Went to See Journey last night, did I mention I was going? Must have
Very good indeed, new singer Arnel Pineda much better than Jeff Scott Soto who was touring vocalist last year. Very much like Steve Perry but the guy is full of energy onstage more so that Perry I think. Pictures were best I could do from Row S!
First couple of Pics are of John Parr and his band who were the special guests for the U.K. leg of the tour. They were good in their way only recognised Naughty Naughty and St Elmo's fire and another tune recognised from an advert that he did for Gillette. The song's lyrics were "The best" "The best a man can get" - can you remember that ad? Well he writ it. What was interesting about John Parr's band for me was the drummer, a chap called Bobby Arechigo
who I remember from about 20 years ago as being the drummer in Sheffield band Strongheart. Jeez, can he play! Knocks seven shades of sound out of a little kit, massive sound in fact the mix didn't do the band any favours as it was over-powering pretty much everything else. The bass player was ex-Saxon and the guitar player John Oxley who also plays for yorkshire band Alcatraz. Not sure where the keyboard player was from. I ought to find out. My lad for some reason kept insisting he was Jeremy Clarkson but I think he may have that wrong!
The other interesting thing was about St Elmos Fire which was nothing to do with the film. The lyrics were about a kid called Rick Hansen who got a lift in the back of a pickup truck which crashed and a toolkit in the back broke the lad's spine. He wanted to get the world to recognise and do something about the tragedy that spinal injury causes so he went round the world in a wheelchair raising millions in the process - the man in motion tour. So when the lyrics say
"Burnin' up
Don't know just how far that I can go
Soon be home
Only just a few miles down the road
I can make it
I know I can
You broke the boy in me
But you won't break the man"
You now know the thought behind the song! Always here to educate!
Journey Pics and Words Below
Jon Cain and bass player Ross Valory
Deeno on the drums - monster player, monster singer too.
Turn down the world tonight: new singer Arnel Pineda and guitar god Neal Schon
Journey played most of what you come to expect from a Journey show - Don't stop believin', Who's cryin now, Seperate Ways, Faithfully, Open Arms (me and the missus' song, aaaah) and most of what is known to Journey fans as the dirty Dozen - the greatest hits they've been playing for the last twenty years. Deano the killer drummer sang and played a couple of songs from Escape - "Mother, Father" and "Keep on runnin'" I think. He's such a class drummer some of the fills are so quick you can't work out which hand is hitting what - awesome. And a great voice - in the past there were calls for him to sing full time for the band but with the new guy Arnel you can't say that anymore.
They also did three tracks off the new album - 'Never walk away', 'After all these years' and my personal favourite from the new album 'Change for the better' which they didn't do a perfect job of but it's still a great track. Only disappointment was them not doing 'Be good to yourself' but you can't have everything.
Good venue too Manchester Apollo - bit of a rough old spot though, bet property prices are very reasonable - bet you can get a two bedroomed semi for about a tenner!!!
As a footnote there's loads of video on YouTube and what have you a few links to tracks:-
Lights Don't stop believin' Open Arms Neal Schon Solo Stone in love
Bet's there's loads of others too. Just seen an awesome gallery at Marty Moffat's site.
2 comments:
John Parr's guitar player is John Oxley who also plays for yorkshire band Alcatraz. Now you know! x
Thanks ever so much. I ought to put a bit of effort in and fill in the keyboard player and bass players names really.
Post a Comment