Styx, who were the first band to achieve multi-platinum status with four consecutive albums, were first up with their vibrant, progressive-tinged set. Their irresistible vocal harmonies gained them the reputation as America’s answer to Queen and in songs such as “Renegade”, the stomping “Blue Collar Man”, and the epic “The Grand Illusion” they have a fine catalog of songs to draw upon.
With three lead vocalists, Tommy Shaw, James “J.Y” Young, and Lawrence Gowan, they have the versatility to deliver a range of styles from Heavy Metal (“Miss America”), to majestic Pomp Rock (“Fooling Yourself (Angry Young Man)”, and to wistful ballads (“Lady”) with ease. Possibly the most moving moment of the evening was when they were joined for a cameo appearance by original bassist Chuck Panozzo, who is suffering from ill health. Styx know how to work a crowd and their constant interaction onstage together shows a band who clearly love playing together. They were a real joy to see and the perfect band to open the show.
Foreigner certainly had their work cut out following Styx. Being reduced to one original member would be enough to finish off most bands, but Foreigner seem to be totally reinvigorated by ex-Hurricane lead singer Kelly Hansen’s arrival. This guy has charisma by the spadesful, coming across like a youthful Steven Tyler, yet possessing a voice to match and arguably exceed original singer Lou Gramm’s glorious tones.
Foreigner may be known in this country for their power ballads, “I Wanna Know What Love Is” and “Waiting For A Girl Like You”, both performed here perfectly, but on stage they know how to Rock. “Juke Box Hero” was inspiring; “Urgent” had the whole place dancing, while “Feels Like The First Time” shook the foundations of the Arena to its core. Foreigner’s mainman, Mick Jones, had every right to be beaming with joy during the classic “Cold As Ice” knowing that his legacy was in safe hands.
Headliners Journey may not have been a big name over here until the combination of X-Factor and Glee unexpectedly threw them back into the spotlight, but in The States they were one of the bands that defined Stadium Rock.
It easy to see why Journey have been touted as the crown jewels of Melodic Rock. With hard hitting anthems like “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)”, “Wheel In The Sky”, and “Ask The Lonely”, along with lighter waving ballads “Open Arms” and “Faithfully”, every song hit the mark.
Founding member and guitarist Neal Schon, who was once a member of Santana as a teenager, certainly knows how to play and delivered an inspiring performance of sublime skill all wrapped up in terrific melodies. Their show seemed a lot heavier on this tour and this is no doubt due to Schon’s influence coming to the fore. Even Jonathan Cain seemed to spend more time with his guitar than behind the keyboards. Quite what the Glee generation made of Schon’s shredding is anyone’s guess, but Journey’s hard core fans lapped it up.
New singer Arnel Pineda’s story is one of Hollywood’s dreams… he was discovered on You Tube following Journey’s desperation to replace their former talismanic lead singer Steve Perry, and what a gem they have uncovered! Drummer Deen Castronova doesn’t have a half bad voice too, and when he sang “Mother Father” while hammering away on his kit, the Arena gawped in amazement.
Their show may be packed with classics from their heyday, but Journey were not content to live on past glories with the excellent “Chain Of Love” and “Resonate” from their latest album Eclipse sitting proudly next to the older songs.
Obviously the biggest cheer of the night greeted mega hit “Don’t Stop Believin'”, and the reason why it took almost 3 decades to catch is a mystery. Still, Journey are clearly thrilled at it’s resurgence.
After witnessing three world class bands over four hours, the buzzing crowd left the Arena knowing that they had just seen one of the gigs of the year, and it’s difficult to envisage how this show could be topped. Which was the best band of the night? That’s a tricky one, and sort of like asking which is your favorite child, so maybe it’s best not to try and just appreciate a fantastic evening of great music by three of the genres finest.
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