Search This Blog

Wednesday, April 15, 1998

April 14, 1998: Jon Plays San Jose

San Jose, CA
Guitar Center




As posted to the Steve Perry Mailing List.

Well, I see Liz and Debbie got their comments on Jon's show in last night. Now here's mine. Liz and I had been emailing back and forth all day because I wanted her to deliver your messages (Donna, I'd left the office before your message arrived, so it didn't get to him. I'm sorry!) in case I had another attack of brain lock like I did last time.

Anyway, I left work about 15 minutes early so I could grab a snack since I wouldn't be having dinner until after the show. I got to the Guitar Center really early (around 5:45) and since I was meeting my cousin Denise (at 6:15) I sat in my car in the parking lot listening to Body Language while I waited for her. I figured, what the heck am I gonna do in a guitar store for half an hour? Well, if I'd gone in I would have seen Jon warming up. I found out from someone else there that he was warming up until about 6:10 when he left for dinner. D'oh!

Jon finally arrived around 7:30 (he got stuck in traffic. Classic California for ya!) and played for about an hour and a half. As Debbie said, I jotted down the set list, and I'll add that at the end of this post. The feeling of this show was different from the one in Petaluma last month. It was more the "public" Jon than the "private" Jon, but I rather expected that. Most of what he played was from Body Language and For a Lifetime, and I think it's just amazing what technology can do. Jon was there with a baby grand piano and behind him was the electronic equipment (which wasn't very big at all) that had his "band" playing -- which really completed the sound.

Towards the end of the set he did a Journey medley. Jon sang a verse of each of the following songs -- "Who's Cryin' Now", "Separate Ways", "Send Her My Love", "When You Love a Woman", and "Don't Stop Believin'." This segment got a huge cheer, particularly DSB. Jon called these songs his "kids" and said "Hopefully there will be more stuff soon." -- which is what Debbie told me to write down. It was neat hearing these songs in an acoustic setting. A little slower, a little softer, but old friends. Of course, in my head I was hearing the missing instruments and filling them in where needed. It also got me thinking that Jon wouldn't be a bad substitute for Steve on lead vocals. I'm not sure if he could pull it off in a large setting, but he sure did a great job in a small one.

After he finished, Liz, Debbie, Denise and I were right in the front of the line for autographs. When Liz handed over the messages I'd printed out, he promised he'd read them later. I didn't really ask him anything much, just "How are you?" ("Burned out. I was up all last night with a sick kid.") but I was nowhere near as panicked as I was last time. No shakes, no heart pounding, no brain lock. If there hadn't been such a line behind me, I probably could have stood there and chatted all day! Guess this meeting heroes is routine now! LOL!

It was another fun evening of great music!

Set List:

Paradiso
Winds of Carnivale
Body Language
Moonlight at Marabella
Cry for Love
With Your Love
Faithfully (which he sang of course, big cheer from the crowd)
For a Lifetime
Open Arms
Loved by You (unreleased vocal. He did this one at the Petaluma show too. It's great.)
A Day to Remember
Song of Calabria
One Look
Precious Moments