The Songs Belong to Us Now: Journey’s Final Frontier Coming to Saskatoon

by Scott Roos

photo credits in captions

photo by Aaron Richter

There was a time when I'll readily admit that Journey was not at all on my radar... It's not that I disliked them. It's just as a self described "metalhead" I just never really considered myself a Journey guy. Then, a little over 20 years ago, I started collecting vinyl again. And, Somewhere along the way, I picked up copies of Escape, Departure and Evolution. Likely at a thrift store or garage sale or something like that, and brought them home. If I had to guess, Escape was probably the first one I put on. What I remember is the sound. There was something about hearing those records through a stereo. You know??? The little pop and hiss, the warm, organic tone that only vinyl has, coming out of the speakers, that made me hear Journey differently. These weren't just those songs I'd heard floating around for years. Suddenly I was actually listening to them. And I realized what I'd been missing.

Journey has become almost synonymous with “Don’t Stop Believin’,” which is both understandable and perhaps, due to the quality of their overall catelogue, a little unfortunate. It's an incredible song, but there's a hell of a lot more to Journey than the song that has become perhaps the world's most recognizable arena-rock singalong.

I mean, listen to “Wheel in the Sky.” That's a pretty solid, dependable rock song. There's a bluesy edge to Neal Schon's guitar, some real weight behind the band and that unmistakable Steve Perry vocal soaring over the top. “Any Way You Want It” is another monster. It's instantly memorable but still packing plenty of guitar muscle. “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” has that huge, unmistakable opening and then absolutely tears into one of Journey's biggest rockers.

And then they could turn around and give us “Open Arms,” one of the great power ballads of the classic rock pantheon. I mean, that's the thing about Journey. There's layers. The hooks are obvious, but they're not limited to the choruses. The verses are memorable too. Okay, okay, okay, so let's think about “Don’t Stop Believin’.” Before we ever get to that gigantic chorus, you already know exactly where the song is going when you hear “Just a small-town girl…” That's songwriting. The melodies stick. The choruses are built for thousands of people to scream back at the stage but in many cases the verses are just as memorable. And let's not forget that the guitars have teeth. The ballads have heart. And somewhere between all of those ingredients, Journey managed to create songs that have somehow "escaped" (see what I did there?) their own era. Since that iniatial vinyl grab so many years ago, I've discovered that more than once.

I remember hearing “Separate Ways” on Cobra Kai and thinking, I really like this song. I didn't even immediately realize it was Journey. That's probably the best compliment I can give the band. The song didn't need the Journey name attached to it. It just worked.

And, rewinding a few more years, “Open Arms” has had a similar second life. Clay Aiken performed the song during the second season of American Idol, and it became closely associated with his run on the show. Once again, a Journey song found an entirely new audience. That's what timeless music does. And now Journey is bringing all of that history to SaskTel Centre on September 27 as part of what the band is calling the Final Frontier Tour.

photo by Mike Savoia

Founder and guitarist Neal Schon says the tour is about celebrating that history with the fans who have carried the music forward.

“This tour is our heartfelt thank you to the fans who’ve been with us every step of the way — through every song, every era, every high and low,” said Journey founder Neal Schon. “We’re pulling out all the stops with a brand-new production — the hits, the deep cuts, the energy, the spectacle. It’s a full-circle celebration of the music that’s brought us all together.”

Schon has certainly seen what those songs can do to a crowd. Asked about his favourite Journey memory, he points to a moment when the audience actually drowned out the band.

“There are so many, but hearing an entire stadium sing ‘Don’t Stop Believin’’ louder than the band for the first time really hit me,” he says. “That’s when I realized the songs weren’t just ours anymore — they belonged to the fans.”

That's probably the perfect description of Journey's legacy.

photo by Mike Savoia

And while Steve Perry's voice remains an essential part of the band's classic recordings, Arnel Pineda has spent almost 20 years carrying that enormous vocal torch onstage. Pineda says this tour feels like an opportunity to properly thank the people who have been there throughout his own journey (pardon the pun) with the band.

“I’m honored to be part of this legacy and I’m grateful for having been welcomed with such open arms,” says Pineda. “Every night on stage has been a dream come true.”

"For me, this Final Frontier Tour feels like a chance to say a proper, emotional goodbye to everyone who has stood by me through the years - especially the fans," Pineda continues "I’d like to believe I’ve been able to share countless beautiful moments with them, and this tour is my way of honoring all of that."

photo by Mike Savoia

Jonathan Cain sees it much the same way.

“For me, it is the final goodbye to our fans and the way to thank them for 45 years of being 'the faithful' and continuing to follow us through the many seasons of our band’s amazing run."

Maybe that's what makes this particular Journey stop hit a little different.

If this really is the final frontier, we're not just getting a nostalgia trip. We're getting one last chance to hear a remarkable catalogue of songs performed in the setting they were seemingly built for: a giant room, a loud band and thousands of voices singing along. Yes, “Don’t Stop Believin’” will be there. Of course it will. But if that's the only Journey song you know, do yourself a favour before September 27. Put on Escape. Or Departure. Or Evolution. Turn it up. Listen past the obvious hits. Listen to the guitars. Listen to the melodies. Listen to how damn well these songs are written and come to SaskTel Centre having done your homework, fully prepared to rock out with these legends on final time.