Californian rockers Journey have been in the business for more than 50 years, but they’re showing no signs of slowing down. They proved this with a triumphant performance of “Don’t Stop Believin’” for the Las Vegas Grand Prix 2023 opening ceremony on November 15, 2023. Filipino star Arnel Pineda has been the voice of Journey since 2007, but some fans might be forgiven for still thinking of him as the new guy.
If anyone had any doubts about whether Pineda could do the job, though, surely the Grand Prix performance would have dispelled them. He has the smooth, lithe voice that’s perfect for the sound of Journey’s hits. If you’re not paying attention, you could mistake his vocals for classic era frontman Steve Perry, but Pineda also adds some little details that add his own style to the song, so it doesn’t feel like a cover band.
“Don’t Stop Believin’” is such a hard song to sing, but Pineda was all over it. There’s nothing you could fault about what he delivered onstage. Needless to say, the band were firing on all cylinders that night too, with guitarist Neal Schon’s shredding solo in the bridge being a particular highlight. The performance was well received by fans, who tuned in 1.4 million times to watch it on YouTube.
Fans gave positive feedback on the show, and in particular Pineda’s vocals, adding comments such as “We all know that Steve Perry is the heart of Journey, but this man right here Arnel Pineda keeps that heart beating. Give some love!” and “Those high notes are still intact and in place after more than a decade. Arnel is the fuel of the band.” Pineda’s shows with the band have produced several popular videos on YouTube, including their cut of “Faithfully,” live in his hometown of Manila.
The Music Man readers may recall that Journey recorded their biggest hits during Steve Perry’s tenure as frontman of the band from 1977 to 1998. In 1996, Perry developed a degenerative bone condition and was unable to perform live without hip replacement surgery. He declined to undergo the surgery at the time due to other physical issues. However, Journey wished to tour and gave him an ultimatum about undergoing the surgery, which led to him quitting the band for the final time in 1998.
Journey have had several lead singers since then, before Arnel Pineda joined the band in 2007. He has since released three studio albums with the band, including his 2008 debut with the band Revelation, which went Platinum in the US.
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