Concert Review: Journey at The Moody Center

One of a whopping 60 dates on its ‘Farewell Frontier Tour,’ Journey shook the Moody Center all night on March 31 as dad rock fans from across the metroplex gathered to revel in the band’s timeless chart-topping singles. As they bidded a bittersweet adieu, Journey reminded us why they were and still are the classic rock band we all know and love.

Written by Veronica Martin

Photos by Ellis Jarvis

Sexagenarians across Austin heeded their summoning call on March 31 as Journey played at the Moody Center on their ‘Final Frontier Tour.’ With a jam-packed setlist of rapid fire hits, the stadium was entirely raucous from start to finish. 

Sans the fluff of an opener, the band swaggered onto the stage at 7:30 on the dot. Lead singer since 2007 Arnel Pineda immediately commanded the stage, scurrying around and flailing himself passionately as he belted into the microphone. The group tactfully selected “Be Good to Yourself” as their opening song of choice — an upbeat anthem of self-assurance that had the crowd uproarious from the first beat. To Pineda’s right was Neal Schon, the last remaining original member, who strummed a jet black guitar clad in a leather jacket and sunglasses. Schon flashed his pearly whites as he riffed away, and Pineda absolutely rocked the stadium with his formidable vocals. 

Arnel Pineda’s assimilation into the band began through chance alone. In 2007, Pineda worked as a bar and club singer in Manila, Philippines, though he primarily found an audience via covers that he posted on YouTube. Discovered by Schon around the same time, the jarring resemblance of Pineda’s vocals to those of Steve Perry, Journey’s original frontman, led to his discovery from a cover of Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger.” Schon contacted Pineda and requested that he audition, and the rest is history. 

They cruised on through the rest of their setlist, following with “Ask the Lonely.” The keyboarder, later identified as Johnathan Cain, shredded through a prolonged riff in a brown crushed velvet suit. The crowd roared as Cain smiled modestly at the audience, and he closed the song evocatively with a persistent keyboard solo that ignited the stadium for minutes on end. As they wrapped up the 1983 track, the group finally addressed the audience. With over 15 studio albums released and “over 170 songs,” in the words of Neal Schon, Journey’s discography stands as a force to be reckoned with. Schon announced that the next song was“off the Evolution record,” from 1979. An emotive keyboard overture by Cain once again preluded the introduction of Deen Castronovo. Castronovo was inducted into the band as a drummer in 1998, though he occupied more of a vocal presence in the performance of the next track, “Just the Same Way.” 

The song sloughed more than those preceding it, though of course, Journey always peppers in its archetypal rock flair. Castronovo projected from behind the drums while he thumped away, showboating his impressive vocals and knack for multitasking. Keeping with the theme of unexpected vocalists, the group pulled onto the stage “From Nashville, Jason Derlatka” for “Girl Can’t Help It.” Like Schon, Derlatka was also sporting a black leather jacket, but unlike Schon, a gargantuan cross pendant is not dangling from his neck. Derlatka makes it clear off the rip that he’s here to sing. Rather, to belt. 

“Girl Can’t Help It” is a discographic oddball on the setlist, hailing from the album, Be Good to Yourself, that was both much later and significantly less popular. However, the crowd evidently didn’t mind—they cheered emphatically while Derlatka roared into the microphone. The track is quite vocally intense given its consistently high octaves and pitches. This is no chore for Derlatka; he plowed through regardless, making the song his own. The song ended with the band disappearing into a melodramatic purple fog. Rock concerts are back.

“Only the Young” evoked a surge of excitement from an already rowdy stadium. Immediately afterwards, “Open Arms” interjected with soulful, slow vocals and a touching piano accompaniment. The audience swayed as Pineda sang of vulnerability and devotion. Up next, “Lights,” as Schon remarked, is about “our city by the bay.” The introductory guitar riff is less showy and more moving, with a screen projecting images of San Francisco behind the band. “Lights” lulled the crowd with hypnotic harmonies before they roused them with the ensuing performance of “Chain Reaction.”

“Chain Reaction” is nothing if not a classic. Much heavier than its predecessor, the track enraptured the audience with its thunderous drums and layered vocals. Once it came to a close, Cain embarked on an extensive, suspenseful, erratic keyboard solo. Fluorescent lights glared onto his lone figure, tickling the ivories as the rest of the stadium darkened. Out of nowhere, an all-too-familiar note sequence sends the crowd into a frenzy; it’s time for "Who's Crying Now?” 

Arguably the sound of the ‘80s, “Who’s Crying Now” signaled the beginning of Journey’s grand finale. The band continued churning out hits such as “Wheel in the Sky,” “Open Arms,” and “Where Were You?” as the crowd maintained its energy all the while. When the band began with “Faithfully,” a crowd favorite, they prefaced it with a heartfelt dedication to “heroes who crossed oceans” and “those who served.” Cain explained that he “wrote this song in 1982,” and motions for Pineda to begin the emotive arrangement. 

“Faithfully” was the band’s second consecutive top-twenty hit from their Frontiers album. Though it entirely lacks a chorus, the song has become one of the most recognizable of Journey’s discography. After an incredibly touching performance by Pineda and Cain, the band smirked with the knowledge of what followed. 

“Don’t Stop Believing” is, on a global scale, Journey’s magnum opus. The unforgettable chorus, iconic lyricism, and upbeat rhythm have made it an international phenomenon. Naturally, the stadium clamored in response to even just the first few notes of the legendary introduction. For the entire track, the audience was uproarious, screaming every lyric emphatically. The band danced about the stage as they reveled in the token of their success. 

The band made its expected glorious exit with hit after hit in succession. “Separate Ways” was preceded by “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin,” which was then followed by “Separate Ways.” After a charming, deceptive exit, they re-emerged for their encore, for which they tactfully selected to play “Any Way You Want It.” With a discography diverse in instrumentation but reliably enjoyable, Journey proved to Austin on Tuesday why its reputation has stood the test of time. Time-old hits, savvy guitar, and nonpareil vocal capabilities by Pineda and Derlatka assured that the Moody Center was enlivened for its timeless three-hour debut.