A blog by Jorge Garcia.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

When (will) the lights go down...?

So we went to the JOURNEY concert. Saw the new guy. Man they love Journey out here. People were swaying with their arms around each other. 

My favorite song : Ask the Lonely. 
My least favorite song: One of the new ones. Don't know the name, all I know is that during it, a spotlight was shone down the aisle right in my face.  

The light was on me for what seemed like an eternity. On top of that I wasn't very comfortable being in a spotlight in the middle of a sold-out Blaisdell Arena. I just kept thinking to myself, "when is this song going to end and the lights go back to normal"

JOURNEY was shining lights on the audience a lot this show. Way more than any other concert I've been to. 

Dear JOURNEY,

Don't do that. We came to see you, not each other. And we can't do either when you blind us.

Sincerely, 
The Audience


56 comments:

Amy McMean said...

On the bright side- at least the light wasn't flashing.

Lynda said...

well, I didn't even know they were still together. Is the new guy the front man? I bet you were thinking "Why me? Out of all of these people?" I hope you still enjoyed the concert though.

Brits said...

No, see. That's where you're wrong. The only reason why I'd go to a Journey concert, is to see you.

Amy said...

Awesome post. So true, so true. Why do concert managers/designers do such annoying things?

Was Journey wearing those tight pants they're famous for on all their old CD covers? My friends and I used to just point and giggle uncontrollably. I'd hate to waste a good concert by having to look down the whole time to avoid staring at the tight pants and blinding spotlight.

Hoku said...

I was at the concert on Thursday night. I thought the new guy, Arnel, did great! What a big voice coming out of that small dude! I also agree with you about the lights. Very bright.

Kimberly said...

I'm. So. Jealous. Journey is the shizz.

Acacia said...

I heard the new guy sounds JUST LIKE Steve. Is that true?

So, I guess you "outshone" Death and didn't "go toward the light." Good. We want you around a while longer.

aims said...

Yup - I'm with you on that.

I just found out about the new guy on Journey and have listened to a bit of it. Sounds - almost - the same.

I've got many memories of Journey's songs and events in my life. Not good ones either. Sigh.

Kelly Deneen Raymond said...

LOL. Fun pictures though! Hope those spots in your vision went away.

www.thecrazydaisies.wordpress.com said...

maybe you could send Journey your next ophthalmologist bill.... when they find out your close to blind from spotlights..... :)

La Pixie said...

LOL, that would happen to you. did a lot of people recognize you?

Unknown said...

Yeah that seems to be the new cool trend to shine lights out at the audience. I went to see Jimmy Eat World a few months ago, and not only were they aiming lights at the crowd, but they were strobing them. For a long time at a time. Everyone was shielding their eyes and a bunch of us had headaches by the end of it.. I even felt off balance from it. And I don't have epilepsy or anything. I don't get that trend, and I wish it would stop! It's because of those new-fangled lights that can move around.. stupid technology!

Eugen Caitaz said...

JOURNEY-do they take from you autograph although???:)

Danny B. said...

As a professional lighting designer (mostly for musical acts), I do my best to make sure that the lighting during the show is not constantly blinding the audience. Unfortunately certain lighting looks require that light fall into the audience. If we had the ability to stop the light beam before it got in your eyes, believe me, I would. For you and your readers, in the future, you may want to get your seats a bit further back in the house, preferably near the lighting and sound consoles. Why? In terms of sound, the show is mixed to that point so that tends to be where it would sound best (although advances in speaker design makes this almost moot). As for lighting, well the lighting guys hate to get blinded too, so we never point lights at ourselves.

Sitting near the consoles, may not let you see the expression on the singers face, but you'll see and hear what the sound and lighting designers intended.

Iberostar said...

How weird. Now, I went to a Pink Floyd concert and they had a huge wheel that had little mirrors and they twirled it - talk about trippy.
My favorite song - Journey is: Separate Ways

Sarah - Kala said...

I went to a journey concert a LONGish time ago in Seattle. Anyhoo, yeah, bands didn't used to blind the bejazzass out of the audience.

Aloha Jon said...

I was there Jorge and i didn't see you!

Derek Brink said...

Would've been cool if they noticed and were like, "Ladies and Gentlemen, Jorge Garcia!" lol...

Then you sing "Faithfully" and bring the house down.

Heather said...

LMAO - Love the pictures. Nothing like making the concert more annoying than anything. Hope the music was cool though. Dang, I miss some Journey :)

Deborah Godin said...

I don't watch the so-called reality shows, so I could be way off on this, but did't the new Journey guy win the gig in a TV show "contest"? I don't know if they did it that way, but if they did, I envision it sort of like a Miss America contest. The talent portions is all singing, of course, then there's the tight pants competition, and finally some question to which the answer is always "World Peace"...
So, other than the lights, I hope you liked it.

Ty said...

I hate it when concerts do that...You pay to go see the show..not be blinded!:) If you like journey you have to check this out...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbiYMlQUM8A




www.helbachphotography.blogspot.com

Kevin said...

That's when you start a chant for the song which was the inspiration for your blog entry's title.

Or, if you really want to get their attention, start a chant of "We Want Rush!"

Auntie Depressant said...

Journey was the band that all the mix tapes my boyfriends made, waaaay back then- am I showing my age (?)-had on them, so though I used to like Journey, now they just make me think of bad relationships...lol. Glad you mostly enjoyed the show. You'd think they'd not try to blind the auidence, give migraines, or induce seizures though! Any type of strobe or flashy lights & I'd have to leave.

redelf said...

That's when you need a sling shot!

Christina Bauer said...

Oh no! You were "blinded by the light!" Wait, that's a different band. Were they at least good?

Nancy said...

Ask The Lonely is my favorite too...When I'm at work...I listen to that one song over and over.
Most Journey fans I know....don't remember that song.
Glad you enjoyed the concert. I can't bring myself to go see them without Steve Perry. It's just not the same.

Michael Dines said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Pam said...

Oh I completely agree. One of the last shows I went to, they did something similar and I was nearly blind for the rest of the night.

Das Mutter said...

Journey? Wow that takes me back to many heart broken nights in the 7th grade. Love them...could probably still recite all the words of every track from 1979-1990. Glad it was fun. albeit bright.

Seabiscuit said...

They only play the one song with the new guy on the radio around here and I haaaaate it (After All These Years). It sounds like something from the 80's. Blech. I like their old songs better.

As for the spotlight, maybe they were just happy that they had OMG! Jorge Garcia! in their audience. XD

Mother of the Wild Boys said...

Okay, that letter is dang hilarious. :D

Anonymous said...

Haha. I saw Journey at Blaisdell when that other dude was still the lead singer! Circa 1983.

kathy said...

I'm a Journey Junkie....
And Ask the Lonely is my favorite song too! Way cool...:)

The lights didn't sound cool.... :(

doireann said...

I love Journey but I bet they were shining lights in the hopes people wouldn't recognize it wasn't actually El Capitan Steve Perry singing anymore.

Erika Jean said...

Maybe they were taping for a DVD and wanted to get more of the audience?

Ingrid said...

I love Neal Schon. And I always thought Gregg Rolie was a better singer than Steve Perry. But I would have totally gone to that show to see them with the new singer! They have some really old stuff pre-Steve Perry that is great, especially if you're into jam/progressive type stuff.

ValMo said...

I hope the concert was as awesome as I'm imagining it was! Jealous. I'm kicking myself for not going to see them when they came here to D.C. with Heart.
And the light...Good thing it didn't set off a migraine!

Emilee said...

A similar thing happened to me in a movie theater once. The guy in the projection room left the light on during almost the entire movie, so there was this perfect rectangle of light shining only on me. I felt so awkward!

nomad said...

Oh my god! are they still alive? i thought they had gone to the old's folk's home and died. :( i remember them back in 85. hey how where the shroom's,man i could go for some,lol. cool hope ya had a great time. ;) p.s Smoke them BONE'S

Sugarplum's Mom said...

Hey it could have been worse.. they could have gotten a picture of you in that spotlight up on a big screen and stopped the whole show to say "LOOOK! It's Hurley from Lost!!!"

Laura Pilker said...

That's my favorite Journey song, too!

Brandy & Dawn said...

Hi Jorge, Love your blog, we were at Wednesday night concert - sitting in the first row of the second floor section right behind you and Beth...sorry my drunk BF scared you as you left the concert...he and his friends are just huge Lost fans and wanted to shake your hand...you guys missed a pretty good encore...I agree about the unnecessary audience lighting. Enjoy your hiatus! dawn

darcy dubose said...

Ok, my parents took me to see Journey when I was 17. I'm 23 and it was the greatest concert I've ever been to. Top of my list of Bands I Brag About Seeing, second being Creed because it's just funny.

I saw them when Steve Augeri was singer. I haven't heard anything with the new (& much younger! guy). But it just seemed too weird that A. Steve Augeri rhymes with Steve Perry. B. They look so similar, minus the hair. & 3! THE VOICES ARE IDENTICAL.

In any case, I recently discovered your blog and love it. I can't get enough of Lost, and Faithfully is my favorite Journey song.

Tasha Who? said...

one of the main reasons I am a fan of all venues but large arena ones. I always get paranoid when the brights hit me.

Kaileigh Blue said...

I think at times it's just where they set up the light show.

I went to a concert last year, we were in the very back row in a theatre on the upper deck. We got full force of the lights. Not because they were being mean but they didn't plan for people that were up so high.

Or they just really wanted people to not be able to see them.

Ritch in Love said...

that has got to be annoying! but love that you guys took advantage of the Kodak moment!

Julie Phillips said...

I'm sorry but there is NO JOURNEY without STEVE PERRY!!!! I saw them for the Frontiers tour in 1983.....Great Show......

Jewel

Jodi said...

Love Journey..my wedding song was "When You Love A Woman"....

Hate bright lights!! You should petition that letter. LOL!

Alan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Alan said...

@nomad: Oh my god! are they still alive? i thought they had gone to the old's folk's home and died.

At least Journey's tour isn't sponsored by the AARP, like Foreigner's recent tour!

Maya99 said...

My husband works with "the new guy's" cousin (or something like that, something cousin-ish. The exact relationship escapes me at the moment). I'll tell the Mister you were there, who can in turn tell the cousin/cousin-ish new guy you were there (and that you coulda done without the light show). Personally, I haven't liked Journey since "Just The Same Way" ("Evolution", 1979--which completely dates me--and Gregg Rolie sang that, so...).

GasbarNut said...

being swarmed at a Journey concert wouldn't exactly be the way to end a nice night out....

lostinphilly said...

I didn't know they were still together either! Way to go, Journey, blind the audience so that they can never go see another band again! Conspiracy!!!!!!

Unknown said...

Went to go see Journey last August, over here in NJ. Can't remember if they did that light thing, but do remember Arnel Pineda (the new lead singer) and his voice was pretty identical to Perry's. Made me real proud to be Filipina :)

Jorge - Love your Blog and Love LOST!

La Vaca que Rumia said...

I love Journey. Did you like Arnel Pineda? i heard they found it on youtube... I've seen journey with Jeff Scott Soto and with Arnel, maybe Arnel's voice is more similar to Steve Perry but i've enjoyed more Soto ,he's a beast.

Well Jorge take care.

ciao

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