Journey to the Videotron Center: the 80s in depth

< /p> UPDATE DAY

It smelled strong and very strong of the 80s at the Videotron Center. Starring Journey and Toto, two bands from California who had their heyday in that happy era.

And it's the songs of that era, in both cases, which were featured.

For their second visit to the Old Capital, after the explosive one that took place on the Plains in July 2014, Journey did not skimp on the hits of the 80s with Any Way You Want It, Don't Stop Believin', Who's Crying Now, Open Arms, Faithfully and Separate Ways ( Worlds Apart).

It's good to say, the oldest, interpreted by the band in an almost full Videotron Center, went back to the opus Raised on Radio launched in 1986.

All in denim, singer Arnel Pineda launched the evening with a “Hello Québec, bonjour” and the piece Only the Young. He walks upstage and waves to the crowd.

The Filipino, who doesn't look 55 at all, gave his all. We felt his voice a little hoarse at times, especially during Stone in Love, the second title of the evening. Fortunately, it was replaced afterwards.

The crowd then rose in one block for the anthem Don’t Stop Believin’. From that moment on, it was in the pocket. If there is one small complaint that can be made about Journey, it is the many walks. There were quite a few, but hey, the people standing up didn't have a problem with that and they sang Open Arms at the top of their lungs. What more can I say?

Fortunately Pineda, who manages to make Steve Perry forget, and guitarist Neal Schon, with his presence and his solos, are there. The other musicians are more withdrawn. At the end of the performance, we saw guitarist-keyboardist Jonathan Cain with a Remparts jersey.

Founding member Neil Schon included a few lines from Speak Down, from the movie The Godfather, in his second guitar solo.

Keyboardist Jason Derlatka surprised vocally with a huge version of Girl Can't Help It. Impressive!

Journey, which turns 50, made its only real nods to its past with the superb Lights, a tribute to San Francisco, with images of the Golden Gate and their hometown, and Wheels in the Sky,from their fourth album, Infinity. We would have liked to hear the double Feeling That Way and Anytime, even if Gregg Rolie is no longer with the group, and some old titles. It would certainly have been possible to cut a little in the solos and to stretch some songs a little less.

Under a rain of confetti, Journey ended its performance with Any Way You Want It. And like almost all of the shows on this portion of the Freedom tour, there was no recall. That's how it is.

The team played three fewer titles than during their visit to Montreal. Escape, Mother, Father and Let it Rain were not on the program.

Beyond conflict at within the group and controversies, the group, solid, delivers the goods. The songs are strong, the singer is excellent and the recipe works wonderfully. A good show. Less overexcited than during their visit to the Plains.

Toto

Often looked down on, due to the successes of Rosanna and Africa, the Toto group has delivered a very good performance in the first part.

It was the first time that the Californian formation made a stop in Quebec since their founding in 1978.

Like Journey, Toto experienced its greatest period in the early 80s with the album Toto IV, on which we found Rosanna and Africa. Journey did the same, for their part, with the opuses Escape and Frontiers, launched in 1981 and 1983.

Little gossip: last December , Trevor Lukather, the son of Toto guitarist, united his destiny with Madison Cain, daughter of Jonathan Cain of Journey.

Led by guitarist-vocalist Steve Lukather, Toto wasted no time in throw their aces on the table, with Hold the Line, the second title of their performance. The crowd exploded from the first jerky piano notes.

Beyond the well-known hits, Toto is also a musically solid group, like the six musicians demonstrated with White Sister, Georgy Porgy, I'll Supply the Love and Home of the Brave Vox, filled with soaring keyboards.

65-year-old Lukather and his band delivered, through good sound quality, a successful cover of With a Little Help From My Friends, of the Beatles, with the contribution of the voices of five of the six musicians.