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Pineda made his Detroit debut with classic rockers Journey Tuesday night in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 15,000 at DTE Energy Music Theatre. The band played for just over two hours, tacking an extra 30 minutes onto its set after openers Heart unexpectedly canceled their performance citing vocal problems suffered by Ann Wilson. Prior to Heart's on-stage announcement, which was met by scattered boos from the audience, Cheap Trick performed a spirited 45-minute opening set.

But the night was really all about Journey, and about the crowd laying a set of eyes and ears on Pineda. Would the much-talked-about 41-year-old Filipino singer really be all he was cracked up to be?

Yes and no. If you were to close your eyes at any point during the evening, you might have thought Perry was back on stage with the boys. But open those eyes up and something seemed amiss: Who is that guy dressed in the department store Rock 'n' Roll 101 wardrobe (black blazer, red button up shirt, black T-shirt, carefully torn jeans, chain wallet), and what reality show did he win to get to tour with Journey?

Pineda didn't win any contests, per se, but he did hit the jackpot. He was asked to join the band after guitarist Neal Schon saw a video of Pineda performing Journey tunes on YouTube, and the rest is 21st century rock history.

Pineda -- the band's third vocalist since Perry's departure -- is a smart choice to front Journey. His wide-eyed earnestness fits in well with the band, whose sincerity and lack of pretense has always been a major selling point. Journey was never "cool," and someone who would act like they were too cool for the gig would be a bad fit for the band.

But Pineda really wants to be there, and you can see his elation on his face. If he comes off as a little cheesy, with his incessant jumping off the drum riser, flipping of his microphone in the air and constant high-fiving with the first row, well, when has Journey ever not been cheesy?

The important thing is he is able to deliver vocally, even if his voice is a touch thinner than Perry's, especially when he reaches into his upper register. Journey still has considerable muscle, however, and sounded like a certified rock powerhouse during "Separate Ways," the first song that really got the audience pumping its fists.

Predictably, the band's new material, lifted from June's Wal-Mart-only collection, "Revelation," acted as a bathroom break for many in the audience. But when it came time for The Big Three -- "Open Arms," "Don't Stop Believin' " and "Faithfully," performed back-to-back-to-back three-quarters of the way through the show -- Journey was foolproof, and it would have taken the worst "American Idol" reject to botch the job laid out in front of them. Pineda was able to capably fill those big shoes left for him by Perry, and the audience was treated to a deft 1-2-3 punch of power ballad heaven.

So what happens now? Pineda has proven he can carry a Journey show, but now that the curiosity factor is gone, will the people come back? That remains to be seen. But on Tuesday, Journey proved that YouTube may have more to offer than 1 billion ways to kill time at work, and that all these years later, there's still something to be said for the message in "Don't Stop Believin'."

You can reach Adam Graham at (313) 222-2284 or at agraham@detnews.com.