With the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the world, Journey and the Pretenders were never able to embark on their tour. Unlike most other bands during that period, they cancelled the concert dates instead of postponing them and provided their fans with immediate refunds.
The disappointment of not being able to see a show I had been looking forward to was repeated many times during that difficult year, but this one was made easier by the fact that I was already regretting my ticket purchase. Shortly before the cancellation, the band fired Valory and Smith, this time over a business dispute.
Earlier this year, Journey embarked on its "Final Frontier" tour, which they say will be their last. Valory and Smith are still out. Keyboardist Jonathan Cain teased the possible participation of Perry in some form, but later admitted that this was a lie. So fans are getting only two"'fifths of the classic lineup, and the remaining members have been battling each other in court for years. This does not seem like a recipe for a return to form. The days of a Beatlemania-type response to them from the crowd are likely to remain in the past.
As much as I would like my wife to have the opportunity to see Journey live, the band playing this tour is a shell of what I experienced about forty years ago. I will be taking a pass, even knowing that this might be the last opportunity. It is a journey that no longer feels worth taking.
Carl Petersen is a former Green Party candidate for the LAUSD School Board and a longtime advocate for public education and special needs families. Now based in Washington State, he writes about politics, culture, and their intersections at TheDifrntDrmr.
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