Rockin' Road Report Archive -- A New Generation!

IRVINE, CA
Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

June 26, 2005

A New Generation!

Well where do I begin? There was so much going on that I am completely overwhelmed. Let's just start with the fact that for the first time I can recall I was at a show that required a lot of attention to the set list. Die hards -- this was YOUR show!

My day started out at six a.m. -- a time I don't even get up for work! Hit the road by 7:15 and cruised down I-5 with the first three Journey albums playing in rotation to at least stir my memory to recognize the oldest songs in the set. Good thing I did, or I would have been seriously doomed tonight!

I arrived in So Cal about 2:00 and rested up before the pre-show tailgate party of sixty or so Back Talkers! While we were eating, we could hear the tail end of sound check -- the cheer that went up as we recognized "Patiently" was heard throughout the parking lot.

I headed in about 7:00 and checked out Journeyville -- someone described it as "Disneyland for Journey fans!" The main feature of this was the custom motorcycle designed by Arlen Ness. Wow. Pictures do not do it justice! There was also a video in a loop -- featuring footage of the band from different eras. I've got to say it was really weird seeing Steve Perry on that screen! Personal highlight was the Hollywood footage with the "JPP" text on the bottom right. Woo hoo! Yay Team! Ross was seen wandering by the All Access area and there were several Jeff Scott Soto sightings. Also seen, sitting behind me, was our infamous "Blind Date" chick -- scarier than ever!!! YIKES!

The show kicked off right on time at 8:00 -- with the guys taking the stage and doing the intro to "People and Places"! Alas, much to my disappointment, they did not do the whole song, but rather, launched into "Kohoutek." Surprise one of the night -- Steve played guitar! The whole first half of the show was filled with songs not played, in Neal's words, "since 1978"! I laughed and thought -- I was ten, no way I would have ever seen that!

Steve did not sing at all for about the first hour of the show. The set was filled with pre-Perry era songs and Jon and Deen took the lead. After being challenged to remember the song titles (I only missed one!) We got to some familiar territory when Deen took lead on "Daydream" -- WOAAH! He continued on lead with other long-buried tracks "Something to Hide", "Patiently", and a personal favorite "Where Were You" (wow wow wow) About 9:00, we finally got to hear Steve when they launched into "Feeling That Way/Anytime". Intermission hit and we got a fifteen-minute break before the second set.

When the second set began, I was grateful for the Frontiers downloads as they opened with "Faith in the Heartland". I got a few strange looks as I was singing along with the chorus! Hey, YOU may have just got the CD tonight, but I got a sneak preview! The second set was filled with new tracks -- eight in all (of twelve on the CD!) We did get to hear "the dirty dozen" as Neal commented -- or at least most of them. But don't go thinking this is your typical "Greatest Hits" show. It sure wasn't!

So, how were the new tunes?? Rockin' Rockin' Rockin'. Of the eight I think only one was a ballad -- "Butterfly". Somewhere during the set, Steve strapped on a guitar again and he commented how ludicrous it was for him to try to play guitar with Neal! All the guys got at least one turn on lead during the second set. "Out of Harms Way" was dedicated to the troops over seas and, I gotta say, Deen kicked some serious ASS on those drums! Ross's lead came on "Gone Crazy" -- a VERY different sounding tune. I'll need a few more listens to really reach a decision on it (as with several of the others.) I did have to laugh at the "Na Nas" at the end of "Every Generation" which Jon took the lead.

The show ended about 11:20 -- so a good three hours plus of Journey tunes from ALL eras. Very very cool....