November 11, 2000: Same Show, Different Take

Reno, Nevada
Silver Legacy City Center Pavilion 

While combing through my archived files, I found this alternate review of the November 11, 2000 show in Reno. It looks like I wrote it as a separate piece for the Journey Digest website. Since this pre-dates the first of the "official" Rockin' Road Reports, I suspect I had told Dan Stacy, the list/website owner, that I would work up an article for the site. This was obviously written a couple of days after the show rather than in the immediate aftermath as the previous account was.

As any Journey fan knows, this is a band that puts on one fantastic show, so I was looking forward to the first public Journey performance since November 12, 1999, in San Francisco. I couldn’t believe it had been a full year since the last show. More importantly, it was the first show since the new material had been recorded. The big questions of the night were “How many new songs will they play?” and “Which ones do you think they’ll do?”

As Journey fans from around the world descended upon Reno on a cold, snowy weekend, there was a sense of anticipation that became an electrical charge hours before the show started. As has become customary for me at a Journey show, I found myself having dinner at a pre-show gathering of fans held at Brews Brothers in the El Dorado Hotel (which is attached to the Silver Legacy.) With 30 or so people gathered, the excitement grew exponentially as each new person arrived. I recommend this experience to every fan! About half way through our gathering, we were pleasantly surprised to have a visit from Neal’s mom and stepfather – what a great treat!

The trek from the restaurant to the concert hall was short, but chilly as most people had been meandering through the three attached hotels with out having to step out into the 20 degree temperatures. It was about thirty minutes before show time and there were fans gathered around chatting with each other and checking out the swag table. Alas, it was all gear from the 1999 summer tour.

The various fans scattered off to their seats around the hall, but about 20 of us had wound up in the same two rows, so it was a rowdy bunch in section C rows 13 & 14 – rows 1-12 were filled with comped tickets, so when the band hit the stage and we leapt to our feet, no one in front of us was standing. As in previous shows, the guys kicked off with "Separate Ways." A great opener I’ll admit, but one I am getting tired of hearing. I am definitely looking forward to a new set list on the 2001 summer tour.

The crowd got into the show right away – the electricity that had been crackling below the surface before the show, erupted into a wave of energy that hit everyone. Early in the show, Steve introduced "Higher Place," and those of us familiar with the song (from having played the imported copy of Arrival non-stop in the two weeks or so prior) cheered loudly. The reaction of the band was immediate, and I think they instantly revised their opinion of Napster when the audience was singing along with the entire song.

About 15-20 minutes into the set the security guards down in front waved their arms indicating fans could come up to the stage, so away we went – straight up to the barricade. So those of us who were up close and personal with the band, got a good look at poor Neal in his cast and boot – he apparently fell on some stairs a few days before the show and tore some ligaments in his ankle. He was all over that stage when he really should have just sat on a stool.

The excitement in the crowd fed the band, and the energy went back and forth all night. About half way through the show, they launched into "All the Way," and the reaction from the crowd was instantaneous. From my vantage point at the barricade in front of Ross and Steve, I could see the reaction as we were singing along – complete amazement. When I could take a peek at the crowd behind me, I could see that the folks who had no clue about the new songs were cheering loudly also.

Other highlights of the show included the surprising inclusion of "La Raza del Sol." This is just a fantastic song live, and I have got to learn the words – it’s the only song in the set list I was mumbling! The show ended in a truly amazing fashion, as the guys have done a little tweak to Faithfully that is an absolutely fantastic way to close the show.

The guys were very appreciative to all the fans who had done a lot of traveling to get to the show. Steve mentioned specifically the folks who had flown in from overseas, which I think was very classy. And I’m pretty sure most of those folks got after show passes.

The energy from this show spilled over into the days that followed, and as I talked with other fans, they all agreed that there was magic in the air that night. None of us could exactly put our finger on it, but it stayed with us for a while. 

The set list:

Separate Ways, Ask the Lonely, Stone in Love, Only the Young, Higher Place, Send Her My Love, Lights, Who’s Crying Now, Open Arms, Fillmore Boogie, Just the Same Way, All The Way, Escape, La Raza del Sol, Wheel in the Sky, Be Good To Yourself, Anyway You Want It
(First encore) Remember Me, Don’t Stop Believin’
(Second encore) Lovin’ Touchin’ Squeezin’, Faithfully