Journey lets the music do the talking in Saskatoon
by Scott Roos
pics by Scott Roos and Sara Kjelshus (as captioned)
There are bands where you go to a concert because you want to hear the musicians play.
And then there are bands where you go because you want to hear the songs. Journey, playing SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon on Sunday, Sept. 27, was definitely the latter. That isn't to say the musicianship wasn't impressive. It was. Neal Schon is Neal Schon. The guy can absolutely shred, and watching him work his way through a guitar solo is a pretty good reminder of why his name has been attached to Journey for more than 50 years. Jonathan Cain, the other long-serving member of the group, was equally impressive on the keys.
And the rest of the band? Wow.
Drummer Deen Castronovo has an incredible voice, something that became increasingly apparent as he took over lead vocals on a number of songs. Jason Delatka was solid as well, and the vocal harmonies throughout the night were remarkably tight. There was clearly a lot of talent on that stage.
*Above photos by Scott Roos
But let's be honest with ourselves here... Most of the people filling SaskTel Centre weren't necessarily there to watch Neal Schon play guitar. They were there to hear “Don't Stop Believin’.” And “Faithfully.” And “Open Arms.” And “Separate Ways.” And “Any Way You Want It.” and... and... and... Well, you get the idea. However, the slightly odd thing about Journey's Saskatoon set was that the band made the audience wait quite a while for those songs.
The first half of the show was loaded with deeper cuts. There was “Be Good to Yourself,” “Stone in Love,” “Ask the Lonely,” “Only the Young,” “Just the Same Way,” “Of a Lifetime,” “La Do Da” and others. For the serious Journey fan, there was plenty to dig into. For the casual fan, they were no doubt thinking "OK, when are we getting to the iconic songs?"
The band did make things interesting by spreading the lead vocals around. Castronovo took on “Lights,” “Precious Time” and “Keep On Runnin’,” while Cain and Castronovo shared “Just the Same Way” and “Anytime.” Delatka also stepped forward for a few numbers. It was a nice change of pace, and Castronovo in particular was a revelation.
But when Arnel Pineda took centre stage, there was no mistaking who the frontman was.
Pineda has an otherworldly voice and the kind of stage presence that makes it difficult to look anywhere else. He was constantly moving, working the stage and interacting with the crowd. The guy knows how to front a rock band. And, more importantly, he can sing the heck out of these songs. Eventually, Journey started opening the vault. “Who's Crying Now” gave way to “Open Arms,” followed by “Never Walk Away.” Then came “Wheel in the Sky,” before “Faithfully” finally arrived. And then, of course, there it was. “Don't Stop Believin’.” And the building erupted in a borderline religious style singalong.
*Arnel in action! Above photos by Sara Kjelshus
That's the thing about Journey. These songs arguably aren't really Journey's anymore. They belong to the fans more than anything. They've been played at weddings, graduations, hockey games, bars, road trips and probably a million kitchens where somebody thought they could hit that Steve Perry note. The final stretch was essentially one giant victory lap: “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’,” “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” and finally “Any Way You Want It,” complete with a shower of confetti. It was hard not to smile.
Journey has been around long enough that only Schon and Cain remain as members of the "classic" lineup, but there is still an obvious respect for the music they helped create. And the current lineup can absolutely play it. But on Sunday night, the musicianship was the bonus. The songs were the reason many were there. And once Journey finally got around to giving Saskatoon those songs, the place sounded exactly the way a Journey concert should sound: loud, happy and full of people singing along.
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