Tonight's set list - 8/15

[Eric]

Majestic
Anyway you want it
Never Walk Away
Ask the Lonely
Only the Young
Send her my Love
Cain solo/Faithfully
Star Spangled Banner
Stone in Love
Lights
My Hometown/Wheel in the sky
Escape
La Do Da
Anytime
Be good to yourself
Cain solo/Open Arms
Don't stop believin'
Separate Ways
Blues Intro/Lovin Touchin Squeezin

[Don]

What is their infatuation with La Do Da? How about playing AIP? At least that charted.

[The_Noble_Cause]

Wow. These guys have no balls. Sad.

[steveo777]

Wow. These guys have no balls. Sad.

They have 1:45 and there isn't much time to experiment. Looking at the venues they are finally able to play after so many years of playing smaller ones, it would not surprise me next year if we get more nights with Journey and an opener. They have had to pay some dues to get back up. The general consensus this year is that the fans are happy. I could feel it when I saw them last month.

[Don]

Wow. These guys have no balls. Sad.

They have 1:45 and there isn't much time to experiment. Looking at the venues they are finally able to play after so many years of playing smaller ones, it would not surprise me next year if we get more nights with Journey and an opener. They have had to pay some dues to get back up. The general consensus this year is that the fans are happy. I could feel it when I saw them last month.

Huh? Some of these venues hold less than 5,000 people this year. It's like Azoff is trying to over compensate for last year's lack of sellouts by going with a big arena package of three acts when a lot of Journey's contemporaries are playing the same venues with only one opener. More proof that Irving is using Journey's good publicity from the last few years to gravy train for his other groups with these silly three band packages.

Also playing La Do Da instead of a newer song is not experimenting, more like uninspiring.

[steveo777]

Wow. These guys have no balls. Sad.

They have 1:45 and there isn't much time to experiment. Looking at the venues they are finally able to play after so many years of playing smaller ones, it would not surprise me next year if we get more nights with Journey and an opener. They have had to pay some dues to get back up. The general consensus this year is that the fans are happy. I could feel it when I saw them last month.

Huh? Some of these venues hold less than 5,000 people this year. It's like Azoff is trying to over compensate for last year's lack of sellouts by going with a big arena package of three acts when a lot of Journey's contemporaries are playing the same venues with only one opener. More proof that Irving is using Journey's good publicity from the last few years to gravy train for his other groups with these silly three band packages.

Also playing La Do Da instead of a newer song is not experimenting, more like uninspiring.

I didn't communicate what I was trying to say very well. With the number of beers down my gullet at this point, I recon we have to do this another day.

[scarab]

its funny that they always play the two throw away songs on Frontiers.

[Eric]

Huh? Some of these venues hold less than 5,000 people this year. It's like Azoff is trying to over compensate for last year's lack of sellouts by going with a big arena package of three acts when a lot of Journey's contemporaries are playing the same venues with only one opener. More proof that Irving is using Journey's good publicity from the last few years to gravy train for his other groups with these silly three band packages.

Also playing La Do Da instead of a newer song is not experimenting, more like uninspiring.

A lot of them are bigger sheds - like last night, for example. And I still don't understand the knocking of last year's tour success? It was one of the best selling tours of the year.

The 3 band thing kills creativity. Not only the time factor, but when your two openers play 15-20 well known hits its damn hard to go up there and play something new. ALTHOUGH, Never Walk Away, which I initially excluded on mistake when I posted the setlist, was received better than Cain's solo's, most of Escape or the first half of the SSB. They gotta cut Cain's solos when they do a triple header rock show...they don't work.

In theory I agree with you on La Do Da...but damn if the crowd didn't dig it and it didn't sound fabulous. Their whole sound and vibe was so much improved over last year. Haven't seen them have as much fun and energy up there since JSS fronted them in 2006 (and before that Vacations Over). Relative to this tour, they ARE mixing up the set pretty well I think. They should be playing AIP over NWA, but whatever...the crowd seemed to like it so they know what they're doing as far as that. My disappointed with setlist was aired in the winter when the triple-bill was announced.....for what it was it was a great show last night. Big enthusiastic crowd...big sound...great summer night.

[scarab]

AIP charted? Is there a radio edit? No way would radio play the long outro

[FamilyMan]

Begging the board -
can we try to stop using abbreviations for songs? Losing valuable time looking up the catalog to know what you're talking about....

[Rick]

Begging the board -
can we try to stop using abbreviations for songs? Losing valuable time looking up the catalog to know what you're talking about....

[AR]

This goes for a lot of heritage bands - not just Journey. It's ok to play a straight greatest hits package but not if you tour every single summer.

Styx shook it up this past year and played The Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight in their entirety as a lot of you well know. The catch was they went out on their own and played 2 to 5,000 seaters.

[Don]

Begging the board -
can we try to stop using abbreviations for songs? Losing valuable time looking up the catalog to know what you're talking about....

No.

[Michigan Girl]

This goes for a lot of heritage bands - not just Journey. It's ok to play a straight greatest hits package but not if you tour every single summer.Styx shook it up this past year and played The Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight in their entirety as a lot of you well know. The catch was they went out on their own and played 2 to 5,000 seaters.

Standing O ...thank you!

What is their infatuation with La Do Da? How about playing AIP? At least that charted.

I did not know this ...

[Don]

This goes for a lot of heritage bands - not just Journey. It's ok to play a straight greatest hits package but not if you tour every single summer.Styx shook it up this past year and played The Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight in their entirety as a lot of you well know. The catch was they went out on their own and played 2 to 5,000 seaters.

Standing O ...thank you!

What is their infatuation with La Do Da? How about playing AIP? At least that charted.

I did not know this ...

Granted it was only the A/C chart but it did have a little six week run there.

[Don]

Huh? Some of these venues hold less than 5,000 people this year. It's like Azoff is trying to over compensate for last year's lack of sellouts by going with a big arena package of three acts when a lot of Journey's contemporaries are playing the same venues with only one opener. More proof that Irving is using Journey's good publicity from the last few years to gravy train for his other groups with these silly three band packages.

Also playing La Do Da instead of a newer song is not experimenting, more like uninspiring.

A lot of them are bigger sheds - like last night, for example. And I still don't understand the knocking of last year's tour success? It was one of the best selling tours of the year.

In comparison to their 2008 tour, 2011 didn't quite measure up.
Throwing out the festivals which are money losers anyway,
2008 52 shows - 31 sellouts
2011 71 shows - 17 sellouts
2008 35 million
2011 38 million
2011 gave them an 8% increase in profit but they had to increase their performances by 26% to reach that. Was the monetary gain equal to the wear and tear of adding those additional shows?

[JRNYMAN]

I'm not getting the logic of why Anytime is following La Do Da instead of FTW. Personally, I'd love to see them revisit La Raza del Sol. I think Deen would do a great job on that one.

[Gideon]

La Do Da? For real? No. It, LTS & OTY need to go now. Neal, WTF?

[SF-Dano]

La Do Da? For real? No. It, LTS & OTY need to go now. Neal, WTF?

LTS and OTY are definitely two I could do without hearing live in concert ever again. In those two slots they could rotate other deeper cuts. Personally SHML is another one that should not be an every concert tune. I have no problem with them rotating La Do Da in and out, but not an every show tune either. This band has enough known tunes and enough talent to have about another dozen tunes that they could rotate in an out of the set each night and still meet the time constraints of a 3 act bill. I think we have identified at least three song spots in our discussion here already.

[Archetype]

A set I'd love to see:

Faith In The Heartland
Message Of Love
Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
Ask The Lonely
Escape
Resonate
Signs Of Life
Lights
Still They Ride (Deen)
Open Arms
I'll Be Alright Without You (Deen)
Never Walk Away
Wheel In The Sky
When You Love A Woman
Change For The Better
With Your Love
Chain Reaction
Be Good To Yourself
Any Way You Want It
Faithfully
----------------------
Higher Place
Stone In Love
Don't Stop Believing

[jestor92]

Is there a real need for 2 Cain solo's?

[jrnyjetster]

I have one word for Journey's setlists.....

STAGNANT

Not even one song from ECLIPSE....?? WTF!!

[AR]

A set I'd love to see:

Faith In The Heartland
Message Of Love
Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
Ask The Lonely
Escape
Resonate
Signs Of Life
Lights
Still They Ride (Deen)
Open Arms
I'll Be Alright Without You (Deen)
Never Walk Away
Wheel In The Sky
When You Love A Woman
Change For The Better
With Your Love
Chain Reaction
Be Good To Yourself
Any Way You Want It
Faithfully
----------------------
Higher Place
Stone In Love
Don't Stop Believing

That would make me go.

[steveo777]

I have one word for Journey's setlists.....

STAGNANT

Not even one song from ECLIPSE....?? WTF!!

Blame it on pussy fans. Blame it on Journey too, for not promoting new tunes properly.

[slucero]

I have one word for Journey's setlists.....

STAGNANT

Not even one song from ECLIPSE....?? WTF!!

Blame it on pussy fans. Blame it on Journey too, for not promoting new tunes properly.

I'm sure they'd include Eclipse songs if they thought people wanted to hear em..

[steveo777]

I have one word for Journey's setlists.....

STAGNANT

Not even one song from ECLIPSE....?? WTF!!

Blame it on pussy fans. Blame it on Journey too, for not promoting new tunes properly.

I'm sure they'd include Eclipse songs if they thought people wanted to hear em..

Crying shame....really. Some of those songs would rock live. People don't get acclimated to certain music unless they hear it.

[slucero]

I have one word for Journey's setlists.....

STAGNANT

Not even one song from ECLIPSE....?? WTF!!

Blame it on pussy fans. Blame it on Journey too, for not promoting new tunes properly.

I'm sure they'd include Eclipse songs if they thought people wanted to hear em..

Crying shame....really. Some of those songs would rock live. People don't get acclimated to certain music unless they hear it.

It's a catch 22...

Think about how Journey GOT those fans... by the time those fans went to the shows, they were already familiar with the material.... These days Journey has no avenues (radio, etc) to familiarize fans with their new material... so force feeding people songs they aren't familiar with is a formula for attendance revolt.. and since Journey isn't making any real money on music sales.. they have to do it at shows... and that means making the shows memorable.. and for that it means "safe" sets.

Eclipse was never going to win over fans.. because those fans want to hear what they are already familiar with, ESPECIALLY at the price of today's tickets.... and so FEW people actually bought Eclipse that I'd venture most fans no nothing of it.

[JRNYMAN]

I have one word for Journey's setlists.....

STAGNANT

Not even one song from ECLIPSE....?? WTF!!

Blame it on pussy fans. Blame it on Journey too, for not promoting new tunes properly.

I'm sure they'd include Eclipse songs if they thought people wanted to hear em..

Crying shame....really. Some of those songs would rock live. People don't get acclimated to certain music unless they hear it.

Your overwhelming grasp of the obvious is commendable Steve! I salute you sir.

[Gideon]

Great concert in Louisville, but no Eclipse songs... even though the video screens projected the album and the T-shirts were emblazoned with the cover.

[JRNYMAN]

I have one word for Journey's setlists.....

STAGNANT

Not even one song from ECLIPSE....?? WTF!!

Blame it on pussy fans. Blame it on Journey too, for not promoting new tunes properly.

I'm sure they'd include Eclipse songs if they thought people wanted to hear em..

Crying shame....really. Some of those songs would rock live. People don't get acclimated to certain music unless they hear it.

It's a catch 22...

Think about how Journey GOT those fans... by the time those fans went to the shows, they were already familiar with the material.... These days Journey has no avenues (radio, etc) to familiarize fans with their new material... so force feeding people songs they aren't familiar with is a formula for attendance revolt.. and since Journey isn't making any real money on music sales.. they have to do it at shows... and that means making the shows memorable.. and for that it means "safe" sets.

Eclipse was never going to win over fans.. because those fans want to hear what they are already familiar with, ESPECIALLY at the price of today's tickets.... and so FEW people actually bought Eclipse that I'd venture most fans no nothing of it.

Agree completely. I can't tell you the number of people I've talked with over the years (when discussing Journey) who are "Journey...? Oh, I love Journey!" fans who were oblivious to the fact that they had released a new album - OR - had no idea they had a "new" singer..... which further cements your point about the vast number of "fans" who know what they know and like what they like of Journey's music due to their exposure to them via the radio when it was the quintessential medium for exposing the masses to a band's music. And of course, the more a band was liked by DJ's and program directors of any given station, they received more air time which directly translates to more familiarity.

Now, the part I don't completely buy into is this generally accepted belief that reaching the fan base and recruiting new fans by radio is no longer viable. Bullshit! "People don't listen to the radio anymore - they get their music primarily via streaming sources direct to their smart phones or via their iPods and MP3 players." Bullshit! I'll use the Phoenix radio market as an example. We are the 5th largest metro area in the country with just over 5 million people in the Phoenix area. The R&B/Hip Hop/Top 40 stations make up the largest group of radio station choices and ALL of them play the same list of songs the same number of times per day and none of them are seeing a shortage of advertisers which means somebody is tuning in.
Obviously, the AC and Classic Rock stations are far less regimented in their playlists so you are less likely to hear any particular song repeated throughout the day as you would be on the stations cited above but that doesn't mean that the demographic tuning into the latter genres I cited aren't just as accessible. And, I'd be willing to bet anyone who regularly listens to the stations which would feature Journey's music in their format would hesitate to change the station if they heard the following... "Coming up I've got the latest from Journey's new album and a classic cut from them as well on your two-for-Tuesday here on KDKB." or something to that effect. It's all in the way it's presented and the personal preferences of the station management and staff has a lot to do with how much airtime any band receives. The station I just mentioned, KDKB has a couple of DJ's who love Journey and a couple who have been openly vocal in their disapproval of the choices the band has made over the years and rarely, if ever, include Journey in their respective show's lineups.