Tonight was Tim's final birthday hurrah. The man loves Journey. We have seen them twice and enjoyed both shows. I mean what's not to love. Familiar songs, songs that we know all the words to, songs from our youth.
Of course, that was many moons ago. Steve Perry doesn't play with the group. In fact, only one original band member is still with the group that tours under the Journey name, which has always made me wonder at what point does a band actually become its own tribute band? But, as I said, we enjoyed both concerts. The new lead singer does a good job.
Compare this to the original Journey with Steve Perry. (Enjoy the 80s)
Well tonight we went to the Titusville Ironworks to see what is billed as the number one Journey tribute band, E5c4p3. We enjoyed the show. It was interesting to talk to another couple who have been to see the band 4 times. The woman said that the band actually has followers who follow them from venue to venue. She says after awhile they begin to recognize each other. Like I said. Interesting.
Anyways, for comparison: the lead singer was very good. So the question begs an answer: which provides the more authentic experience? The 'actual' Journey with its one original band member, everyone else replaced or a tribute band with a good lead singer and a studied, polished band?
I dunno.
We often have tribute bands in our local venue, our town is small so very few big names, I do like a good tribute band. I love your comment about only having one original member, so are they really just another tribute band.
ReplyDeleteIt is a valid one when you consider the price you pay to see Journey. We enjoyed all three concerts though.
DeleteThe meme is very funny.
ReplyDeleteHmm, I don't really like the song but the original sounds best to me however, I am a musical child of that era, so that is to be expected. You are both doing so well, going out to concerts, at night time no less!
I will admit that we both took an afternoon nap.
DeleteDo you remember Casey Kasem? I was listening to one of his shows (I don't even know who was replaying it). He was talking about Springsteen's Born in the USA album. Which came out when I was in college. So I totally get that meme about Pearl Jam and Antiques Roadshow.
ReplyDeleteWhich makes you younger than me...
DeleteThe old group new members idea is like George Washington's hatchet! Handle replaced twice, head three times, but it's the original hatchet!
ReplyDeleteWhen your wedding gifts start showing up as quaint vintage items it's a bit depressing.
I have found myself stopping dead in my tracks at the sight of something that is NOT an antique...then I do the math.
DeleteAsking when a band becomes its own tribute band is very existential. 😄
ReplyDeleteSorry...I do tend to get waylaid by my own thinking at times.
DeleteGlad you had a fun night out enjoying the music you love!
ReplyDeleteIt was a nice night.
DeleteI have a hard time with bands in which almost all of the original members have been replaced and double that for tribute bands. It's just...weird, doesn't matter to me the skill and talent levels of the players. It ain't them.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm a cranky old lady.
No. I get it we went to the first concert because we didn't know. The second concert was attended because they were good. This concert was attended because it was Tim's birthday. We weren't disappointed though. Some tribute bands suck though.
DeleteDid you see the documentary a few years ago about how they auditioned Arnel Pinada as the replacement for Steve Perry? It was on PBS. I'm not a fan at all but it was a great documentary and what a shock to see this skinny little kid from the Phillipines open his mouth and this great big Steve Perry voice come out. He looks a lot different now!
ReplyDeleteThat was a wonderful documentary. Arnel got them a whole new batch of fans too.
DeleteHe does. His hair was shaggy and dark both times we saw them. I will have to look for that documentary. Thanks, Lynn.
DeleteThank you for that documentary tip. We knew nothing about it. For anyone interested, we streamed it from YouTube. The name of it is 'Don't Stop Believin' Everyman's Journey'. It was made in 2012.
DeleteI heard Steve Perry in an interview say that when he toured with the band it was party all the time but he didn't join in and was the only member of the band who didn't spend his huge earnings, but saved diligently, was careful with his money, and could quit touring without regrets. -Kate
ReplyDeleteSteve Perry is interesting. He seems to have picked girfrienfs who were grounded and not interested in fame. His Journey years were spent with a woman who stayed in the background and all these years later never married or had a family. She is a yoga instructor. He alluded to things happening to him as a kid that should not happen to any kids...but sadly does. He said that he was lucky to be able to scream it out on stage. His next relationship was with a cancer survivor and a psychologist. She died and he was at her side. He found out that he had a daughter when she was 13. They are close but he doesn't speak of her publicly other than to acknowledge her. He is also a grandpa, and his grandson is an image of him. He says he simply lost his passion for music and prefers to live quietly.
DeleteInteresting question about what makes a tribute band. In thinking about it, I don't really care as long as the group sounds like themselves. I don't care as much about the individuals as I do the songs/sound.
ReplyDeleteI guess that we really didn't realize that Journey was not the old band. Although we knew we would not hear Steve Perry. It was only later when reading about them that we realized this. But we both agreed that the concert was a good one. When they returned later, Tim wanted to see them again. So we did. E5c4p3 was Tim's birthday wish. We enjoyed the music. Some tribute bands suck. Theis one was very decent and it was nice to sing with the crowd. 'Na na na na NA!'
ReplyDeleteI wonder who owns the Journey name? Is it the one surviving member of the original band? It seems like that will dictate what happens to the group eventually. I agree that a band with one surviving member is not really the same band anymore.
ReplyDeleteI am going to guess that the original band members receive royalties from the band and the merchandise they sell
DeleteThat is a good question. I don't go to many concerts, and never gave been to a tribute band show. My musical tastes run to Celtic, Old-time, Indie, and Classical, although I will put on rock oldies in the car for Larry and I enjoy hearing them again. My preference is small venues and not famous but excellent musicians.
ReplyDeleteI suppose there are small venues that we don"t know about. We don't get out much .
DeleteI’ll take a great tribute band any day.
ReplyDeleteI guess the thing to me is the music.
DeleteI just like good music. We did go to one concert knowing that only 2 members were from the original. And it was not good. A lot of people left during the concert. I'm not going to name them since they have broken up and are not touring. Sometimes you can relive the memories and sometimes not.
ReplyDeleteI did see Peter Noone in concert once and he was pretty good - Just older than me which I thought was in impossible.
I'm glad you had a great time!
Oh my gosh. I got too excited for my own good. I thought you had seen Garron Noone. I looked up Peter Noone and immediately heard 'I'm 'Enery the 8th I am...' It would have been good fun. If you don't know who Garron Noone is. You should follow him. He's delicious!
DeleteBelated happy birthday wishes to Tim. It sounds as though he enjoyed his day. Interesting question about original and tribute bands.
ReplyDeleteHe did. He was happy.
DeleteWell that led me down a rabbit hole. Is Neal Schon the only original member? I didn't realize Herbie Hancock managed the band. I associate him with Jazz and also have a Jazz album featuring Schon on it. I loved them in my teens and twenties and saw them in concert in Knoxville TN when I was in college.
ReplyDeleteGood question and one I don't have an answer to. Sometimes the "replacements" have performed together more years than the originals, so who knows!
In the end I suppose that it is about the music.
DeleteMr. Pineda really does and excellent cover of Steve Perry. First time I heard him I could not believe it wasn't Steve.
ReplyDeleteYes. The video doesn't really display how good he is. The documentary referenced above. I didn't realize that he was a homeless kid. The documentary is called Don't Stop Believing Everyman's Journey. Well worth the watch.
DeleteI'm stunned at how much Pineda sounds like Steve Perry, remarkable.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing, isn't it? The interesting thing to me is that he was an unknown playing in a local band half a world away. I read that he has tried to quit the band twice. His marriage has imploded and and his voice has begun to fail. Journey is supposedly on its final tour right now with dates into 2027.
ReplyDeleteA shout out on your blog? Yay me!! Thanks, Debby! I’m glad Tim had a great final hurrah! Most of the old bands we love are just tribute bands at this point anyways since they have very few remaining originals like you mentioned. And thanks for the reminder to pre-plan my funeral arrangements.
ReplyDeleteHappy belated birthday to you too.
DeleteGosh we haven't been to any kind of musical show of any kind in such a long time and I do love music. Art is so so though. And I do like some of those songs.
ReplyDelete