One of the most radiocognizable bands of all time is coming to Prince George.
With record sales in the neighbourhood of 90 million units, Journey are among music history's elite. According to music industry data sources, they are among the Top 50-selling bands ever, and they are coming to CN Centre this summer.
"Journey is the biggest blockbuster summer concert we have hosted in five years - since Elton John," said arena manager Glen Mikkelsen. "The timing of the show is phenomenal, as it adds to the summer week-long celebrations, celebrating Prince George's centennial from July 10 to 19."
No fan of classic rock can resist the feeling of celebration when songs pump your air-fist like Separate Ways, Wheel In The Sky, Any Way You Want It, Only The Young, Raised On Radio, Be Good To Yourself, and many others.
They also knew how to shift gears to a softer side with Lights, I'll Be Alright Without You, Who's Cryin' Now, Send Her My Love, and two of the most beloved power ballads ever: Open Arms and Faithfully.
Those songs were all hits, they were all golden singles with a fan base of their own, but few bands have that one iconic song and Journey is one of those talented lucky few. Journey put their indelible stamp on pop culture with the megahit Don't Stop Believin'. It formed a major part of movie soundtracks like Monster, TV dramas like the closing scene of the final episode of The Sopranos and a popular episode of Glee, the mature cartoon Family Guy, the Broadway musical Rock Of Ages closes with it, the video game Rock Band, and countless sports teams use the tune to rally their fans.
This is the 40th anniversary of Journey's first album release, and even though they have seen some personnel changes over those years - the two most legendary members by now are bass player Randy Jackson from American Idol fame, and former lead singer Steve Perry who is widely touted as one of the greatest rock vocalists ever - but through ups and downs and changing fads, Journey has maintained their forward motion. Their signature logo - the winged beetle busting free of its confines - has become a symbol of their longtime career.
The lyrics and vocals of Journey's songs have been put at the forefront of fan response and critical acclaim, but their honed instrumentation is the underpinning of their success. Their consistent presentation of keyboards, guitars, drums and bass helped form the definition of stadium rock from the 1970s through the '90s, sometimes to a fault in the eyes of some critics.
The ones that matter most, the fans, have been abundantly clear that Journey is a favourite even now. With new frontman - although he joined in 2007 - Arnel Pineda, the band has seen a resurgence in their popularity especially on the road.
Prince George gets its first chance to see this major rock force on July 15. Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. at the CN Centre Box Office, at Studio 2880 and online at the Ticketmaster website.
