Arnel Fans

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Steve Perry must be really, really, really flattered by Journey’s new lead singer, Arnel Pineda.

Pineda made his Detroit debut with classic rockers Journey Tuesday night in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 15,000 at DTE Energy Music Theatre. The band played for just over two hours, tacking an extra 30 minutes onto its set after openers Heart unexpectedly canceled their performance citing vocal problems suffered by Ann Wilson. Prior to Heart’s on-stage announcement, which was met by scattered boos from the audience, Cheap Trick performed a spirited 45-minute opening set.

But the night was really all about Journey, and about the crowd laying a set of eyes and ears on Pineda. Would the much-talked-about 41-year-old Filipino singer really be all he was cracked up to be?

Adam Graham of Detroit News reviews Journey’s performance.

Back in 1998, Journey found a replacement for singer Steve Perry in Steve Augeri, whose rhyming name tickled the world and near-beer vocals were close enough for fans who accepted that they might never see the classic lineup again. But late last year, the band recruited Arnel Pineda to front them, a 40-year-old Filipino who shares something more crucial with Perry than a first name: His. Exact. Voice.

Read the article.

John Soeder of the Plain Dealer Reporter in the Cleveland.com, reviews Journey and Arnel Pineda.

If you closed your eyes, it was easy to picture Steve Perry up there.

Then again, you also could imagine him somewhere far away from the spotlight, bitterly cursing his fate. Who knew the machinations of that ever-turning wheel in the sky could be so cruel?

Journey’s estranged singer wasn’t missed when the resurgent pop-rock quintet from San Francisco headlined a sold-out concert Saturday night at Blossom Music Center. A quarter-century after their Top 40 heyday, these guys have made a remarkable comeback, with lead vocals now handled by Filipino native Arnel Pineda. Uncannily, he sounded more like Perry than Perry himself.

Read the rest of the story.

Boston.com reviews Journey’s concert. Here are excerpts ….

The most recent Internet sensation is Arnel Pineda, who was discovered via YouTube clips of him fronting a Journey tribute act. He made his area debut Tuesday night at the Comcast Center as the latest singer for the indefatigable and commercially revitalized Journey. The diminutive Filipino is another vocal clone of Steve Perry, who fronted the group during its most successful era.

In terms of energy, Pineda is a strong addition. He leapt, twirled, and bounded around the stage with the kind of glee befitting someone who has won the rock-star lottery. The elder members of the quintet - including hard-hitting drummer Deen Castronovo and ever-elegant keyboardist Jonathan Cain - seemed to feed off that energy. While reeling off his technically precise, sometimes indulgent guitar solos, Neal Schon often gazed over at his new frontman with grateful bemusement.

Read the rest.

The rather unlikely hookup with singer Arnel Pineda has breathed a whole new life into rock band Journey.

With oodles of enthusiasm and a voice that’s a dead ringer for the most famous of Journey singers - the revered Steve Perry - Pineda and original Journey men Neal Schon on guitar and Ross Valory on bass thoroughly thrilled the state fair’s packed Mohegan Sun Grandstand.

Add practically original keyboardist Jonathan Cain, who joined in 1981, and drummer Deen Castronovo, who came on in 1998, and Journey had the goods to deliver the hook-filled rock songs that have kept their songs on radio and in pop culture since they burst out of San Francisco in 1979.

Syracuse.com reviews Journey’s concert in the Mohegan Sun Grandstand.

Lani blogs about Journey’s recent concert in Boston.

When the Journey start people was making a loud noise clapping and dancing thats unbelievable. When Arnel Pineda came out and sing wow his has amazing voice that god has given him. While Arnel is singing we dance and we sing. All the people while watching is also dancing and singing in their chair and standing up. I’m so proud of Arnel Pineda and us because his a Filipino. People are cheering and shaking hand with him. I’m so proud of him. Watch his one video I upload in My Online Diary and more photos.

Read the rest of her blog.

Christoher John Treacy of the Boston Herald thinks Arnel Pineda is the perfect fit for Journey.

At the Comcast Center last night, along with founding members Neil Schon and Ross Valory, longtime keyboardist Jonathan Cain and latter-day drummer Deen Castronovo, Pineda did his best to win over longtime fans, performing a mix of FM classics and a sampling of tunes from the recently released Wal-Mart-exclusive CD, “Revelation.” For the most part, he succeeded: Journey sounded great. But Pineda and Co. were trying so hard throughout the high-energy set, it felt as if we were being sold an iffy bill of goods. Odd, since, as a highly anticipated summer shed staple, Journey’s got nothing to prove. In fact, the San Francisco rockers seemed more at ease two summers ago with Jeff Scott Sotto on vocals.

Read the rest of the review.

Barry Dean reviews Journey’s Revelation CD.

Some folks may think this album sounds like they are trying to hard to sound like the old Journey. To some extent they would be correct. I have to admit that I wanted to find a mullet wig and play my air guitar after hearing the album for the first time. But after listening to the album a second time you start to notice some subtle changes that make this new Journey distinct. I give the new Journey album “Revelation” four stars out of five.

Read the rest of his review.

Brad Patton of TimesLeader.com reviews Journey’s concert at Montague Mountain

Journey, the headliners of the three-band tour, took the stage to uproarious applause about 25 minutes after Heart finished up. The group, which now features Arnel Pineda on lead vocals, opened with “Never Walk Away,” from their most recent album, “Revelation.”

Pineda, who was discovered on You Tube, has breathed new life into the old material. At times his voice is remarkably similar to that of Steve Perry, the group’s lead vocalist during their 1970s and 1980s heyday.

Read more.

Errol’s Weekly Music Update reviews Journey concert at Jones Beach, NY

The word for the performance of Journey was ENERGY!!! This kid was phenomenal and I swear if you closed your eyes (not your mind) and listened you would have thought that Steve Perry was singing last night. His energy on stage reminded me of a combination of Steven Tyler and David Lee Roth.This kid really blew me away and you could tell his energy made the rest of the band perform that much better. The highlight of the show for me was “Stone in Love”- man I totally forgot about this song and hadn’t heard it in such a long time- but just like riding a bike- the words flowed effortlessly as I remembered every one.

Read the rest of the review.

MyRecordJournal reviews Journey’s Revelation

Journey has been together for 35 years and they are still making some of the best music of their career. I highly suggest owning this album. Not only do you get a disc worth of brand-new songs, but you also get a second CD of rerecord greatest hits featuring Arnel Pineda on vocals. Plus, as a bonus, you also get a DVD of one of the first shows performed by Journey with new lead singer Arnel Pineda. He gives the Journey classics a new life. The album can only be purchased at Wal-Mart stores or at journeymusic.com.

Jeff Maisey of Virginian-Pilot reviews Journey, Cheap Trick and Heart’s concert last night at the Ampitheatre. He even mentioned Arnel was the best replacement for Steve Perry.

If you closed your eyes, crossed your fingers and hoped Arnel Pineda lived up to the hype as Journey’s new singer, you probably weren’t alone Tuesday evening at the Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater.

Well, hearing is certainly believing, and without a doubt Pineda was the best replacement Journey has ever had for its most famed vocalist, Steve Perry.

Read the rest of Jeff’s review here.

This is almost comical. Jeremy Burgess of Birmingham News reviews Journey and Cheap Trick. He gives the concert 2 stars out of 5. Well, there’s not much substance to his review. Fans of Journey and Cheap Trick let him hear it. Here’s what fans have commented on his site:

Thanks Jeremy, your review SUCKS. Are you sure you watched the concert???

So Cheap Trick is older and Rick Nielsen can’t jump as high as he once could, did that make them as less entertaining? Not at all Cheap Trick was a great opening act, too bad Heart could not have made this stop as well, and were playing for the fans and entertaining the crowd.

I will give your “review” a minus 5 (-5) out of 5.

This has got to be the Most Blatantly PREJUDICED, Perversely BIASED, Obnoxiously misreported concert review I have ever read about Journey released purportedly by a statewide news organization.

hey, mr. jeremy burgess,
were you really at the concert? paid for a ticket and has one seat reserved for you?
or were you at the margarita grill along hwy 119, sitting in one of those wrought iron chairs, sipping tequila….?

Oh man, this is too much. Read the article here.

Yes, I finally bought the CD Album of Journey - at Walmart! It’s a great deal - the package comes with 2 CDs and 1 DVD for $11.99. My kids are now hooked to it - I mean the songs in it. My son said he can’t get the song “Don’t Stop Believin’” out of his mind - he keeps on singing it

Read the rest of Liza’s review here.

Ok, this is for our Japanese readers. Now, I don’t have a clue what was written here. I hope it’s good. But this looks like a review of Journey’s Revelation with a YouTube link about Arnel. I think…

お客さんから教えてもらったのですが、ＪＯＵＲＮＥＹのニュー・アルバム『ＲＥＶＥＬＡＴＩＯＮ』で歌っている新ヴォーカリストがスティーヴ・ペリーにソックリだという事で、早速気になって聴いてみた。

Read the blog!

Here’s Media Spec review of Cheap Trick, Heart and Journey

Since Journey recruited Arnel Pineda to the group and showed off their rejuvenated sound with their latest album, Revelation, it’s the best they’ve been since Steve Perry parted ways with the group in 1998. Previous lead singers felt more like poor imitations rather than the next evolution of Journey, and now Arnel Pineda brings a classic feel with some new energy.

Another well received review! Go Arnel!

Andrew of Lens Flare talks about Journey’s concert in Dallas

All I can say is WOW.  I have seen Journey 3 times now and this new lineup with singer Arnel Pineda is most definitely something special.  The band (in particular Pineda) had the most energy that I have seen in years.  Being a former musician myself, I am pretty tough on live performance critiques…But wowza these guys tore it up.   Not a wrong note from anyone and so much energy throughout the band.  They looked like they were back in their hayday.  Strong performance that definitely connected with the audience.  We got a great view of the whole show from the 7th row center at Superpages.com Ampitheater.   If you get a chance to see them, don’t miss it.

Take the advice. See Journey if you can this summer.

Esto es el blog de Lonesomegilrocksm en espanol.

El esperado nuevo disco de Journey con su flamante nuevo vocalista Arnel Pineda. ya está disponible en la red. Será lanzado a la venta el próximo 3 de Junio en EE UU en un paquete de dos CD y un DVD a través de la tiendas Wal-Mart. El primer disco contendrá 11 clásicos regrabados con la voz de Arnel Pineda, el segundo 11 nuevas canciones (que es lo que aquí está) y el tercero será un DVD en vivo en Las Vegas.

i always enjoyed Vagabond’s blogs. I didn’t know she went to the concert this weekend. She wrote her review in two parts, check out Part 1 and Part 2. Just like Journey, she didn’t disappoint. Excerpt of what she said:

Chat took this picture of AP because I have to admit, I was busy trying to get Arnel to read my sign–ARNEL PAKISS. I was determined to make a fool of myself - then some reader of my blog emailed me this morning telling me that he recognized me - the blogger vagabond. Oh well. (I already said in my previous blogs that I have no shame when it comes to Arnel.)

Dallaslao.wordpress.com talks about Journey’s concert in Dallas.

Journey was one of the bank I like back then (still do). It was bummed that Steve Perry didn’t continue as the frontman for the group. The group had 2 other singers to replace Steve Perry and last year they found a new singer…get this…on Youtube. Yep. The new singer is a Filipino name Arnel Pineda. When I saw the video of him singing on Youtube I didn’t believe it was him singing Journey music. I thought it was some sort of hoax. But the true is, Arnel Pineda is the real thing. Last night about dozen co-workers went to see Journey concert here in town. They said it was awsome and Arnel Pineda was great and the new lead vocal.