinion!!!

The Houston 1980 show and the Mountainaire show in 86 are both the Holy Grails of Journey concerts in my opinion. The reason that there are a couple of songs on video from 1980 is because they were included in the Soundstage video. And there are a couple songs from Mountainaire and Atlanta that are from the ROR Documentary. There is an audio of the Atlanta ROR show, but I've never heard audio from Mountainaire.

MS, I could watch and listen to that Escape concert every day. No singer comes close to that Mother, Father performance. And the DSB performance is my favorite ever. It has been from the first time I heard it.

by **portland** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:58 am

+100000000000000000000 and nice to see ya Splashy!!!!

by **journey361** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 9:48 am

Um, i hate to burst your bubble, but i saw him in 1978 and the first year he joined Journey and let me tell you, he was WAY BETTER in most areas vocally. Now, as far as toying with his voice with practice and a studio time (learning curve) he dam near blew a hole in the voval world as he grew into his trademark voice. There was no better vocallist and never will, but he was unhuman as i have stated many times early on in his young career.

by **Ehwmatt** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 10:32 am

I'd like that disc a lot more if the setlist were better. Pretty average for me.

by **ChildInTime** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 11:18 am

Most of the live vids I've seen of Journey with SP, and also of SP solo, have been pretty kick-ass. I LOVE the version of 'Escape' on the Live in Houston show.

by **KDOUBLEU** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 11:31 am

I agree with your whole statement Mad. Thanks and good to here from you again.

by **annpea** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 1:20 pm

I have the Houston dvd, and yes it is awesome... when i watch it I feel like i'm at the concert myself. SP is so fantastic vocally and the band kills.... how are you doing Madsplash it's been a while since you've been here I am happy to see you're back..

by **madsplash** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 1:49 pm

Thanks for all of the kind words, guys. I' ve been here the whole time, just uninspired to post much.

Rock on. :lol:

by **slucero** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 3:54 pm

just watched it again.... and... as much as I'm happy for, and a fan of Arnel...

There's no comparison... Perry just OWNED these songs in a way that can't be emulated.

by **madsplash** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 11:53 pm

slucero wrote:just watched it again.... and... as much as I'm happy for, and a fan of Arnel...

There's no comparison... Perry just OWNED these songs in a way that can't be emulated.

You're very right.

by **portland** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 11:57 pm

madsplash wrote:
slucero wrote:just watched it again.... and... as much as I'm happy for, and a fan of Arnel...

There's no comparison... Perry just OWNED these songs in a way that can't be emulated.

You're very right.

Add another +1 to the list.....he is the gold standard and that cannot be disputed

by **Carrington** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 12:57 am

For someone that was at this show, live.......as unbelievable as it is on DVD, it was stunning to see them pull this off LIVE.....I was blown away literaly...

by **annpea** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 1:01 am

portland wrote:
madsplash wrote:
slucero wrote:just watched it again.... and... as much as I'm happy for, and a fan of Arnel...

There's no comparison... Perry just OWNED these songs in a way that can't be emulated.

You're very right.

Add another +1 to the list.....he is the gold standard and that cannot be disputed

True, he's the golden child for sure and that's what sets him apart from all the others and always will.

by **journeyrock** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 6:48 am

annpea wrote:
portland wrote:
madsplash wrote:
slucero wrote:just watched it again.... and... as much as I'm happy for, and a fan of Arnel...

There's no comparison... Perry just OWNED these songs in a way that can't be emulated.

You're very right.

Add another +1 to the list.....he is the gold standard and that cannot be disputed
True, he's the golden child for sure and that's what sets him apart from all the others and always will.

+1,000,000,000,000 to all the above!!!!!!

by **perryfaithful** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 12:33 am

well, all these comments got me fired up to get mine out and see it again

....those were some of the best days in Journey history

by **texafana** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 4:38 am

folks...there was some serious post production on these live shows. How many Steves do you hear in the background?

by **Art Vandelay** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 5:34 am

texafana wrote:folks...there was some serious post production on these live shows. How many Steves do you hear in the background?

More important...who's the phantom acoustic guitar player who you can clearly see sitting beneath the stage during Who's Crying Now? Not sure if you can see him on the DVD cut, but I remember seeing that during the original MTV airing. Gotta check my DVD to see if he's still visible.

by **madsplash** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 11:08 pm

by **perryfaithful** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 11:34 pm

Art Vandelay wrote:
texafana wrote:folks...there was some serious post production on these live shows. How many Steves do you hear in the background?

More important...who's the phantom acoustic guitar player who you can clearly see sitting beneath the stage during Who's Crying Now? Not sure if you can see him on the DVD cut, but I remember seeing that during the original MTV airing. Gotta check my DVD to see if he's still visible.

beats a phanthom singer

by **Art Vandelay** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 12:40 am

perryfaithful wrote:
Art Vandelay wrote:
texafana wrote:folks...there was some serious post production on these live shows. How many Steves do you hear in the background?

More important...who's the phantom acoustic guitar player who you can clearly see sitting beneath the stage during Who's Crying Now? Not sure if you can see him on the DVD cut, but I remember seeing that during the original MTV airing. Gotta check my DVD to see if he's still visible.

beats a phanthom singer

There's a part of WCN that's shot over Cain's should and you see the back of Perry. Below the part of the stage where Perry stands is what I guess you would call the pit area (below the stage). I remember seeing someone in that area strumming an acoustic. Probably one of Neal's roadies playing a part that Neal did in studio but obviously couldn't duplicate on stage while playing his own part.

by **ChildInTime** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 12:43 am

^
Niiiiice.
And I also noticed the whole chorus-of-Steves effect. :lol:

To be honest though, a lot of famous live albums have overdubbing on them. For instance, I believe Judas Priest's 'Unleashed in the East' had some vocal overdubbing as well.

by **BlueGin** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 10:48 am

I have this DVD and I love it! Steve's vocals and energy through out are amazing...I particularly like Lights/Stay Awhile,Open Arms and Mother/Father...WOW!! Other random things that make me smile when watching this DVD are:

The way Steve Perry sings the words "so much more" in Stay Awhile...love that!
Steve Smith's drum solo...he looks like he is having a blast,and he has the best smile EVER! (yes,shallow... but he totally does!)
Ross and his constant goofy mugging for the camera.
Steve dodging a guitar to the face...the man moves like lightning in this video.
The fact that Jon Cain CAN NOT dance,but he tries sooo hard (bless his black little heart).

Things I can only enjoy with my eyes closed (depending on my tolerance level,sometimes I just FF'd through them):

Neal's guitar solo's (all of them). Beautiful... if I only listen...If I have to look at his bizzaro "I'm such a bad ass" guitar guy faces, then I just roll my eyes and throw my 49ers bean bag at his stupid head (Yes, I keep it handy next to my couch).

by **ChildInTime** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 1:32 pm

^
*Yeah, Neal's faces are doofy. :lol:

*Steve runs around almost as much as Bruce Dickinson does... crazy stuff! (Bruce is still crazier, though.

)

*Jon Cain really is the whitest guy ever.

*And Smitty, besides being a great drummer, always struck me as a cool dude. I would totally hang out with that guy just to chill.

by **Jeremey** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 2:39 pm

Steve has said they redid the backing vocals back after the show in '81 to thicken them up. While there's a great deal of modern production done to the DVD, you can't deny that no one went back into the studio and redid any parts....The raw tracks were already there. Although there may have been one or two parts enhanced back in 1981 (like the BGV, and I also personally believe the MF falsetto at the end was redone for the MTV recording as well), it's definitely not a studio reproduction of the live show.

by **SP Fan in Oregon** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 3:07 pm

If anyone doesn't have this DVD of Houston 1981, you can order it for $5.00 from this website.

http://concertmania.net

Type in Journey under search and go to page two, scroll down to find it.

by **kgdjpubs** » Sat Sep 26, 2009 3:06 pm

SP Fan in Oregon wrote:If anyone doesn't have this DVD of Houston 1981, you can order it for $5.00 from this website.

http://concertmania.net

Type in Journey under search and go to page two, scroll down to find it.

yes, but why buy a bootleg when the real thing is easily available, likely MUCH better quality--and rather cheap???

by **SP Fan in Oregon** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 1:55 pm

kgdjpubs wrote:
SP Fan in Oregon wrote:If anyone doesn't have this DVD of Houston 1981, you can order it for $5.00 from this website.

http://concertmania.net

Type in Journey under search and go to page two, scroll down to find it.

yes, but why buy a bootleg when the real thing is easily available, likely MUCH better quality--and rather cheap???

I got the link from a friend. I didn't know it was "bootleg" or that it would be any less quality. Where do you get the "real thing?"

by **kgdjpubs** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 2:17 pm

SP Fan in Oregon wrote:
kgdjpubs wrote:
SP Fan in Oregon wrote:If anyone doesn't have this DVD of Houston 1981, you can order it for $5.00 from this website.

http://concertmania.net

Type in Journey under search and go to page two, scroll down to find it.

yes, but why buy a bootleg when the real thing is easily available, likely MUCH better quality--and rather cheap???

I got the link from a friend. I didn't know it was "bootleg" or that it would be any less quality. Where do you get the "real thing?"

Just about any music store that stocks Journey merchandise--including Walmart. It was released fairly recently. There's even a dvd/cd version, so you can listen to the audio in your car or whatever when you don't have access/time to watch a dvd.

MR

Houston 81 Escape Tour Revisted

Houston 81 Escape Tour Revisted

Who is online