Journey Live In Manila DVD

"Rarely is a band given a chance to capture a crowning moment that followed a period of discovery, new beginnings and fulfillment."

- From the Journey Live in Manila DVD booklet.


March 14, 2009, Mall Of Asia Concert Ground, Manila... I experienced the best rock concert I've ever attended.  And it was not just another concert by Journey, one of the most successful and most enduring supergroups in rock and music history.  It was a celebration of Filipino pride, talent, and spirit; a special homecoming for Arnel Pineda, one of the all-time best Filipino rock singers.  I documented my Journey concert experience in my mid-March 2009 blog.

I'm so glad the producers filmed this monumental concert.  For those who were present in that two-and-a-half hour show one hot mid-March evening last year, this is a neatly-packaged remembrance and a chance to relive Journey's excellent performance & Arnel's moment of glory.  And to those who missed the concert, you need to grab a copy of this DVD.  Buy the original DVD, enjoy the concert, read the liner notes about Arnel's humble beginnings and opportunity of a lifetime, and be proud to be a Filipino.

Whenever I watch the concert DVD at home, I always get a healthy dose of inspiration and a sense of pride.  Many times I would get the goosebumps & go teary-eyed,  from the moment Arnel enters the stage to start the concert, during times when Arnel says his spiels in Filipino and screams "Proud to be Pinoy!", to those tear-jerking moments whenever Arnel hits the high notes or finishes a killer ballad with so much power and passion.

If you haven't seen the Journey Live in Manila DVD yet, especially to my fellow Filipinos, please do yourselves a favor.  Go grab a copy now.  The original DVD, of course.

*****

Special mention to my companions at the Journey concert in Manila:  My friend and classmate from La Salle Greenhills, Ryan Manalastas; our dear friend who got us the concert tickets, Sunshine Mendoza; and to my good friend, my manager's husband, a fellow drummer & Arnel Pineda's close friend and former bandmate, Joel "Jumi" David.  And yes, Jumi is seen many times at the Live in Manila video (in front of the stage, at the corner of the catwalk near guitarist Neal Schon's spot).

Music Review: Journey - Revelation

Arnel Pineda is revered as a rock vocal god among Filipinos all these years. Last year, he got the biggest break of his career when legendary American rock band Journey discovered him and invited him to join the group. We've seen, heard, and raved on his performances (as seen on YouTube and other video-sharing sites). Finally, Arnel cements his Journey frontman status with the band's new recording, Revelation.

I have the two-disc album. The first cd features fresh new Journey materials, while the second cd contains remakes of Journey's timeless, classic hits with Arnel on vocals. Overseas, the album is a 3-disc package. The third disc is a live in-concert dvd, which was filmed on March 8th, 2008, during Journey's performance at the Planet Hollywood Theatre for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas, Nevada. I'm hoping that the 3-disc set will become available here in the Philippines.

I've been a Journey fan ever since I started checking out their former drummer, the legendary Steve Smith. As expected, the music on the new album is impressive. Recording quality is topnotch, thanks to producer Kevin Shirley. Current drummer Deen Castronovo's performance is rock solid. On the remakes, Deen faithfully played Steve Smith's drum parts, which the former described as perfect for the songs. Among the new songs, my favorite drumming performance of Deen is Wildest Dream (watch out for his double bass attack at the end of the song). And regarding the vocal performance, what more can I say? Arnel is incredible! And it seems that Arnel generates so much energy and makes the tunes feel so much better (no disrespect to the great Steve Perry, who is of course a certified vocal god). Thank God guitarist Neal Schon found Arnel; he's a prize catch.

My favorite tracks on the first cd are Never Walk Away, Change For The Better, After All These Years, and What It Takes To Win; on the second cd: Faithfully, Separate Ways (Worlds Apart), Lights, Open Arms, and Stone In Love. Buy the album. It's so worth it.

ARNEL PINEDA, YOU ARE THE KING!!! Mabuhay ang musikong Pinoy!!! You make us Filipinos very proud.