Journey Past and Present 2005
Journey to the Stars
Hollywood, CA
January
20-23, 2005
Friday, January 21: The Concert- Why Can’t This Night
Go On Forever?
Once the lunch was over, Val, Rhonda and I decided we needed more substantial food, especially since we knew we had a long night ahead of us. I don’t think any one of us really ate a whole lot at the lunch- we were just too keyed up! So we decided to go to The Grill, which was one of the better restaurants at the complex. We had a wonderful waiter named Ken, who was very personable and funny, as well as a very good server- and not half bad looking, on top of it! Val and Rhonda had “fancy” martinis, which they said were very good. I’m a purist- vodka, a kiss of vermouth, straight up and olives, please! They make a killer martini, let me tell you. There was lump cab and shrimp cocktail to start, the girls had steak and filet mignon, and I had chicken marsala. It was excellent. I had ordered steamed broccoli as my side and what I got would have fed my whole family! And it wasn’t that they were trying to disguise a small portion of chicken, because that was more than adequate, as well. We also ordered a bottle of wine and we just sat and relaxed and had a really nice time. Then I headed back up to the Holiday Inn to change clothes.
Went back down to the Rennaissance, where I met Val, Randy, Rhonda and Cindy in the lobby. We had a beer and then it was time to load up the buses. Everyone else was on Bus B; I was on A, but it was ok, because Julie was on A, too, so I sat with her for the ride to the House of Blues. We got there and were herded into a waiting area outside the door. It was out there that I finally got the chance to say hello to CJ. I knew her from another online group long before I knew we had Journey in common, also. So we chatted for a few minutes, and then they started letting people into the concert. We had to go through security with wands, and I had pulled my wallet out of my pocket, as it has a metal ring, but the lipstick I had in the other pocket set the wand off! Weird, but it was ok once I showed him what it was.
They were letting people in the door in small groups and I was in the second group that got in, so I got a great spot, second row back from the stage, right in front of Jonathan’s microphone. Perfect positioning for me! Tracey and Glenda ended up standing there with me, also. I got a bottle of water, knowing I would need it. It was soooo hot in that hall. I’m used to concerts being warm, but this was really excessive and it was very, very humid, too. We got a hint of air conditioning once in a great while, but in general, I think the ventilation in that House of Blues is really inadequate for the crowds they can get. Several people fainted from the heat, and others had to leave the floor area and go to sit upstairs because they felt faint. We were let in about an hour before the concert, so we had a lot of waiting to do- again! I guess there were several celebrities sitting upstairs at the concert, including Dan Ackroyd, but the only one I saw was Paul Stanley of KISS. Aja Schon was up there, also, with her mother, and she was leaning on the balcony rail and waving to the crowd on the floor. So we all waved back, of course! Someone said, “Look at us- waving to a 3 year old!” But think how disappointed she would have been if no one waved back.
Just before the concert started, Cat came out and said that Randy Jackson had sent a message to the band, so they played that tape for everyone to hear. It was very nice, he said lots of nice things about the band and that he appreciated the chance to be a part of the Journey history and was sorry to not be able to be there in person. It was nice of him to send that, but I gotta admit, I think he went on a little too long. He repeated himself several times before it was over. Oh, well, as I said, it was very nice of him to do that.
Ok, now concert time. Lights go down, crowd goes wild! Every time I leave a Journey show, I say there’s no way they could top that one, but they sure did at the House of Blues! It was easily the best concert I’ve seen yet. All the guys were really fabulous and the energy coming off that stage and being reflected right back up to them was almost visible. The set was basically the same as they’d been doing on the tour, with a few special moments. First, Aynsley Dunbar came out to the drum kit and played for Wheel in the Sky and Lights. Great job! I’ve never seen Aynsley play and it was a pleasure to watch him. Robert Fleischmann came out and sang Wheel in the Sky with Steve. It was nice to see him out there, but I have to say I was not particulary impressed. His vocal style is quite obviously not Journey any longer (not necessarily surprising), but he didn’t seem to even try to make it fit. And I know it’s been a long time, but as he did help write Wheel, you would think he might have brushed up on the words a bit beforehand. But Steve was right there to get things back on track without missing a beat! And then they did some rearranging of the drum kit again, and Steve Smith came out. Oh, oh, oh! I have seen Smitty play twice in the past year, and he is just amazing. He played Walks Like a Lady (which Ross sang), Chain Reaction and for Neal’s solo on Voodoo Chile. That was unbelievable- they just fit together so well, even after so long. They would play a long bit, then Smitty would look over at Neal, who would give him a grin and off they would go again! Deen is such a powerful drummer, and Smitty is just so different. He looks like he is just floating over the kit. It was very cool seeing three different drummers and watching the differences in style. I’m sure Chrissy noticed a lot more than I did.
Fashion update: Steve was all in white/cream (as he was all day) and he just looked like an angel up there—and sang like one, too! You would never know he had been sick. Neal was all in black, as was Ross. Deen wore his usual shorts and red (orange? Hard to tell under the lights) shirt. Jonathan wore the shirt with the eyes on it and black leather pants—umm, very nice!
Before the concert, they had put a huge bouquet of red roses on the piano, and Jonathan was handing them out to the crowd at the stage, and tossing some to those further back. Did I get one? You bet I did!! It’s hanging to dry now.
When it was all over, a rain of guitar picks was tossed off the stage. I turned around to watch them all float over my head, and when I turned back, there was one sitting on my hand! I never felt it land. Unfortunately, somewhere between the show and home, I managed to lose it.
We loaded back up on the busses, and went back to the hotel. I got myself a beer at the lobby bar- I was so thirtsy! And talked to a few people for a little while. Some people were going up to the several martini parties that were going on, but I just wanted to go back to the Holiday Inn and get out of my damp clothes! Even my hair was damp to the touch, it was so hot at the concert! But it was well worth it- what a fantastic night!