Spur of the moment, I went and saw Journey in Trenton, NJ

At 6:45 p.m. on Thursday evening, I didn’t even know Journey was still touring.

I, of course, knew the band, Don’t Stop Believin’ was an anthem even during my childhood.

Being the classic rock nerd I am, though, I have to admit I didn’t know a whole lot of other Journey songs. Any Way You Want It, Separate Ways, Faithfully, and Wheel in the Sky were about the extent of my knowledge.

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So when I was offered free tickets about 45 minutes before the show, admittedly, I was skeptical. It sounded like a fun idea, though, so I made my way to the Cure Insurance Arena in Trenton to see if they could still rock.

I found out at the show that Journey’s lead singer, Steve Perry, was no longer the lead singer of the band. And he hadn’t been for 30 years. Since 2007, 58-year-old Arnel Pineda has fronted the band. They found him after YouTube videos were posted of Pineda covering Journey songs, and the resemblance his voice has to Steve Perry’s is uncanny.

Flat out, the band can still rock. It was a lively show and one I’m very glad I saw. They played the hits, specifically at the end when they finished with a trio of Any Way You Want It, Separate Ways, and Don’t Stop Believin’.

You can still catch their “Final Frontier Tour” in New Jersey; they’ll be coming to Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on May 23rd.

You can get tickets here.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5's Kyle Clark. Any opinions expressed are his own.

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