Journey at the Vibrant Arena at the MARK -- June 24.
Wednesday, June 24, 7:30 p.m.
Vibrant Arena at the MARK, 1201 River Drive, Moline IL
Performing in their wildly anticipated "Final Frontier Tour," the iconic arena-rockers of Journey play Moline's Vibrant Arena at the MARK on June 24, the band currently composed of guitarist/vocalist Neal Schon (the longest-serving original member), keyboardists/vocalists Jonathan Cain (retiring from the group after this tour) and Jason Derlatka, drummer/vocalist Deen Castronovo, bassist Todd Jensen, and lead vocalist Arnel Pineda.
Formed in San Francisco in 1973 by former members of Santana, the Steve Miller Band, and Frumious Bandersnatch, Journey had their biggest commercial success between 1978 and 1987, when Steve Perry was lead vocalist. They released a series of hit songs, including 1981's "Don't Stop Believin'," which in 2009 became the top-selling track in iTunes history among songs not released in the 21st century. Escape, Journey's seventh and most successful album, reached number one on the Billboard 200 and yielded another of their most popular singles, "Open Arms." The 1983 follow-up album Frontiers was almost as successful in the United States, reaching number two and spawning several successful singles; it also broadened the band's appeal in the United Kingdom, where it reached number six on the U.K. Albums Chart. Journey enjoyed a successful reunion in the mid-1990s and have since regrouped twice; first with Steve Augeri from 1998 to 2006, and then with Arnel Pineda from 2007 to the present.
Sales have resulted in 25 gold and platinum albums, in addition to the 18-time platinum RIAA Diamond Certified, 1988's Greatest Hits album. Journey has had 19 top-40 singles in the U.S., six of which reached the top 10 of the U.S. chart and two of which reached number one on other Billboard charts. Originally a progressive rock band, Journey was described by AllMusic as having cemented a reputation as "one of America's most beloved (and sometimes hated) commercial rock/pop bands" by 1978, when they redefined their sound by embracing pop arrangements on their fourth album, Infinity.
According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Journey has sold 48 million albums in the U.S., making them the 25th-best selling band of all time. Their worldwide sales, meanwhile, have reached more than 100 million records globally, making them also one of the world's best-selling bands. A 2005 USA Today poll named Journey the fifth-best U.S. rock band in history, and their songs have become arena-rock staples that are still played on rock radio stations around the world. Journey currently ranks number 96 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, and the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the class of 2017, the inductees including lead singer Steve Perry, guitarist Neal Schon, keyboardists Jonathan Cain and Gregg Rolie, bassist Ross Valory, and drummers Aynsley Dunbar and Steve Smith.
Last November, Schon did an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock is which he talked about the "Final Frontier Tour," saying the show would involve "two full sets with an intermission, there'll be no opener. It's all Journey. So, we're going to be digging into songs we haven't done in decades, plus the anthems that everybody loves." When Schon was asked about this being Journey's ''final'' tour, he stated, "I can't really speculate at this point. I'm kind of ready to move on. For one, there's so many tribute bands out there right now playing whatever show we do. That’s why I'm really glad that we're going to change things up here and throw in a lot of loops that people don't expect because there's so many tribute bands out there doing exactly the same show we're doing."
Journey brings their "Final Frontier Tour" to Moline's amphitheater on June 24, admission to the 7:30 p.m. concert event starts at $49, and tickets are available by calling (800)745-3000 and visiting VibrantArena.com.
