Greensboro 9-18-09

[Rick]

I was at the Greensboro, NC concert Friday night. I thought Arnel's best song was Send Her My Love. The rest was just, eh. I thought he butchered Higher Place. It just didn't sound right to me. As far as the accent/diction thing goes, I still heard it loud and clear..but I'll just leave it at that. One thing that got on my nerves was that Pineda's constant use of those high pitched echo effect screams. I suppose some think it sounds cool, but it got on my last nerve. It's one thing to use it at the end of Separate Ways, but it seemed like he wanted to use it in just about every up tempo song Journey played that night. I thought Deen was excellent on Keep on Runnin' and Still They Ride. I could have listened to him on lead vocals all night long.

Night Ranger was awesome though. They really play a good show. And yeah, the "North Dakota" thing from Jack blades left me scratching my head, but I have feeling that's probably not the first time something like that has happened. Honestly, the biggest pop from the crowd for Journey was Separate Ways (of course, it was the first song played) Open Arms, and Don't Stop Believin'. I saw a lot of the crowd sitting through all of the Revelation stuff. All in all, this concert really didn't leave me excited about this line up. Maybe it was because I wasn't feeling so well that night, but it just didn't blow me away. With the exception of a couple of those songs, I really thought the setlist was pretty predictable. I predicted LTS as the encore song before they played it....was surprised that was the only encore song they played. I probably won't go back to any more Journey concerts unless something big happens in the band. I just didn't get any excitement from that night...except for some of the halter top hotties I saw in the crowd...LOL!

good review Greg.

I did not go inside the grandstand at the Iowa State fair Aug 23... ... but listened outside the grandstand with 100's of other people as the show was sold out in DM... I can tell you that HERAT's sound was amazing the band was tight... ANNS voice was killer...

Journey on the other hand... Arnel did okay on Seperate ways and that song was awesome...but like others here... was not a fan of the longer extensions of the songs, its fun for the band, but the crowd gets bored after awhile...... thought STONE IN LOVE was horrible... the worst rendition ever... the band was all over the place on that song... lights sounded okay... but only the young and ask the lonely this year should have been replaced with evolution songs... just the same way maybe too late... oh well maybe I am getting old and critical of the once great journey...but eh... compared to how HEART sounded... journey was just average that night...

R

I'd love to hear those too. Too Late gets way up there though. That would be a tough one.

[Jana]

I've been trying to get my head around what these audiances are coming to hear and why they don't respond to anything much outside the dirty dozen. I think after ROR there was a huge hole and Journey was just not out in front of people and their next album didn't come for a decade. By then I think they had lost many of the fans. Then the band restarts with Steve Augeri and that change did not probably go over well, initially, at least for the few fans that were left. Shortly after people were finally comfortable with SA as lead singer, he too is gone. Journey enists JSS to fill the hole left by SA, then poof, another lead singer gone. Enter Arnel, great vocalist, but his stamp that got him hired was his Perry-esque voice. So now the sound of Journey is back but the folks who have not been paying much attention are only familiar with the ROR and prior songs, for the most part. It must make getting the new Journey with new material on the map a hell of a hill to climb.

And, yeah, I know....posting this stuff is like singing to the choir.

I doubt the Augeri/JSS/Arnel thing has much--if anything--to do with it. Disappearing for 10 years after ROR, resurfacing for 1 song on TBF, then going back into the woodwork is what hurt them. They went from being relevant to nostalgia. Likely, with the musical climate change in the early 90s, it would have happened anyway, even with Perry. If you don't hear new Journey on the radio, most people don't hear anything about the band. They don't pay attention to the band's website, could care less who is singing (most probably don't even know), and don't care and don't know about new material. Your average concertgoer liked the hits in the early 80s, and figured it would be a good night out. That's it. That's all it is.

The diehards comprise maybe 5% of your typical concert attendance, and the rest have the Greatest Hits and probably nothing else--if they have that. Don't think it's a Journey problem. Even someone like Bon Jovi experiences it. That's why most artists don't deviate too far from the GH set when playing live. It's just the way it is.

Excellent, excellent post. Most people really don't know what's going on with Journey since '86.

But Bon Jovi has way more die-hard fans who have stayed with them all the way.

[kgdjpubs]

Most people really don't know what's going on with Journey since '86.

But Bon Jovi has way more die-hard fans who have stayed with them all the way.

Simply because they didn't disappear 25 years ago (for all practical purposes). The fact that Journey can survive with this much drawing power without their most visible member is a testament to their popularity. I think they could have been equal with Bon Jovi if Perry hadn't put them in exile in the mid 80s.

[Jana]

Most people really don't know what's going on with Journey since '86.

But Bon Jovi has way more die-hard fans who have stayed with them all the way.

Simply because they didn't disappear 25 years ago (for all practical purposes). The fact that Journey can survive with this much drawing power without their most visible member is a testament to their popularity. I think they could have been equal with Bon Jovi if Perry hadn't put them in exile in the mid 80s.

So true.

[Jana]

Funny as hell tweet posted on another site regarding the Atlanta concert during Night Ranger. Cracked me up.

At the Journey concert, opening act Night Ranger, lots of women who look like they lived the 80s HARD

[Jana]

Two more days and I get to hear my most consistently favorite Journey song live: Faithfully.


Faithfully in Atlanta Sept 19.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc2-6hslnho

[Saint John]

I was at the Greensboro, NC concert Friday night. I thought Arnel's best song was Send Her My Love. The rest was just, eh. I thought he butchered Higher Place. It just didn't sound right to me. As far as the accent/diction thing goes, I still heard it loud and clear..but I'll just leave it at that. One thing that got on my nerves was that Pineda's constant use of those high pitched echo effect screams. I suppose some think it sounds cool, but it got on my last nerve. It's one thing to use it at the end of Separate Ways, but it seemed like he wanted to use it in just about every up tempo song Journey played that night. I thought Deen was excellent on Keep on Runnin' and Still They Ride. I could have listened to him on lead vocals all night long.

Night Ranger was awesome though. They really play a good show. And yeah, the "North Dakota" thing from Jack blades left me scratching my head, but I have feeling that's probably not the first time something like that has happened. Honestly, the biggest pop from the crowd for Journey was Separate Ways (of course, it was the first song played) Open Arms, and Don't Stop Believin'. I saw a lot of the crowd sitting through all of the Revelation stuff. All in all, this concert really didn't leave me excited about this line up. Maybe it was because I wasn't feeling so well that night, but it just didn't blow me away. With the exception of a couple of those songs, I really thought the setlist was pretty predictable. I predicted LTS as the encore song before they played it....was surprised that was the only encore song they played. I probably won't go back to any more Journey concerts unless something big happens in the band. I just didn't get any excitement from that night...except for some of the halter top hotties I saw in the crowd...LOL!

Great review, Greg. You went, you gave it a chance and you didn't like it. That's more than respect worthy.

[steveo777]

Two more days and I get to hear my most consistently favorite Journey song live: Faithfully.


Faithfully in Atlanta Sept 19.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc2-6hslnho

Uh, aren't you a couple days late dear?

[Jana]

Neal's latest blog:

10 more shows!
Sunday, September 20, 2009 - 10:16 pm - neal_schon
We have 10 more shows as of tomorrow!!!!
We would like to thank you All for your amazing support once again,You Journey fans Are the best! You are All truly appreciated.

Hope to see you out there in the next two weeks!

Peace and Love to all,

Neal

[steveo777]

Neal's latest blog:

10 more shows!
Sunday, September 20, 2009 - 10:16 pm - neal_schon
We have 10 more shows as of tomorrow!!!!
We would like to thank you All for your amazing support once again,You Journey fans Are the best! You are All truly appreciated.

Hope to see you out there in the next two weeks!

Peace and Love to all,

Neal

Cool that he keeps in touch. I think Arnel helped make him a better guy.

[Rhiannon]

I think Arnel helped make him a better guy.

Facebook.

[steveo777]

I think Arnel helped make him a better guy.

Facebook.

Wut?

[fightingilliniJRNY]

And another from Neal...

"Last 10 of 2009 and 2010 -

Looks like we will be taking some time off... will be working on new music ~

Come out while were still out here...

Neal

[stevew2]

Neal's latest blog:

10 more shows!
Sunday, September 20, 2009 - 10:16 pm - neal_schon
We have 10 more shows as of tomorrow!!!!
We would like to thank you All for your amazing support once again,You Journey fans Are the best! You are All truly appreciated.

Hope to see you out there in the next two weeks!

Peace and Love to all,

Neal

Cool that he keeps in touch. I think Arnel helped make him a better guy.

Friga said that not Neal, the only makes neal a better guy is a new fresh piece of ass

[perryswoman]

Okay as you know I was at this concert but was slightly toasted and felt like audio sucked with me in front row and thought maybe that was why. Thought Arnel sounded great live. After watching this boot I decided a couple of things. Yes Audio did suck, yes Arnel did sound great except on everything but Faithfully. He used to nail this song everytime but with the downstepping he acts like it is really hurting him to sing this song. It drags terribly. I say as much as I like this song take it out if it sounds that bad. Another note is Deen is the shit!! He looks like he is having the time of his life banging the crap out of those drums. This band is a really good fit. It's only the third time I have seen them but they are really great together!

[stevew2]

Okay as you know I was at this concert but was slightly toasted and felt like audio sucked with me in front row and thought maybe that was why. Thought Arnel sounded great live. After watching this boot I decided a couple of things. Yes Audio did suck, yes Arnel did sound great except on everything but Faithfully. He used to nail this song everytime but with the downstepping he acts like it is really hurting him to sing this song. It drags terribly. I say as much as I like this song take it out if it sounds that bad. Another note is Deen is the shit!! He looks like he is having the time of his life banging the crap out of those drums. This band is a really good fit. It's only the third time I have seen them but they are really great together!

Watching Dean was the highlight of my evening, i keep waitin for his rig to explode

[perryswoman]

Okay as you know I was at this concert but was slightly toasted and felt like audio sucked with me in front row and thought maybe that was why. Thought Arnel sounded great live. After watching this boot I decided a couple of things. Yes Audio did suck, yes Arnel did sound great except on everything but Faithfully. He used to nail this song everytime but with the downstepping he acts like it is really hurting him to sing this song. It drags terribly. I say as much as I like this song take it out if it sounds that bad. Another note is Deen is the shit!! He looks like he is having the time of his life banging the crap out of those drums. This band is a really good fit. It's only the third time I have seen them but they are really great together!

Watching Dean was the highlight of my evening, i keep waitin for his rig to explode

Me too!! He is so awesome at what he does and you can just tell he loves it!!! As much as I love watching Neal I think Dean gets the MVP award at least for me!!