No surprises at Journey's grandstand performance at the NYS

[tater1977]

No surprises at Journey's grandstand performance at the NYS Fair (review)

By Chris Baker | cbaker@syracuse.com

August 29, 2014

http://www.syracuse.com/entertainment/i ... eview.html

As I settled into my seat for Journey at the NYS Fair grandstand Thursday night, I got talking with the guy next to me. After some small talk about music, I made my prediction for the show: They'll close with "Don't Stop Believin'."

"Have you seen the set list?" he asked me.

No. But what else would they play? They're a dynamic and versatile group with a string of rock and roll hits. They're wildly talented and incredibly loud. Yet for all their 80s pop-rock success, this is a band known today almost exclusively for the power ballad that killed Tony Soprano.

And it's a band completely devoid of any surprises.

So of course they're going to close with "Don't Stop Believin'." And of course everyone is going to sing along. And of course, people are going to start filing out of the stands before the band has time to get back onstage for their encore, "Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'."

But Journey is more than just one song and the night's 90-minute concert was more than just its closer. On a mostly naked stage, they played hits like "Any Way You Want It" and "Lights," as well as moderately received numbers off their two most recent albums.

On the whole, however, Journey struck a contrast between talent and lack of personality. Their songs were crisp and tight, each man a master of his instrument. They're well-rehearsed and know their material. But their precision felt cold and calculated.

Just before the set-ending "Don't Stop Believin,'" for example, pianist Jonathan Cain sat down to play "Faithfully." The song was beautiful, but it was introduced with a script so rehearsed it sounded like a recording. He sounded like a robot trying to learn how to love.

Lead singer Arnel Pineda's voice is a dead ringer for former front man Steve Perry. But his place in the band seems to be just that: a substitute for the guy who helped make them popular. Between songs, founding members Neal Schon and Ross Valory shared front man duties, talking to the crowd and introducing the next number. Pineda waited in the wings until it was his turn to sing again.

In that regard, Journey came across more like five guys playing old songs than a united band. They hardly interacted with one another and it was hard to tell if they were enjoying themselves or just going through the motions.

In stark contrast to the meticulously over-crafted performance by the headliner, opener Cheap Trick put on a rough-around-the-edges rock show. Anthrax singer and Oswego native Joey Belladonna joined the group onstage to sing "Surrender" and they hammed it up in full eighties attire as they blasted the crowd with old school rock.

Yes, Journey hit all the right notes and had all the right moves. But rock 'n roll is more than just going through the motions. And that's exactly what it felt like Journey was doing Thursday night.

[inaweofschon]

"A robot trying to learn how to love". OUCH!!!!

[Eric]

Cain needs to be replaced.

[perryswoman]

They have been doing the same crap for so long I can imagine they are all pretty sick of it but luv the money.

[Memorex]

Seeing them tonight. I will try and enjoy, though I think it won't be easy knowing the way I like my music. Stale is not on my list. Hopefully they will all get Labor Day drunk and do some interesting things. I mostly am going because I'm taking a couple of my kids and some friends are going. I'm sitting in the back, so I suspect I'll be surrounded by people talking anyway.

Gee, high hopes, huh?

[kmjrr]

This guy went to the show with a preconceived opinion which he was hell bent on confirming. I went to my 17th Journey concert since 2001 in Norfolk, Nebraska this Sunday and I was very pleased with the changes - each member speaking at some point, either introducing each other or a song, playing songs from both Revelation and Eclipse. And Arnel Pineda's voice is not a dead ringer for Perry - he is a high tenor and he sings the songs with respect for the original delivery. And Arnel was in top form. So, whatever. If Journey would have been "rough around the edges", as he complimented Cheap Trick for, he would have said the band wasn't tight. All I know is, the crowd absolutely loved the show, and the changes the band made kept it fresh for me.

[The_Noble_Cause]

This guy went to the show with a preconceived opinion which he was hell bent on confirming. I went to my 17th Journey concert since 2001 in Norfolk, Nebraska this Sunday and I was very pleased with the changes - each member speaking at some point, either introducing each other or a song, playing songs from both Revelation and Eclipse. And Arnel Pineda's voice is not a dead ringer for Perry - he is a high tenor and he sings the songs with respect for the original delivery. And Arnel was in top form. So, whatever. If Journey would have been "rough around the edges", as he complimented Cheap Trick for, he would have said the band wasn't tight. All I know is, the crowd absolutely loved the show, and the changes the band made kept it fresh for me.

Thanks for the review. Nice to hear something positive for a change.

[kmjrr]

There's too much negativity going on about Journey here. Predictions of their demise, of Arnel ruining his voice, talk of Jonathon being bored and needing to be replaced. We don't know what Jonathon is thinking by the look on his face - maybe that's just how his face looks. This isn't life or death. There's enough of that in other aspects of our lives. I listen to music and go to concerts to enjoy myself. We're lucky enough that Journey is still performing and putting on, in my opinion, a great show, as well as creating new music every few years. A lot of fan bases don't have that. Relax and enjoy it while we still have it.

[Gina3008]

There's too much negativity going on about Journey here. Predictions of their demise, of Arnel ruining his voice, talk of Jonathon being bored and needing to be replaced. We don't know what Jonathon is thinking by the look on his face - maybe that's just how his face looks. This isn't life or death. There's enough of that in other aspects of our lives. I listen to music and go to concerts to enjoy myself. We're lucky enough that Journey is still performing and putting on, in my opinion, a great show, as well as creating new music every few years. A lot of fan bases don't have that. Relax and enjoy it while we still have it.

+1. I thank you for the positive review, also.