9/13/2008 ST. LOUIS MISSOURI

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/entertainment/reviews.nsf/concert/story/79A3C80891F62507862574C4005A901F?OpenDocument


‘80s headliners at the top of their game
By Kevin C. Johnson
POST-DISPATCH POP MUSIC CRITIC
09/14/2008

A decade after singer Steve Perry's departure from classic rock band Journey, it's still hard to imagine the act without him.

Enter Arnel Pineda. He's the band's latest discovery, and a rather unlikely one. The band found the short, long-haired Filipino singer, who was in a cover band called the Zoo, on You Tube of all dubious places, and hired him late last year.

Pineda, as Journey's front man, made his St. Louis area debut Saturday night at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in front of over 20,000 fans. The diminutive dynamo was quickly embraced, proving Journey's Neal Schon (guitar), Jonathan Cain (keyboards), and Deen Castronovo knew what they were up to in bringing him on.

The key to Pineda, who actually replaces Jeff Scott, is that vocally he's a near dead ringer for the soulful Perry. Close your eyes and that's Perry again on songs performed here such as "Open Arms," "Lights," "Don't Stop Believin," and "Faithfully."

But what's also interesting is that on new songs from the band's "Revelations" CD such as "Change for the Better" and "After All These Years," Pineda manages to carve out his own identity.

Though Pineda was the spectacle to see Saturday, the remaining fellows were on top of their games, coming off especially invigorated.

Heart easily proved it's still beating. Ann Wilson's big vocals remain a force to be reckoned with, while her sister Nancy Wilson's guitar wizardry is still something to see on songs such as "Magic Man" and "Never." "Alone" and "These Dreams," the latter Nancy's special vocal moment, wore their new arrangements well.

"Barracuda" came just before the encore, and surely some fans couldn't wait to hear what the women would say about taking their song out of the hands of Sarah Palin and John McCain (it was used in an unauthorized fashion as Palin's congratulatory song, and revoked by the band).

Cheap Trick showed it was vital as well on "I Want You to Want Me," "I Know What You Want," and more. Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain joined Cheap Trick during the second half of its set.

This tour, it must be noted, defies all that seems logical, and we're not just talking about Pineda's success. The tour is a big hit on the summer touring lineup, and one of Verizon Wireless' largest this season.

Some may label these acts as has beens. But there's something about this trio of '80s headliners, full of mostly core members performing greatest hit after greatest hit, that fans are devouring.