Concert Review: Journey brings the Final Frontier Tour to Providence

Some bands have hits. Journey has songs that have become part of the fabric of American life. You hear them at weddings and ballgames, in neighborhood bars and on road trips, often sung by people born long after the records were released. That kind of familiarity creates an unusual challenge in concert: How do you make a song feel immediate when the audience already knows every turn?

Journey answered that question at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence Thursday, October 29, a stop on the band’s Final Frontier tour. Billed as a farewell, the evening offered a chance to revisit a catalog that helped define arena rock, a task the band accomplished over a two-and-a-half-hour, 27-song set of greatest hits and well-chosen deep cuts.

Lead singer Arnel Pineda, who joined in 2007, led the charge, fronting the band with high energy, soaring vocals, and emotional intensity on hits like “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’,” and “Open Arms.” His ability to move between tender passages and full-throated choruses served the songs well. It’s a demanding role – the melodies are familiar, the notes are high, and the comparisons to legendary singer Steve Perry are inevitable. For almost 20 years now, he’s met the challenge!

Pineda shared lead vocals with bandmates including longtime keyboardist/guitarist Jonathan Cain, front and center on “Anytime,” and drummer Deen Castronovo, who shined on “Lights” and “Keep on Runnin’.” Founding guitarist Neal Schon remains the musical link to the band’s beginnings. His lead guitar work, pairing blues-rooted phrasing with uplifting power riffs, completes Journey’s signature sound. Strong work from bassist Todd Jensen and keyboardist Jason Derlatka rounded out the strong performance.

Journey’s appeal rests on the balance between musical muscle and melody. The guitars give the songs their drive, while the keyboards and vocal hooks make room for vulnerability. And the lyrics build to a chorus that invites company. The result was a night of singalongs, a warm embrace between a band and an audience that, in many cases, grew up together.

Referencing previous shows in the building known over the years as the Civic Center, the Dunk, and now the AMP, the band acknowledged its long relationship with Providence – an arena-rock town if there ever was one. With the Dave Matthews Band scheduled to visit in November, it’s encouraging to see rock concerts filling the downtown arena again.

For Journey, who end their final tour in late November, the night was a farewell celebration. For Providence, the near sell-out reminded everyone of the city’s appetite for a big rock show – and, hopefully, a reason to bring more of them here.