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Back when I was a wee lad of eleven,  my dad dragged me up to Drum World in San Francisco to attend a drum clinic put on by legendary drummer Louie Bellson.   The joint was jam-packed with percussionists so much so that people were sitting on the floor.   I remember being seated next to a young dude with long hair who was wearing brown corduroy pants.  After the show,  my dad drove to Tower Records,  took me to the J’s of the rock and roll record section,  and pointed out that the guy that sat next to me was Steve Smith,  the drummer from Journey.

Later on that year and for the next few years,  the band and its music became a personal cultural touchstone for me and the direction my life would be heading.   Click here to read about that journey,  I’ll wait right here for you.

Fast forward to last evening following Emma’s shower time.   Every night for about fifteen minutes before she goes to sleep,  Emma and I watch a little tv while she drinks her chocky milk and Fehmeen tubes my Ensure.   As Feh scrolled through the on-screen channel guide,  I let out a grunt when she got to a listing for Journey Live in Manila.   She gave me a smile and pressed enter on the remote.

The concert was good but not great.   They focused too much on their newer material,  imo.   The band did however perform two of my favorite Escape album cuts (Mother, Father and Still They Ride).   The new singer did a nice job reaching those Steve Perry high notes although I believe he landed the job for the simple fact that 5’4″-with-his-seventies-fro Neal Schon could dunk on him in a pickup basketball game.

The best part of the entire concert occurred when they played Open Arms.   Emma was mesmerized by the music.   I think I even saw her mouthing the words as the song ended.   Then they played the more up-tempo tune Separate Ways and the Bug was rocking out to beat the band.  You couldn’t have pried the shit-eating grin off my face with a crowbar.

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