April 2001: Arrival Released in the United States

As a contributing author to the JourneyDigest.com website, I was asked to write a couple of album reviews. When "Arrival" was released in Japan in the fall of 2000, I wrote up a review of that version of the album. "Arrival" wasn't due to be released in the US until April, so with the advances in modern technology, the Japanese version was widely available through Napster. This caused the band to go back into the studio to record two additional tracks and make some changes to the US release. When "Arrival" was released in the US in April, 2001, I revised the review for JourneyDigest.com.

"Escape 2000" – that's what it said on the Journey website. Fans were curious what the new album being recorded would sound like, and the band replied with "Escape 2000." My initial reaction – kiss of death. No way, no how could a new album live up to that level of expectation. Escape was the biggest album Journey ever recorded. This is a new album, nearly 20 years later, with a new singer and a new drummer – to expect another Escape was too much to ask.

So we waited to see what came out, and after several delays, Arrival was released worldwide in April 2001. The current release differs somewhat from the version that was released six months earlier in Japan. Gone is the ballad "I'm Not That Way" and added are two rock tracks, "World Gone Wild" and "Nothing Comes Close." Along with some minor rearranging in the sequence, this nearly 74-minute release is ready for the world. So, what is the verdict? Journey is back!

Is it "Escape 2000?" No. I still hold the belief that Escape is a target too high to reach. That said, however, Arrival comes pretty darned close, and in my opinion, is the album that should have been released after Frontiers. This CD is everything we have come to know and love about Journey. It rocks, it's positive, and the ballads are timeless.

What is particularly impressive, however, is how making a few changes from the more-mellow feeling Japanese release completely changes the feel of the album. By adding the two new tracks and rearranging the closing tracks, the energy of this album is hugely increased. Instead of having 7 of 8 songs in the middle being ballads or slower blues tracks, there is now more balance with 3 rock tracks and 5 slower tracks. Album sequencing is a lost art form, and this is a prime example of how the sequence of tracks change the whole perception of the album.

With all the hype surrounding Steve Augeri and his first Journey album, a little thing has been overlooked – there's a new drummer too! As someone who never notices the drums one of the first things that I did notice was that this version of Journey was most definitely following the beat of a different drummer! Deen Castronovo definitely adds a different flavor to this album. There are some very powerful and primal beats going on all over this album, and, personally, I can't get enough of them. There is just something in the power of Deen's drumming that has gotten under my skin and made this album extremely enjoyable.

Ultimately, though, what has kept this album spinning in every CD player I own almost non-stop since I bought it (even though I have had the Japanese version since November), is that it feels so familiar (and no, not because of Napster!) Whether it's the lift from "Who's Crying Now" that shows up in "Signs of Life" or that "Live and Breathe" has gone from an introduction to "Wheel in the Sky" to a complete song or if it's just the feel that runs through so many Journey songs over the years, this is a collection of songs that feel as though they've been around a very long time.

So, on to a track-by-track commentary:

"Higher Place" is the opening track, and belongs in this number one spot. It brings in an energy that you want from an opener. It is also the first rock single (so bug your local radio stations for airplay!) Here is the first chance for listeners to notice the beat going on in this album. Deen supplies the power to this track and really drives it home.

"All The Way" is the big single for the album. A traditional Journey power ballad that is very reminiscent of "When You Love a Woman" from Trial By Fire. This is the song that shocked me the most. After 12 shows in 2 years and countless replays of bootlegged shows, I was extremely confident that I could tell Augeri from Perry instantaneously. I was wrong. The first time I played this track I had to stop what I was doing, rewind, and play it again. I couldn't believe my ears. Now, after countless listens, I have a hard time identifying just what made my jaw hit the floor and think that somehow Steve Augeri was channeling Steve Perry (well okay it was the "woah-oh-oo-oh" towards the end that is just freakishly Perry-like), but this is something the casual fan will not pick up on unless they are told.

"Signs of Life" is one of my favorite tracks. Lyrically, it is thematically similar to "I'll Be Alright Without You" and the lift from "Who's Crying Now" adds a little twist of irony into the mix. Unlike "I'll Be Alright," however, there isn't that "woe-is-me" feel to the song as it is much more upbeat in presentation.

"All the Things" is a very guitar-heavy track that some listeners may find difficult to get in to. For better or for worse, Journey is associated with power ballads and mid-tempo songs, and this track is neither of those. Fans who enjoy the harder edged songs in Journey's history will enjoy this one, but those who prefer the likes of "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Lights" are going to find this track too far from what they expect from a "typical" Journey song.

"Loved By You" is a song I had the good fortune to hear in 1998 and have been waiting not-so-patiently for ever since. Jon performed this song at a couple of Bay Area appearances in the spring of 1998 (a few months before it was announced Steve Augeri would be joining the band) and I fell instantly in love with it. To have it finally show up on a Journey album three years later has me jumping for joy. It is an utterly romantic ballad that is classic Jonathan Cain – he can melt anyone's heart with complete ease.

"Livin' to Do" is another track that is going to be hard for some listeners to enjoy. It's a very moody song that starts off very slowly. Personally, I really enjoy it, but I am often partial to moody songs with sweeping panoramas such as this one. With Neal's late father Matt Schon getting a songwriting credit on this song (which is also about him) it doesn't surprise me that it's a track I enjoy. Matt Schon contributed to "Winds of March" and "Mother, Father" – two of my all-time favorite Journey songs that also have a very majestic feel about them. Lyrically, I think this song has a message that everyone can relate to though – life is short and should be lived to it's fullest.

"World Gone Wild" is the first of the added rock tracks, and is a response from the band to the opinions of the fans. This song was played early on in the 1999 tour with Foreigner and was loved by many who heard it (including me.) I had honestly forgotten how good this song was, but it was the first track I played when I opened Arrival. The transition out of "Livin' To Do" from the mournful organ to the eerie synthesizer is one of those little moments that highlights the talents and diversity in this band. Neal continues to amaze me with his solo at the end of this song. There is an urgency to this song that is fitting with the title, but the title is deceiving. On the surface one would think this song is about utter chaos and hopelessness. Closer inspection, however, finds that "I don't believe that it's all a world gone wild." Focus on the positive.

"I Got a Reason" is not a song to be listened to sitting down. In fact, I dare anyone to try. This song has "get up and dance" written all over it. It's very up tempo and just a real feel-good song. And Deen is pounding all over the place. (Why do I feel like using that tired American Bandstand line – "It's got a good beat and you can dance to it??") It's just got a feel-good summer time party feel to it that is impossible to resist.

"With Your Love" is another classic Jonathan Cain ballad. So much so, in fact, that an instrumental version of this song was released on his 1997 solo project Body Language. If this song isn't played at every Journey-fan's wedding in the coming years, then someone isn't paying attention. Adding a full band and vocal to this song changes it dramatically from the original instrumental, but at the heart it's the beloved Whale we find on this track.

"Lifetime of Dreams" is a runner-up for wedding-song-of-the-year (and actually, this album has a good three way tie in that department with the aforementioned "With Your Love" and "Loved By You") and is a dramatic ballad that is an examples of the happiness that seems to be flowing among the band right now. This song suffered in the sequencing on the Japanese release. By the time it arrived, the listener was ready for more up tempo tracks. Now, in the final release, a slowed down period works.

"Live and Breathe" is the song that many fans have been waiting for. It's been part of the Journey shows since 1998, and waiting to see if it would develop into something other than an introduction to "Wheel in the Sky" has been subject of speculation. Astute listeners will recognize the link to "Wheel," however the stand-out on this track is Ross's bass. Another instrument I really don't notice much (what can I say, I live in the melody, not the rhythm section!) the bass on this song is stellar and it makes all the difference in transitioning it from an introductory piece to a full song.

"Nothing Comes Close" is the second added track. My first thought on hearing this was that it could be something from Tall Stories (Steve Augeri's previous band.) After further listening, it's become a merger of Tall Stories and Bad English. This song completely rocks with a chorus that will instantly stick in your head. One can only imagine what this would sound like live – it's got an energy that requires it to be played live and loud. Listen carefully to the end for a little band banter between Jon and Deen – it had me laughing so hard that tears started flowing the first time I heard it.

"To Be Alive Again" is hands down, no doubt about it, my absolute guarantee of a winner favorite song on this album. If all the other songs on this album sucked, I would hang on to it just for this song – that's how strongly I feel about it. Originally slated to be the bonus track on the Japanese release, the voices of the fans were heard once again and it was kept (yay Journey fans and double yay Journey!) As I have adopted this song as my new personal theme song, I can't possibly be objective about it. The energy in this song is just amazing and is such an overt celebration of life that I can't help but smile from beginning to end. This is another track that just makes me want to get up and dance and have a great time living. This track closed out the Japanese version, and moving it up in the sequence on this release is perfect. The track was shortened by about 20 seconds, unfortunately, and now has a fade out ending rather than the cold ending. Slightly frustrating, but necessary to fit all 15 tracks on one CD.

"Kiss Me Softly" – having recovered from my problem with the grammar in this song, I am able to revel in Neal's amazing guitar work – acoustic no less! His solo on this song is a thing of sheer beauty. It's a different sounding mid-tempo ballad for Journey with a haunting vocal, and the growth in the style of playing by the long time members of the band is apparent. This is definitely something that has evolved over time and not something we would have heard from the band twenty years ago.

"We Will Meet Again" opens with such fantastic rhythm and it flows through the whole song. The drums are very heavy on this track and have a feel that just grabs you in the gut and doesn't let go. Lyrically, it is a constant reminder of "the one that got away." It is the perfect track to close the album.

I would definitely take this version of Arrival over the Japanese release, but for those of you who are completists or absolutely love the ballad-side of Journey, then picking up the import might be worth your while. The sequence on the Japanese release is different. Besides not having the 2 tracks that were added for the final release, the album closes with "Live and Breathe", "Kiss Me Softly", "I'm Not That Way" (a ballad), "We Will Meet Again", and "To Be Alive Again."

"I'm Not That Way" is probably the weakest track on the album. It's a sentimental ballad that would normally sucker me in, but for some reason it just didn't grab me the way I would expect. It has a bubblegum feel that would work well with one of the "boy bands." The general reaction to this track was much the same as mine and the voices of the fans were again heard – it was removed from the US version of the CD.

Now, to find out which of these songs get played LIVE!

December 30, 2000: Journey in Concert

Las Vegas, NV
Mandalay Bay Events Center 

While combing through my archived files, I found this alternate review of the December 30, 2000 show in Las Vegas. 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. In reviewing this article, it seems it is a slightly reworked version of what I initially posted to the various mailing lists.

Another Journey show in Nevada – another trek to catch the show. At least the wait between this show and the previous one wasn’t as long as it had been prior to the Reno show in November. Traveling to this show, however, was almost as tricky as getting stuck in the snow while driving to Reno. For those of you who have never been to Las Vegas, trying to find a place to stay over New Year’s Eve weekend less than 6 weeks prior to said weekend is a task suited to souls braver than I. Thus, I flew in the day of the show to once again meet with my fellow fans, catch the show, and then flew out the next morning as I had no intention of spending upwards of seven hundred dollars for the three-night required hotel stays.

This show, unlike the show in November, was a double bill with REO Speedwagon. I had been a casual fan of REO back in the 80s, but it had been years since I had heard them, and I was hard pressed to remember song titles prior to the show. Also unlike the November show, this show was being filmed for DirectTV and a DVD. Hopes were high that there would be some surprises in store.

After the requisite fan-dinner gathering, we headed over to the Events Center for the show. This is where we encountered the first surprise – new swag for sale! Some very nice new t-shirts with the Arrival scarab as well as one with the infinity symbol. Some hats, stickers, and a variant on a previous tour shirt. The table was pretty crowded when we arrived and it looked like items were selling well.

For this show, I was sitting by myself one row up from the floor, two sections from the stage. This afforded me a good view of the stage and the crowd. Before REO hit the stage, one of my fellow Northern California travelers and her son came over to chat and sat in the still-empty seats in front of me. As luck would have it, they wound up sitting there all night as the owners of the seats never materialized.

REO hit the stage shortly after 8, and played for about an hour and a half. As I had thought, I could only remember the big hits, though there were a few songs that sounded vaguely familiar. Having never seen REO before, I enjoyed their set very much.

During the intermission, the stage was changed for Journey and the cameras went in motion. From my seat, I could see about four cameras, and from the angles I saw during the show, I would say there were at least two others.

The house lights dimmed about 10, though not as much as one would expect for a show, and the screen behind the stage came to life. The best way I can describe the image is that it was an exploding ball. Sounds dull I realize, but it was an interesting effect. The guys came out and launched into that tried and true opener, "Separate Ways."

The crowd reaction was mixed. The folks on the floor – particularly those in front of the stage – were on their feet and cheering. Meanwhile, over where I was sitting, it was about fifty-fifty for standing vs. sitting. This kind of crowd response would continue throughout the show.

Having the video screen showing footage from the cameras that were recording the show was a brilliant move. There were some amazing shots of all the guys, but I would have to say my favorites were the shots of Deen wailing away on his drums. He’s so hard to see behind his kit, that it was a treat to actually have a clear view of him playing. In addition to these great shots of the guys playing, there were different images flashed on the screen from time to time. I am hoping they can keep this for the tour, at least in some form as I would imagine having six cameras at all times would be prohibitively expensive.

The only noticeable change in the set list was the inclusion of "Message of Love," which, I will admit, took me a few seconds to recognize as I’ve never heard it live (I’m not even sure it’s been played live before) and it’s been a while since I’ve listened to it on CD. This came about half-way through the set, and was followed by "All the Way," which Steve introduced as “our new single.”  The energy of the crowd definitely sagged at this point in the show, and, as has been commented elsewhere, having five plus lesser known songs between two big hits was quite possibly a factor in this. My most vivid recollection, however, was looking around during "Higher Place" and again during "All the Way" and seeing who was standing up.* Most of those faces were very familiar! The best look, however, was from a fellow seated on the floor not far from me. I could tell he was watching me and the look on his face said it all – “How does she know these songs??!” Because there I was, standing for every single one and singing along.

*That I was standing up during "All the Way" paid off in the long run. I can been seen in a crowd shot during that song on the Arrival 2001 DVD. Even better, the first time I saw this clip was before the DVD was released as it was used in the VH1 show "Behind the Music." The Journey episode premeired over a weekend, so I and a couple of other NorCal Journey fans gathered at Darla's house that morning to watch together. We all let out a yelp when I appeared on the TV! 

My biggest disappointment in the show came when I noticed the crowd was thinning out, and, most notably, when a long line of people started heading up the stairs next to me before "Wheel in the Sky" started. The electric feeling I had had in Reno a month prior just wasn’t happening. The guys played well, the die-hards enjoyed themselves, but there was something missing that I can’t define. Maybe it was the cameras, maybe it was the holiday crowd, maybe it was all the prep work the guys had to have put into the show, but the magic that was so apparent in Reno just didn’t show up in Las Vegas.

In the end, however, I think we’re all in for a treat when this show airs on DirectTV, and if you don’t already have a DVD player, start saving for one because you’ll want to buy the disk when it’s released. 

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, Message of Love, All the Way, Escape, La Raza del Sol, Live and Breathe – intro version, Wheel in the Sky, Be Good to Yourself, Anyway You Want It

Encore: Don’t Stop Believin’, Lovin’ Touchin’ Squeezin’, Faithfully

December 30, 2000: DVD Filming

Las Vegas, NV

Mandalay Bay Event Center

Vegas, Bay-beeee!

Three hours of sleep is barely enough for any human being, so this is gonna be a short, quick fyi about last night's show... more, perhaps, when I'm actually awake...

Despite all the hype, there were actually very few surprises in last night's show. The biggest would be the HUGE video screen that was behind the stage all night. Besides showing AWESOME shots of the guys (due to all the cameras that were there -- I could identify at least four) there were some pretty cool graphics going on. Hopefully this is something they're gonna keep, but if not, makes for a very cool video!

In all, I'd have to honestly say the show I saw in Reno last month was better. The energy of the guys was fed by the crowd, and the crowd last night was mediocre. By the time the show ended (about midnight) half the crowd had LEFT! What was really awful is that I had a GREAT seat, and nearly the ENTIRE ROW in front of me was EMPTY ALL NIGHT!!! I know there were people there who would have LOVED those seats too and the security wasn't letting anyone move. 

A quick rundown of the set list which contained exactly ONE surprise...

Separate Ways
Ask the Lonely
Stone in Love
Only the Young
Higher Place
Send Her My Love
Lights
Who’s Crying Now
--JC solo--
Open Arms
Fillmore Boogie
Message of Love (SURPRISE!!!)
All the Way
Escape
La Raza del Sol
Live and Breathe—intro version
Wheel in the Sky
Be Good to Yourself
Anyway You Want It

Encore:

Don’t Stop Believin’
Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’
Faithfully 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I had a 2 pm flight from SFO to Vegas, so I went over to Mom and Dad’s about 12:45 to catch a ride to the airport and thus save on parking costs. Alas and alack, the plane I was to take to Vegas was coming from New York, so was delayed. I didn’t board until 2:30, and it was 3 by the time we were in the air. So when I landed in Vegas at 4 (30 minutes after I was expecting to) I quickly deplaned and headed for the taxi stand. 

Got to Mandalay Bay in no time, despite the traffic from hell, and went straight from the cab to the Rock Lobster where I was to meet my pals. When I got there, a few folks had already arrived, so we visited briefly while waiting for the others to join us. People slowly but surely trickled in between 5 and 6 while we had dinner. I had met about half of them before and the other half were complete strangers.

About 7 we all headed over to the Event Center for the show. Cheryl needed to pick up her ticket at will call, so I went to the box office with her and then headed back to the arena. We got in and discovered, much to our pleasant surprise, they were selling NEW gear! Woo hoo! So I picked up a white Arrival t-shirt for myself, and we headed off to our various and sundry seats. I had a really nice seat on the side of the arena. One row up from the floor and about 2 sections away from the stage. Jon’s side, aww darn.

photo courtesy of Leslie Forsythe

The row in front of me was empty, and before the show started, my friend Leslie and her 6 year old son came over and sat down to chat. They wound up staying there the whole show since the owners of the seats never showed up. REO Speedwagon hit the stage a little after 8 and played for about an hour and 20 minutes. They were great. It’s been years since I’ve heard them and I really could only remember the BIG hits though there were a few other songs that sounded familiar, but they were quite good. Kevin Cronin is rather amusing, but I can’t figure out quite WHY.

There was about a 30 minute break while the road crew changed the stage, and our boys hit the stage about 10. The cameras that had been sitting at rest during REO got a work out and I was pleased to see that they weren’t going to interfere with my view of the stage. The house lights went down, and behind the stage was a video of an exploding ball that popped up at random locations on the screen while the intro music played. Then the scarab came up and the band took the stage and the place went nuts. They launched into “Separate Ways” and off they went. The screen had all sorts of things going on during the show, mostly band shots, but some cool other footage (e.g.  shots of sunlight reflecting on water during Lights—no guarantees it was sun on San Francisco Bay.) The camera crew did an AWESOME job though…the video screen behind the stage had some very cool shots of the performance. In particular ones of the camera flying in over Jon’s head and looking down on the keyboards as he played. Very cool.

During the show, there was also a roaming camera man walking through the crowd. During “Higher Place”, when much of the crowd was sitting, he came by where I was sitting and got a great shot of Leslie’s little boy dancing in the aisle. He then turned and stuck the camera in MY face. I did my best to ignore him, but not easy to do. We’ll have to see if I end up on the cutting room floor or not. (I haven’t really decided how I feel about it yet. On one hand, it would be so cool to be on the tape, but on the other, it’s a little freaky!)* In any case, this will in some aspects make up for missing that ROR show. 

*Once the DVD was released, there were lots of familiar faces in the crowd, including mine. Not from having the camera stuck in my face, but I show up in a crowd shot during "All the Way."

photo courtesy of Leslie Forsythe

After the show, much of the crowd that met up for dinner wandered back together to chat for a bit, but we soon dispersed into the hotel. Eventually, Cheryl, Rose and I caught up with Caryn (aka JourneyCat) and her husband Tony who were meeting Les (Neal’s stepdad) and Mike (aka Skylord, the webmaster for Journeymusic.com) for drinks. Cheryl and Rose managed to scam some backstage passes, so they took off for a bit. While they were off meeting the guys, Caryn, Tony and I found Les and chatted with him for a while. 

We all broke up around 2 or so and I headed back with Cheryl and Rose to Rose’s hotel room where I took a 3 hour snooze before hightailing back to the airport where I was able to get myself on the 7:40 flight rather than waiting until 9. Was home in my apartment by 9:45 and in bed for some real sleep.

Overall, the vibe of the show was less than the one in Reno in November, which I can attribute to any number of reasons. The energy of the guys is fed by the crowd, and the crowd last night was mediocre. By the time the show ended (about midnight) half the crowd had LEFT! The crowd was definitely not the Journey die-hards that were in Reno, and, as I learned later, the guys had been going non stop for 3 weeks or so with VH1 shooting Behind the Music and rehearsals and the whole DirecTV/DVD thing. They did an entire show on the 29th for the DirecTV cameras so they can have close-ups to cut into the actual show.

November 11, 2000: Arrival Debuts!

Reno, NV
City Center Pavilion

 

I learned there ARE advantages to getting stuck in the snow for 4 hours and turning a 4 hour drive into a 9 hour drive.

I arrived safe and sound in Reno about 9:00 last night, and once settled in, Toni, Cheryl, Ana Marie and I went to scrounge up some dinner. We headed over to the Silver Legacy and ran into Mary Ann, and while we were saying hello, who should happen to walk by, but Jonathan Cain!

We managed to corner him for a few minutes and got the scoop on the set list, which would include some new songs and “La Raza Del Sol” (BIG TREAT HERE. Apparently it got a good reaction in Central America so they added it to the set.)

We told Jon that getting stuck in the snow let us listen to Arrival for 9 hours and when he asked “How’d you get it, that Napster thing?” we said no, we’ve got the CD. We gave our two cents worth about what our favorite songs were (which, since there were 5 of us, was pretty much everything!) and then he volunteered some interesting information!

Seems like they just got out of the studio, where they recorded 2 NEW tracks to put on the US version of the CD... we’re gonna get 15 tracks total!!!! WOOO HOOOO!!!! And, yes, at least ONE of the songs was co-written by Jack Blades.*

After we let Mary Ann go check in, Toni, Cheryl, Ana Marie and I found a restaurant for dinner. Ana Marie and Toni went back to Circus Circus to look for Kate, who should have arrived by this time, and Cheryl and I waited for the table. While we were waiting,who should we see dashing past the restaurant but Ross Valory. Alas, by the time we noticed him, he was well down the hallway and out of chatting range.

*I got in trouble for this post after the concert. The new songs for "Arrival" were supposed to be a secret. While checking out of the hotel, some friends and I ran in to Rindell Ivers, Journey's then road manager, and Mike, Journey's then webmaster. Mike was a fan who had gotten "promoted" to official status, so was also a member of the Journey Digest where I had posted this. We were talking about the show and various comments when Rindell said "Yeah, somebody's already posted about the new songs on the Internet. Someone's in trouble." We chatted about why that was for a moment when Mike suddenly looked at me and burst out "It was YOU!" I claimed innocence -- Jon had told us about the new songs and hadn't said anything about it being a secret! (The rumor about the recording had already been out for a while at this point any how.) Relieved that the leak was due to a member of the band talking to fans, Rindell and Mike chatted with us on other topics for a bit before heading out with the band. Only later did I learn that my post on the Journey Digest had been picked up by a couple of other sites where I was referred to as an "unconfirmed source." A claim to fame!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

I’m still on an adrenaline high from last night. What a GREAT GREAT show. It’s been exactly a year since I saw the boys last and I really needed this show!

We had about 30 or so people gather before the show for dinner and what a great time that was!! Lots of excited chatter among Journey fans (including a few at their first Journey show ever) and speculation on which new songs they would be playing. After dinner, the whole group of us traveled en masse across the street to the venue, posed for a picture in front of the marquee and dashed inside out of the 20 degree temps (brrrrrrr!!!)

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 and 14–rows 1-12 were filled with comped tickets, so when the band hit the stage and we lept to our feet, no one in front of us was standing.

One of the early songs was “Higher Place.” Man this song is just terrific. And since many of us have copies of the CD and have had at least a few hours to learn the lyrics, we were singing it as loud as we could and cheering like crazy.  I was told later that the guys were amazed at the crowd singing along.

About 15-20 minutes into the set the security guards down in front waved their arms and away we went—charged up to the barricade. So we were up close and personal with the band and got a good look at poor Neal in his cast and boot—he apparently fell on some stairs on Monday and tore some ligaments in his ankle, but he was all over that stage when he REALLY should have just sat on a stool.

The band was obviously very excited to be playing and the reaction of the audience was great. Even the folks who had no clue about the new songs were cheering loudly for them.

The set list wasn’t HUGELY different from most of the shows they’ve done the last couple of years, but you'll find it listed below for your enjoyment.

I’m not gonna spoil it for other people who will be going to a show soon, but I will say what they did to end the show was VERY cool.

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.

Okay, now this is a little more for the ladies, but I’ve got to give a hair and fashion report. There’s some interesting new looks goin’ on. Neal—I can’t even describe it accurately, but it was generally agreed that he was looking like Bruce Springsteen—circa 1974! His sideburns are down to his jaw line, his hair is grown out longer and shaggy, and he’s got some kind of weird beard on his chin. It’s a look that actually works in a weird way, and makes him look younger. Looks like he’s lost a little weight too. He was absolutely having a blast last night.

Jon and Steve came out in leather pants (looks to me like the exact same ones from the promo picture on their website) which was quite nice. Jon’s got an Escape-ish ‘do and Steve’s hair keeps getting longer and longer. And Steve has finally lost those two-tone shoes!

Ross has added some highlights to his hair, which makes him look younger. Alas, Deen is hard to see behind his drum kit, so I don’t remember noticing anything there.

See y’all in VEGAS!!! Woo hoo!

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 (the look on the guys faces when we were singing this one said it all!)
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

November 9, 2000 -- Arrival First Impressions

April 13, 2018: While working on the 2018 reformat of this blog, I dove once again into the Journey Digest archives and stumbled upon my response about the original Japanese release of Arrival. I was replying to a review from Kevin, another member of the list who had graciously copied his CD of Arrival for me while I waited for my import copy to arrive (having not had the foresight to pre-order it.) I thought I'd add it to this collection of commentary also. (I've edited it a bit so as to not read too much like "internet speak".) I used some of this as the basis for my album review for JourneyDigest.com a few weeks later (linked article is the updated version after the US release of Arrival in April 2001.) Text in italics are Kevin's original comments.

 

Thanks to the great generosity of a fellow fan who ever so kindly made me a tape of Arrival to tie me over until my copy (belatedly ordered) arrives from Japan, I am now VERY excited about the show Saturday night! While sitting in the parking lot at work this morning waiting for "To Be Alive Again" to end (no way I get out of the car until the last note is played) it crossed my mind that I wouldn't mind in the least if the boys scrapped the "best of" songs entirely and just played the new stuff. Since I realize that is unlikely, I am VERY curious about which songs they will include in their set.

I've done a fairly good job of avoiding reading/listening to other peoples comments about the new stuff until I had an opportunity to hear it all for myself -- particularly since after taking 5 hours to get 3-4 songs from Napster, I figured I'd just get more frustrated! So, if you're of the same mind, stop now 'cause I'm about to expound! ;) (Borrowing some comments from Kevin): 

1. Higher Place~ It's a Blades/Schon collaboration and it rocks!!!!!

Absolutely! I love the energy. A very strong lead into the CD. 

2. All the Way~ MY GOD!! I thought SP had rejoined the group....Augeri's vocals are awesome!!

The first listen, as I usually do with most new stuff, I put the tape in and went about doing other things so that the feel would sink in and the surprises pop up. I had to put the newspaper down and rewind – I could have sworn Augeri was channeling Perry! Feels very "When You Love a Woman"-ish to me.

3. Signs of Life~ Again it's the lyrics...

I'm still working on the lyrics... I'm a word person and getting a little frustrated trying to learn them! LOL! But actually since I don't have the words handy, I'm paying more attention to the
instruments.... oh so sweet.

4. All the Things~ This song is a blues-tinted rocker with heavy guitars and drums.

I love this one. It is different, and may take a few some time to get used to, but it is a stellar job.

5. Loved By You~ The piano and Steve's voice!! Perfectly complementing each other. A ballad that I like....It's the lyrics that are grabbing me with these ballads....

Okay, this is the song I've been waiting nearly three years to be released. I heard Jon perform it solo in March'98 and instantly fell in love with it. It was getting this song that was the motivating factor for hitting Napster for me. To quote my cousin when I told her this song was on the new CD "Jon is such a mush sometimes... I love it!" Having the full band on it just makes it all that much stronger.

6. Livin' To Do~ This, believe it or not, is my least favorite song. The guitar at the beginning is too mellow, too drawn out. Once it riffs into the bluesy notes and Steve starts singing, though, it's listenable.

I think it's more than listenable. I really enjoy it. I like the mournful feel it's got. It's definitely a deep song, and I think it's the grab-me-in-the-gut that I find so appealing.

7. I Got A Reason~ Okay, here's a rocker. This one just makes my feet move.

Dancin' in the streets! I DARE anyone to sit still for this song.

8. With Your Love~ THE ballad. THE wedding song. The perfect love song.

I've been to 7 weddings in the last 12 months and NOW I get to hear this song?? This surely would have made one or two of the more tedious ones bearable!

9. Lifetime of Dreams~ A little mellow. Another Infinity-esque ballad. It picks up nicely though and if they don't play this one, I'll be shocked. It's "Open Arms'" replacement.

Jury is still out on this one for me. It may be the sequence that has me with holding judgement -- the tempo slows down too much for me.

10. Live and Breathe~ Haunting....this is the song that was the intro to "Wheel in the Sky"...all fleshed out. Brings out those same emotions....takes me right back to the concerts... has a great bass beat through out. Ross must've reworked this one and it's the better for it.

Absolutely! It's a real song now rather than an extension of "Wheel." The new sound took me by surprise at first, but as I got into it I really enjoyed it. Now I'm trying to figure out where they'll stick it in concert...

11. Kiss Me Softly~ Another mid-tempo ballad that's easy on the ears. I actually like it.

I definitely enjoy this ballad except for one little quibble that really shouldn't matter, but it just picks up one of my pet peeves and thus is driving me a little nuts. I have a thing about the proper use of adverbs, and alas there is a line in the song that doesn't properly modify the verb. (Yes, I know, I'm a freak.) It probably wouldn't bother me quite as much if I didn't ALSO think it would just SOUND better. The line? "Hold me closer, love me tender..." ACK! it should be tenderLY. Yes, I know, Elvis, "Love Me Tender," I get it. It's still wrong! The Elvis song doesn't bug me as much because it sounds right. This bugs me because the line feels unfinished.

Okay, enough of my freak need for grammar...

12. I'm Not That Way~ Okay, now this is just a sappy love song, but, again, it picks up in the chorus and makes it listenable. 

UGH! It's the chorus that makes me think "Where are the Backstreet Boys? NSync?" This is definitely my least favorite song. While not inherently bad, it's just weak and a little bubble gum, and I'm usually a sucker for sappy love songs!

13. We Will Meet Again~ Yeah!! Another heavy drum song....almost a rocker. Lyrics remind me of loves lost but otherwise a great tune.

I LOVE the intro to this song. Deen is definitely wailin'. And yes, there is that "one who got away" sentiment... it's an interesting dynamic.

14. To Be Alive Again~ This is the bonus track. Another gem. I LOVE the piano....this is the one that I really thought reminded me most of Steve Perry. Yet, Steve Augeri owns this song. I can't wait to hear it in concert....I can't believe that this song couldn't be on the US version. We need to bombard Sony. This is a song EVERY Journey fan needs to hear. It's just cool!!!

AMEN! I have little to add to this assessment. This song is FANTASTIC. Had me boppin' down the hall on the way into my office (after aforementioned sitting in the parking lot listening to it.)

While listening to the tape, I thought to myself "do I like this simply because it's Journey or because it's good?" I realize that is a strong possibility because I just enjoy what these guys do so much. Fortunately I also said to myself, "you didn't like Bad English..." So I know I don't automatically love everything touched by the boys in Journey-land -- just most of it!

Two more days until Reno and I am PSYCHED!