LIVE REVIEW: Journey in Worcester, MA (06.06.26)
On a beautiful Saturday evening at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts, the legendary rock band Journey conquered the stage for a packed show celebrating over 50 years as one of music’s most influential arena rock bands. Continuing their spring run of shows on the Final Frontier Tour, their final U.S. tour, they delivered a high-energy night of pure nostalgia, irresistible grooves, and iconic hit songs that you couldn’t help but rock out to.
As fans of all ages filled the almost 15,000-seat arena, you could not help but notice the effort the crew has been putting into creating this tour. Even though this was my first time seeing the band live, I knew that the band made sure the production was special. And oh boy, they knew what they were doing, because many others and I will surely never forget the unexpected amount of pyro.
Right as the arena lights began to dim, and The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” began to fade, the countdown clock hit zero, with a loud thrill erupting from anticipation. For just a moment, the arena remained dark, suspended in anticipation. Then, without any warning, an intro video dazzled the towering screens onstage, with the galaxy moving and the band’s logo drifting upwards as the crowd rose.
Finishing the intro off, the band stormed the stage to perform their 1986 Billboard chart-topping hit, “Be Good To Yourself.” The group slammed the stage with the opening grooves, instantly sending the crowd to their feet. Right as the spotlights swept the stage, original member Neal Schon and longtime member Jonathan Cain were lit up, as they made their entrance to a roaring explosion of applause.
Journey has definitely cycled through plenty of members over the years, yet the energy and sound are still intact. Ending off their career, the band is currently led by founding member Neal Schon, longtime member Jonathan Cain, drummer and singer Deen Castronovo, lead singer Arnel Pineda, singer and keyboardist Jason Derlatka, and bassist Todd Jensen. And even though the band’s famed singer, Steve Perry, has not been with the band since 1998, his presence was surely there, and the band was never afraid to mention his work with the band throughout the night.
Without a moment of silence, the band kicked off the show with constant hits. After the first song came “Stone in Love” and “Ask the Lonely,” two songs that showed how Arnel, although similar to Steve Perry, had uniqueness, and wasn’t afraid to mix in a high note at different places.
After a quick breather, pianist Jonathan Cain’s voice came through the speakers, stating “Then came ‘Just The Same Way,’ a song that was originally sung by Gregg Rolie, but is currently sung by pianist Jonathan Cain and drummer Deen Castronovo. And although many people don’t mention it, I loved hearing Cain sing that song. His voice sounded like it came from a vintage jukebox that never changed over the years.
During the night, many moments were key to a Journey show experience. Phone lights lit up the arena during the heartwarming ballad “Lights,” sung by drummer Deen Castronovo, which, although never stated, felt like a tribute to the group’s past members. Energetic songs like “Only The Young,” “Who’s Crying Now,” “Lovin’, Touchin’ Squeezin’,” and more, created a raving audience. Every band member received mighty applause throughout the evening, and most of them got to sing songs like Jason Derlatka on “Girl Can’t Help It” and “Of a Lifetime.”
With social media and the film industry using tons of Journey songs over the years, hits like “Don’t Stop Believin'” and “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” brought the younger generation out of their seats to sing along. Soon after, the band kicked off the famed “Any Way You Want It,” with every single fan screaming “Any way you want it, that’s the way you need it, any way you want it”. Right as the final chords hit, the arena lights lit up the entire room, with confetti covering the entire audience on the floor.
After performing a 150-minute (2 hours and 15 minutes) voyage throughout their famed catalog, the show ended with a bow in the middle of the stage. It was obvious that even though the band had performed in thousands of places over the decades, they truly appreciated the Worcester crowd. Throwing out guitar picks, setlists, and even singing somebody’s album, the band left the stage, although the energy was still alive.
As lead singer Arnel Pineda walked offstage after throwing dozens of signed setlists into the crowd, he waved goodbye. He blew a kiss, yelling “Woostah,” poking fun at the New England accent, and stating “Thank you for everything over the years,” before ending off the magical evening with Journey.
Featured image by: John Hutchings (2024)
