There�s a simple reason why bands that have been touring for 30 years buttocks still sell out big venues: the songs brave out even if the band members don�t.
That said, Journey�s been trolling for a Steve Perry soundalike for a decade. The up-to-the-minute recruit, Filipino vocal maven Arnel Pineda, is a dead ringer.
At the Comcast Center Tuesday night, along with innovation members Neal Schon and Ross Valory, longtime keyboardist Jonathan Cain and latter-day drummer Deen Castronovo, Pineda did his best to win over longtime fans, performing a mix of FM classics and a sampling of tunes from the late released Wal-Mart-exclusive CD, �Revelation.�
For the nigh part, he succeeded: Journey sounded great. But Pineda and Co. were trying so tough throughout the high-energy set up, it felt as if we were being sold an fluky bill of goods. Odd, since, as a extremely anticipated summer shed raw material, Journey�s got nothing to prove.
In fact, the San Francisco rockers seemed more than at simpleness two summers ago with Jeff Scott Sotto on vocals.
There�s no question: Pineda�s a petite powerhouse. He poured himself completely into the music, consistently nailed the money notes and belted out the tunes so hard his eyes nearly burst from his face.
New tunes such as �Change for the Better� and �Never Walk Away� stood up well against �Only the Young,� �Lights,� �Wheel in the Sky� and �Stone in Love.�
And his lay crooning on �Open Arms� and �Faithfully� was almost too perfect. Schon�s fancy fretwork was dependably dazzling, and Cain�s baby distinguished was a recurring nice touch.
While it doesn�t neutralize the caliber of the show, Pineda�s stage moves seemed like they�d been assimilated from watching Perry in previous concert footage - correct down to the way he flipped his haircloth. It felt a little too practically like beholding a cover band, which isn�t a big extend, since that�s what he was doing before he lucked out and scored this gig.
Heart�s mid-evening fructify felt significantly more true. And spell Ann Wilson�s pipes weren�t quite as flexible as they were just utmost summer, she can inactive sing circles around most of her peers.
With only an 60 minutes, Heart stuck to hits (�Magic Man,� �Crazy on You,� �Straight On,� �Barracuda�), but an encore incubate of Led Zeppelin�s �Going to California,� with a gentle drumbeat added underneath, was a delightful surprise. And Nancy Wilson�s acoustic leads and harmonica solo made the newly reworked �Never� soar.
Cheap Trick�s sloppy but spirited opening performance was a mixed udder. �Surrender� and �Dream Police� were punchy fun, but Robin Zander can�t really carry �The Flame� whatever longer.
JOURNEY, with HEART and CHEAP TRICK at the Comcast Center, Mansfield, Tuesday night.
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