One Amazing Night with Journey LIVE in Singapore

Oleh: welly - 22 Mar 2013

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It is not an exaggeration to say that tonight would be long awaited night for around 8,500 of fans of legendary rock group from the United States, Journey. Yes, the rock group from San Francisco, the United States was finally fulfilling the desire of fans in Asia to hold a concert called “FIRST EVER” at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Tuesday evening, March 19, 2013.

It is Herbie Herbert, the former manager of Santana who had the idea to set up a backup group for artists in the Bay Area region. The original group members came up together in San Francisco in 1973. The band consists of Neal Schon as lead guitar and Gregg Rolie on keyboards and lead vocals. Bassist Ross Valory and rhythm guitarist George Tickner, both of Frumious Bandersnatch, rounded out the group. Prairie Prince of The Tubes served as drummer. The group originally called the Golden Gate Rhythm Section. After an unsuccessful radio contest to name the group, roadie John Villaneuva suggested the name "Journey.

Promptly at 8:30 pm Singapore time, Journey with the current line-up consisting of Neal Schon: guitarist, backing vocals; Jonathan Cain, keyboards, backing vocals; Ross Valory, bass, backing vocals, Deen Castronovo, drums, percussion, backing vocals and Arnel Pineda as lead singer directly kicked off with their hits "Separate Ways" (World Apart), which was warmly welcomed by the audience. Under the well positioned stage’s spotlight, a Philippines origin vocalist, Arnel Pineda proves his excellent vocal quality. It brushed aside doubts of millions of Journey’s fans around the world after their vocalist Steve Perry left. With Arnel Pineda as lead vocal, their 16th album, Relevation, which was released in 2007, is in position # 5 on the Billboard charts, selling more than 196,000 units in its first two weeks and staying in the top 20 for 6 weeks.

No wait too long, the second and third songs, respectively "Anyway You Want It" from the album Departure and “Ask The Lonely" which was used to be the soundtrack of the romantic comedy film in year 1983 "Two of a Kind," which starred by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John warmed up the concert arena that night. Fans who crowded the arena of Singapore Indoor Stadium also drawn to and sang along Arnel who performed very energetic that night on stage and greeted fans from the Philippines with a typical greeting "Hello Pinoy". Vocalist who joined in the summer of 2007 was found unintentionally when the guitarist and founder of the band group, Neal Schon saw a video appearance when the vocalist sang some Journey’s songs uploaded on Youtube channel.

Send Her My Love is the fourth track carried by Journey. Continued with "Only the Young". Throughout the concert, Neal Schon as one of the world's best guitarists made the audience amazed with his expertise in skillfully pluck the guitar strings. The concert arena was blaring when Jonathan Cain playing intro of “Faithfully” ballad song. The audience dissolved in emotion and sang along with Arnel from the beginning to the end of the song.

Jonathan Cain again played the audience’s emotions once the intro of the song "Open Arms" was commenced. Almost all of their hits such as “Lights, Wheel in the Sky, Escape, Dead or Alive, Just The Same Way”, and re-popularized song via musical series GLEE, namely "Don’t Stop Believin" were played to satisfy the longing of his fans - that crossed generations. Credit also be given to Ross Valory, the bassist and Deen Castronovo, drummer who consistently kept the rhytm and tempo all songs performed by Jornery during that night. Yes, during 35 years of their works, Journey had been able to prove that they can survive as one of the best rock groups in the world.

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The concert closed with two songs, namely "Be Good To Yourself" and "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin' " after all the personnel who disappeared backstage were shouted by spectators who seemed unwilling concert be ended. Signs of satisfaction of thousands rock group’s fans shown when the concert really ended. As commented by one of their loyal fans who witnessed the concert that night, Helen from England, "I like their songs. Over the last 20 years, I grew up listening to their songs that are not only of high quality in term of musicality because it has played music for over 30 years, but also with the lyrics of their songs which are always in positive nuance". That night, thousands of Journey’s fans gone homes with a hum ... Dont Stop Believin.

(Camel Jovie)

Photo Credit to:

"Aloysius Lim / LAMC Productions"

Special Thank to LAMC PRODUCTIONS

Setlist:

Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)

Any Way You Want It

Ask the Lonely

Send Her My Love

Only the Young

Guitar Solo

Stone in Love

Keep on Runnin'

Edge of the Blade

Faithfully

Lights

Stay Awhile (acoustic)

Keyboard Solo

Open Arms

Just the Same Way

Escape

Dead or Alive

Guitar Solo (incl. Revelation)

Wheel in the Sky

Don't Stop Believin'

Encore:

Be Good to Yourself

Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'

welly
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