Retro rockers treat Utah crowd to magical journey

[tater1977]

Retro rockers treat Utah crowd to magical journey

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/54627 ... d.html.csp

Review » Journey, Pat Benatar and Loverboy show they still got that rock ’n’ roll magic.


By Tom Wharton


West Valley City • "Salt Lake City, let’s rock and roll," exhorted Loverboy lead singer Mike Reno as the Canadian band opened Friday night for Journey and Pat Benatar at Usana Amphitheatre.

And it was obvious that an appreciative crowd of over 10,000 was ready to do just that as they enjoyed a night of classic ’80s music that proved age and familiarity hasn’t dimmed the three act’s talents.

Journey was the obvious headliner and the only act that used video and much better lighting effects. But it would be difficult to say the power balladeers stole the show on a rare night when any of the three acts could have headlined its own show.

Lead singer Arnel Pineda, discovered on a YouTube video when Journey needed a new front man in 2007, seems to have given an energy boost to the band that defines power ballad.

The native of the Philippines can sell a song and has become one of the best in the business. He seldom quits moving on the stage, leaping, spinning and exhorting the crowd to sing along, which it gleefully did.

Some of Journey’s songs might sound a bit the same, but there is no denying that they are fun to sing or the power of the group’s live show. With lead guitarist Neil Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain capable of dramatic musical feats, including Schon’s version of the "Star Spangled Banner," the band is a perfect act for a big arena.

Though hits such as "Wheel in the Sky" and "Any Way You Want It" are guaranteed to bring the audience to its feet, I liked the slightly slower "Lights," where Pineda asked fans to turn on their cellphones to create a dazzling starlight effect.

And the newer "City of Hope," written about Pineda’s home town of Manila had a nice feel to it.

By the time Journey performed "Don’t Stop Believing" and "Separate Ways," the crowd knew it had enjoyed over three hours of great music provided by three class acts.

Benatar, accompanied by husband of 30 years Neil Giraldo on guitar and piano, might be approaching 60, but she sounded and looked great while rocking through a nine-song set that included hits such as "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," "Invincible" and "You Better Run."



"We Belong," which began as a ballad with Giraldo on piano, might have been the emotional high point.

But Benatar’s final song, a combination of "Heartbreaker" and Johnny Cash’s "Ring of Fire," though sung at a much higher octave, ended the set on an unusual high point.

Loverboy kicked things off with an all-too-short seven song set. The Canadian rock band and lead singer Reno haven’t lost much after decades of touring. It was a testament to the band’s popularity that the crowd made an effort to brave Friday night traffic and get to the show on time.

Classics such as "Turn Me Loose," "Hot Girls in Love" and "The Kid Is Hot Tonite" had an appreciative audience on its feet, singing along and showed that Reno can still hit the high notes.

But the final song, "Working for the Weekend," might have set the tone for the night. The audience had been working all week long and seemed ready to enjoy a night of good old ’80s rock ’n’ roll. And Loverboy, Pat Benatar and Journey delivered an upbeat performance that was simply entertaining.

[RocknRoll]

Another one

http://www.cityweekly.net/utah/blog-114 ... eater.html

Concert Review: Journey At Usana Amphitheater
by Bryan Schott

POSTED // 2012-08-04 -
Let’s get one thing straight. I hate Glee. But Journey fans owe that show (and, to a lesser extent, The Sopranos) a debt of gratitude. If not for those programs re-popularizing the band and bringing new fans to the table, Journey would likely be relegated to the same fate as many other bands from the '80s: playing state and county fairs.

Hell, I saw Journey play the Weber County fair a few years ago. Not that Journey deserves to, or should be, playing lesser venues. Hardly. Not by a long shot. Their show Friday night at Usana Amphitheater thrilled a near-capacity crowd and brought back memories of how stadium rock & roll used to be. Lead singer Arnel Pineda’s boundless energy and soaring vocals kept the show moving. Pineda is the perfect front man for the group. Even during guitarist Neal Schon’s remarkable solos, your eyes were drawn to him as he danced across the stage and slapped hands with fans. When he fell to his knees at center stage while singing “Wheel in the Sky,” he oozed passion for the music and demonstrated a mastery of the moment that would have overwhelmed a lesser vocalist.

It’s a shame that a large part of the crowd arrived late to the show, as they missed solid and fun performances from both Loverboy and Pat Benatar. Benatar powered her way through a remarkable set that touched on some of her biggest hits from the days when she was omnipresent on MTV. However, hits like “Fire & Ice” and “Shadows of the Night” were conspicuous by their absence. She drew plenty of laughs when she announced to the crowd, “This is the part of the show where we sit down, because we’re old,” then launched into “We Belong.” The most surprising moment of the evening came during “Heartbreaker,” when Benatar and guitarist/producer/husband Neil Giraldo seamlessly segued into Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire.”

You could tell that many at the show were hoping to briefly recapture something from their youth. Some broke out leg warmers that probably hadn’t seen the light of day since the '80s or dusted off long-neglected hair crimpers to add some awesome flair to their ensemble for the evening. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of a “Frankie Say Relax” shirt, but it wasn’t to be. There were many younger fans, as well, who likely hadn’t given Journey a second thought until the group’s resurgence a few years ago. Perhaps the best indicator of the temporal diversity of the crowd was the parking lot, where minivans with “soccer mom” stickers on the back window sat alongside smaller cars packed with college-age (and younger) concert-goers. You could tell those fans, new and old, were waiting for one song: “Don’t Stop Believing.”

When Journey finally gave in, and the familiar piano and bass kicked in, they sang themselves hoarse with -- and I hesitate to use this word -- glee. Back to Pineda for a moment. He sang every song at 100% with no letdown -- no gimmicks, no autotune, just powerful vocal ability. It was notable that the band saved “Be Good to Yourself,” “Don’t Stop Believing” and “Separate Ways,” all truly difficult songs for any singer, for the end of the set. Pineda not only had enough fuel left in the tank to manage those numbers, he absolutely killed them, and looked like he could go for another two hours. Not that the crowd would have minded. Not at all. If he had only asked politely, I’m sure we would have stuck around to listen because most of us didn’t want to leave in the first place.

[Gideon]

No mention of Perry??
Don will have a heart attack.

[Don]

No mention of Perry??
Don will have a heart attack.

It'obviously a Mormon thing. Being the pillar of tolerance that I am, I'll let it slide.