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Journey, Heart and Cheap Trick put on memorable show

By Gerry Gittelson, Staff Writer

Article Last Updated: 10/01/2008 05:39:47 PM PDT

Los Angeles Daily News

http://www.dailynews.com/ci_10611240

LOS ANGELES -- What a trip. Thirty years later, '70s rock icons Journey, Heart and Cheap Trick are as big as ever. Maybe not on the sales charts or on radio playlists, but the threesome has proved quite a summer concert draw, selling out Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine in July, then returning for two sold-out nights at the Greek Theatre this past Sunday and Tuesday.

That's 25,000 tickets, proving once again that classic rock is alive and well - and oh so rewarding for the hungry masses of baby boomers who a generation ago enjoyed the luxury of great new songs on the radio every week but must now live a world that barely remembers who the Beatles were.

On Tuesday, all three were in fine form, particularly Journey, which features new singer Arnel Pineda, an unknown from Manila whom the band discovered on YouTube. He's 40 years old and sounds just like Steve Perry, whose soaring voice defined the band's sound in Journey's hey day but who hasn't been in the group in 10 years.

For those who believe Perry is the world's greatest rock singer - and there are a lot of us out here -- Pineda might be the second best. Close your eyes, and the newbie sounds just like him.

Pineda has collaborated with Journey on a new CD, "Revelation," the first post-Perry release that's proved a commercial success, and that has given the San Francisco group a reason to tour, sparking one of the year's biggest comeback phenomenons.

Clad in tight red pants and a black long-sleeve shirt, Pineda is just a little guy, but what a bundle of energy. He was constantly running the stage, jumping around, and doing high kicks, and he hit every glorious high note with a zeal and enthusiasm not witnessed since Journey headlined Long Beach Arena on the "Frontiers" tour way back in 1983.

Second song in, "Only The Young" rocked and had the crowd on its feet. A few moments later, "Stone In Love" came through loud and clear, echoing all the way through adjoining Griffith Park.

On the successive "Open Arms," "Faithfully" and "Wheel in the Sky," Pineda owned every inch of the stage, and guitarist Neal Schon was just warming up. The finale of "Lovin' Touchin, Squeezin'" barely saw a single patron leaving early.

For Journey, it was a total success.

Heart and Cheap Trick were on point, too. Heart's Ann Wilson delivered terrific vocals , finding her best moments on "Magic Man," "Alone" and "Barracuda."

Folks were still trickling in when openers Cheap Trick took the stage, and the Chicago band, the only one of the three featuring all original members, seemed to be having a lot of fun.

They say the great ones make it look easy, and that was Cheap Trick. Loose, carefree, and a huge hit such as "I Want You to Want Me" or "The Flame" never more than a few minutes away.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com