Journey - West Classic

[tater1977]

Journey on Periscope - West Classic
if you want to watch... 1.35.30

https://www.pscp.tv/w/1ypKdlRvqoQKW

[tater1977]

Posted on Ross' FB...
Little pre-show interview video shot by my wife.

Uncle Joe talks with Ross, Jon and Smitty before concert.

https://www.facebook.com/rvalory/videos ... OVvf--vhWs

[tater1977]

Bob Lefsetz <bob@lefsetz.com>
Today at 3:46 AM

- read full review, day 2
http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/?utm_sourc ... st-Day+Two

As for Journey...

They missed the boat. They thought they were playing to a stadium BEHIND Dodger Stadium. They cranked it up loud, the set was frenetic and Arnel's vocals were buried and one had to ask...WHAT WERE THEY TRYING TO PROVE?

Neal Schon is an excellent player, but he was so busy showing us how many notes he could play...his solo was best when he slowed down.

But the secret genius was Steve Smith, even before his drum solo, this guy has got chops, after all Journey was nearly a prog rock band made up of excellent players before Steve Perry joined. And they sang all of Sherrie's boyfriend's songs, but Arnel was doing his Mick Jagger, where he didn't finish the words, didn't enunciate, but I did love hearing "Stone In Love" and everybody sang along with "Don't Stop Believin'," but instead of ending the show there they came back for an encore that was a let-down and it's just...they were playing like the headliners and they were not and it stuck out like a sore thumb and I'll tell you one thing that's amazing, Arnel's FIFTY! But I'd slow it down a notch, turn it down a notch, because almost no one I ran into had a good word to say about Journey, but Fleetwood Mac...

[perryfan61]

"Neal Schon is an excellent player, but he was so busy showing us how many notes he could play...his solo was best when he slowed down."


I wish Neal would get the message about his solos. More notes ain't necessarily better.

Not a great review, but Journey never got great reviews. And calling SP " Sherrie's boyfriend"!!?? Really!!??

At least he loved Smitty.

[Art Vandelay]

"Neal Schon is an excellent player, but he was so busy showing us how many notes he could play...his solo was best when he slowed down."


I wish Neal would get the message about his solos. More notes ain't necessarily better.

Not a great review, but Journey never got great reviews. And calling SP " Sherrie's boyfriend"!!?? Really!!??

At least he loved Smitty.

The Smitty comment isn't quite spot-on either. Yes, they were a prog rock band before Perry, but Smitty joined after Perry.

[Eric]

"Neal Schon is an excellent player, but he was so busy showing us how many notes he could play...his solo was best when he slowed down."


I wish Neal would get the message about his solos. More notes ain't necessarily better.

Not a great review, but Journey never got great reviews. And calling SP " Sherrie's boyfriend"!!?? Really!!??

At least he loved Smitty.

I just listened to it using that link above and it sounded like a really good show to me. I obviously can't attest to the sound being too loud there.

Yeah - his review would have been more credible without the cheap shot at Perry and the wrong info about Smitty.

You're right - the critics always hated Journey. Seems like their negativity increases as Journey's popularity increases. They are probably incensed Journey is in the Hall.

[bellairepark73]

"Neal Schon is an excellent player, but he was so busy showing us how many notes he could play...his solo was best when he slowed down."


I wish Neal would get the message about his solos. More notes ain't necessarily better.

Not a great review, but Journey never got great reviews. And calling SP " Sherrie's boyfriend"!!?? Really!!??

At least he loved Smitty.

I just listened to it using that link above and it sounded like a really good show to me. I obviously can't attest to the sound being too loud there.

Yeah - his review would have been more credible without the cheap shot at Perry and the wrong info about Smitty.

You're right - the critics always hated Journey. Seems like their negativity increases as Journey's popularity increases. They are probably incensed Journey is in the Hall.

This is the same guy who wrote a fantastic write up on Perry back in 2014 when Perry came back on the scene. Now he gets sloppy and takes cheap shots? Critics are a fickle bunch.

[Marzdog]

Bob Lefsetz <bob@lefsetz.com>
Today at 3:46 AM

- read full review, day 2
http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/?utm_sourc ... st-Day+Two

As for Journey...

They missed the boat. They thought they were playing to a stadium BEHIND Dodger Stadium. They cranked it up loud, the set was frenetic and Arnel's vocals were buried and one had to ask...WHAT WERE THEY TRYING TO PROVE?

Neal Schon is an excellent player, but he was so busy showing us how many notes he could play...his solo was best when he slowed down.

But the secret genius was Steve Smith, even before his drum solo, this guy has got chops, after all Journey was nearly a prog rock band made up of excellent players before Steve Perry joined. And they sang all of Sherrie's boyfriend's songs, but Arnel was doing his Mick Jagger, where he didn't finish the words, didn't enunciate, but I did love hearing "Stone In Love" and everybody sang along with "Don't Stop Believin'," but instead of ending the show there they came back for an encore that was a let-down and it's just...they were playing like the headliners and they were not and it stuck out like a sore thumb and I'll tell you one thing that's amazing, Arnel's FIFTY! But I'd slow it down a notch, turn it down a notch, because almost no one I ran into had a good word to say about Journey, but Fleetwood Mac...

I was there, 10th row for the weekend, and this review is spot on. Journey was BY FAR the loudest of the six bands and if rated from 1-6, Journey was EASILY #6. They were outclassed and outperformed by ALL of the other acts, and I'm far from into the Doobies or Earth, Wind & Fire.

My girl saw me shaking my head early on in SW and she asked what was wrong. I told her Arnel's vocals were buried in the mix. I was actually blown away at how loud JCs keys and RVs bass were (NS is ALWAYS loud)! The setlist I felt was all over the place.

Smitty was Smitty and he is always amazing! So effortless behind the kit and his solo was pretty wild for an "old dude"...

Cool part of their show was the video of the E5C4P3 LP being put on the turntable, however, even better would've been timing the start of DSB closer to when the needle hit the vinyl. Would've made for the intro that they were trying to achieve.

Two things to end this "review"...

One, the show should've ended at DSB with all of the confetti. It's like that huge cum shot that just ends it all, but then, they couldn't get enough and just had to come back out to play LTS, and it was a major dud.

Two, take the goddamn mic away from Cain. Don't let this guy talk! And BTW, your keys/piano solo is horrific. I get what the guy is trying to do with his medley, but, this wasn't the crowd that was going to "get it."

Last, on way home, got this on the radio...

[FamilyMan]

Important to remember that acts on multi-bills who are not headlining will always have inferior sound. The PA as well as the mixing boards are typically supplied by the headliners.

[Marzdog]

Important to remember that acts on multi-bills who are not headlining will always have inferior sound. The PA as well as the mixing boards are typically supplied by the headliners.

This was an Azoff event, not Eagles or Fleetwood.

The sound for all of the other bands, especially Steely Dan, was perfect.

[JourneyHard]

It is hard to believe Journey being loudest band. I have been to every Journey concert in my area since 1998 and they never sound loud to me.

[JourneyHard]

Yes! Journey needs to do LTS earlier in the show and follow it with City of the Angels! Journey has no sense of fun anymore!

[Onestepper]

That Cain medley might be the single worst part of their show. And it doesn't help that he's been doing it for three frickin years.

This band's creative brains live in the toilet.

[marco17]

There was a while when a lot of people on the board were complaining about Journey's sound live.

[FamilyMan]

Who is on the road mixing for them these days? Anyone know?

[FamilyMan]

And Neal dedicated Lights to SP:
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/journey- ... west-2017/

[Marzdog]

It is hard to believe Journey being loudest band. I have been to every Journey concert in my area since 1998 and they never sound loud to me.

It is well documented that Journey's sound over the past few years has been terrible. What I witnessed on Sunday was an awful mix/sound on all fronts.

[The_Noble_Cause]

It is hard to believe Journey being loudest band. I have been to every Journey concert in my area since 1998 and they never sound loud to me.

It is well documented that Journey's sound over the past few years has been terrible. What I witnessed on Sunday was an awful mix/sound on all fronts.

Accurate. YouTube footage sounds pretty good, but I have been at shows where the mix is a blur.

[annie89509]

Bob Lefsetz is a long-time SP fan. I think he was being sarcastic pointing out ... "they sang all of Sherrie's boyfriend's songs" ... a dig, really, directed at the band for hanging onto SP's coattails.

[JourneyHard]

It seems to me Journey is trying to do these shows on the cheap. They need to spend some money and make these concerts exciting visually as well. First, they need it to sound great. Next, they need it to look great. Finally, end the medley and play Who's Cryin' Now. When people hear that during the medley, they are excited, but they are quickly disappointed when it moves onto to some song they don't know.

Also, throw in some bones for us. City of the Angels after LTS would be awesome. They don't do it on local radio stations. So if Journey doesn't do it, nobody will. Also, add a fog machine or something. Spend some damn money on these shows.

[jrny84]

It seems to me Journey is trying to do these shows on the cheap. They need to spend some money and make these concerts exciting visually as well. First, they need it to sound great. Next, they need it to look great. Finally, end the medley and play Who's Cryin' Now. When people hear that during the medley, they are excited, but they are quickly disappointed when it moves onto to some song they don't know.

Also, throw in some bones for us. City of the Angels after LTS would be awesome. They don't do it on local radio stations. So if Journey doesn't do it, nobody will. Also, add a fog machine or something. Spend some damn money on these shows.

I totally agree. We brought this up a few years back on this forum and Neal read the comments. They did change their stage setup and incorporated all the small LED screens, which was cool, but it seems like they've went back to the same old same old one large screen in the background. Not a real exciting lighting set up either. For me part of the concert experience is the cool stage set up and lighting.

[FamilyMan]

Judging only from the pix and video posted, I thought the lighting/stage/video design looked better than it has in recent years.

[Art Vandelay]

It seems to me Journey is trying to do these shows on the cheap. They need to spend some money and make these concerts exciting visually as well. First, they need it to sound great. Next, they need it to look great. Finally, end the medley and play Who's Cryin' Now. When people hear that during the medley, they are excited, but they are quickly disappointed when it moves onto to some song they don't know.

Also, throw in some bones for us. City of the Angels after LTS would be awesome. They don't do it on local radio stations. So if Journey doesn't do it, nobody will. Also, add a fog machine or something. Spend some damn money on these shows.

I totally agree. We brought this up a few years back on this forum and Neal read the comments. They did change their stage setup and incorporated all the small LED screens, which was cool, but it seems like they've went back to the same old same old one large screen in the background. Not a real exciting lighting set up either. For me part of the concert experience is the cool stage set up and lighting.

I haven't been to a Journey show since '98, so I can't comment on the visuals (or lack of). But if they have appeared to scale down, maybe adjustments needed to be made to the budget? They're not bringing in money on a new album, which I guess would have helped fund the live show? Also, and this may sound silly, but I wonder how much it's costing them to now have Smith on board? He did put his own career on hold, so I'd imagine that they had to wave some serious cash at him to do so.