For a band with a long illustrious history, Journey have never been part of the Donington experience. At first glance, you wonder how their melodic rock will fit in the heavier orientated crowd. There are certainly no end of Journey fans in the crowd given the amount of T- shirts I've seen around site.
From the opening bars of 'Separate Ways' it was clear that the worries were unfounded. Forget the power ballads, Journey know how to rock. Relative newcomer, Arnel Pineda adds another dimension to the band. Not only is his voice the closest the band have found yet to original leading light Steve Perry, but his youthful energy on the stage adds a more visual component to the band. It leaves the elder statesmen of Neal Schon, Ross Valory and Jonathan Cain to get on with what they do best, and provide exceptional musicianship. To them, finding Pineda on You Tube must have been like finding a Rolex in McDonalds Happy Meal.
Pineda's energy was almost matched by Cain hopping from keyboard to guitar like a hyperactive toddler.
Despite their lack of commercial success this side of the pond, there is no denying Journey have some classic songs and they pulled them out here. The crowd singing along to every word of songs like 'Stone In Love' and 'Wheel In The Sky'. Neal Schon proved he was every bit the rock guitarist and deserved to be gracing the Donington stage. Schon was on fire today as was the rest of the band (and indeed the crowd 23 degrees today). They were already winners before the final three songs, but to bring out an arsenal of classic songs like 'Faithfully', 'Don't Stop Believing' and 'Anyway You Want It' is impressive for any band.
The performances of these songs were amazing today. Pineda has already made 'Faithfully' his own. This was the song Schon saw him singing on You Tube that alerted him to Pinedas talents originally. He performed it today as if it had been written for him. Even with a voice as powerful as Pinedas, the crowd could be heard singing every word.
'Don't Stop Believing' is always a crowd pleaser and was their best known song here long before it accompanied the gunning down of The Sopranos. Pineda added his own additional sing along bits to the end of it and despite the heat of the pit no one wanted the performance to end. But end it did to the sing along dance along 'Anyway You Want It'.
Journey proved that melodic rock does have a place at Donington so Don't Stop Believing, Andy Copping hasn't and that's who we have to thank for bringing us the classic rock back... Thank you Sir!
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