March 13, 2026
Postponed due to weather, Journey finally play one last time in Montreal
After a half-century as a band, Journey’s journey as a band is rolling to a close, but that doesn’t mean that their aren’t going to be a few surprises or forks left in the road that is left to travel.
Tonight’s show had originally been planned to take place two days prior, but Mother nature had other ideas, and instead the final Journey show in Montreal was postponed by two days, while the ice storm that was anticipated to strike the city and surrounding areas rolled in and out.
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I, personally, applaud this decision as it shows that the promoter, the artists and those around them care about their fans that would be attempting to come out to see Journey off. In treacherous conditions, anything can and will happen – and lets face it, we’re all getting older and robotic replacement hips aren’t a thing yet. Therefore, this was a sage choice from everyone involved.
Journey
Instead of having another artist warm up the audience for them, Journey have elected instead to go out on their swords alone – by performing for just over two and a half hours. When you’ve been around for a half century, I suppose it becomes hard to narrow down your hits, and there have been many along the way, to just a dozen or so numbers.
Steve Perry, the original lead singer, confirmed prior to the Final Frontier tour getting underway, that he will not rejoin for the tour, putting to rest rumors of a reunion. However, Arnel Pineda, who has been the frontman of the group since 2007, wasn’t alone on this lengthy stretch – as he had help with his singing duties from Jonathan Cain, Deen Castronovo and Jason Derlatka who handled selected songs.
Seemingly, the truce between Neal between Schon and Cain seems to be holding up, which is nice to see. These men are all now in their 70’s – besides Pineda who is the youngster in the group at a spritely 58 years of age, and spending five decades together as a band is bound to have formed strife to some degree, probably more than the average fan or journalist ever knew about, yet it is heartwarming to see that these two musicians can put aside their differences for one final tour – albeit from opposite ends of the stage.
Journey, throughout its career, were called things like corporate rock, for the formulaic recipe used to cook up all their hits, their melodies and hooks and such, but very few people, if any, can argue with a plan that has lasted as long as it has. And while Journey is soon to be retired, there are rumors of spin-offs to come.
The night needed no opening act, as it kicked into high gear with Be Good To Yourself, which felt like a message to the packed Bell Center crowd, who seemed ready for to kick off their weekend in such a way. Yeah, there had been a delay in getting to this stage due to the droning winter storm that hit swept over us, but spirits on and off the stage seemed high just the same.
During Lights, the crowd really seemed to find their mark as Journey themselves went full-throttle into the night. The band sounded fantastic despite their ages. I was astounded to see men in their 70’s still giving it as good a go as they were and I was honestly quite inspired by it all, too.
By the time Wheel In The Sky was played, the concert was well and truly a full-blown party. Again, I was deeply moved by the quality that these lads still have in them. Brilliantly and flawlessly plugging away through some of the greatest moments of their fifty-three year career. I listened attentively to see if what I was hearing was truly and perfect as I was imagining it to be – and it was. Not a single note out of place the whole night through. That is quite the feat in itself.
For singer Arnel Pineda, who was discovered while singing Journey covers online, to have been able to join the band that he obviously loved enough to cover, and be able to take that band to the end of its lifetime two decades later, must be quite a feeling. During La Do Da, Pineda went on an escorted walk around the arenas lower bowl, greeting fans while the band jammed a ten minute medley of songs such as Whole Lotta Love, Break On Through and Be-Bop-a-Lula.
Schon, 72, has said that he has no plans to retire following this tour and has already filed a trademark for Journey Beyond, suggesting a future offshoot of the band. Whether or not that features current of formers of Journey remains to be seen, but for Journey fans, this is something to keep an ear open for.
Tonight’s show concluded with three of the groups best known, and to be quite frank, best songs that began with my personal favorite Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) and the instant the keyboard intro began, people sprang to their feet again. I’ll be honest, there were several moments where the energy that stemmed from the crowd far exceeded what I was expecting. I thought this was an older band and probably an older crowd as well, but if that was the case, Journey brought out something in all these people that had been dormant for some time. Tonight’s crowd was explosive, and for these final free tracks especially.
People all around me chanted the lyrics along with Pineada and the whole package, the band, the crowd, the incredible stage lighting and video graphics, was just so top notch. Before anyone had a chance to catch their breath, Any Way You Want It burst out from the speakers and still, the atmosphere in the air was electric, so much so that Nikolas Tesla would have been proud! I noticed people twenty years my senior and twenty years my junior all around me, all up on their feet and dancing away. Incredible!
Finally, the last song of the set which unless something surprising happens in the very near future, will go down as the last song Journey ever play in Montreal, began to hit the airwaves. Of course, there was a smash hit track that had yet to be played, and everyone knew what was coming. Don’t Stop Believing belted out through the mighty stadium and still, the crowd roared and rocked like we were all back in the 1980s, in the heyday of rock n’ roll. Not an arse was in a chair, besides those that physically couldn’t stand and the building was going nuts.
With a loud bang, streamers and confetti fell from the rafters of this historic building, covering everyone with fluttering bits of paper as Journey’s last hurray was suddenly reality, and our time together had reached a finale. Yet, no one was sad – at least not yet, maybe that would come tomorrow morning when the reality sets in, that we will never have the privilege of spending a night with these fine gentleman again. Maybe tomorrow. But tonight, the mood was massive, full of positivity that charged everyone up.
Tonight, the world actually made sense for a brief moment in time.
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Stepping outside into the snow was a little tough on the psyche but being so high off a great, great performance, not even a last dash of winters bitter bite could cul my mood. What a night it had been. As we all wish Journey safe travels on their remaining four months of shows, which will come to a halt on July 2nd, 2026, in Laredo, Texas, I would like to thank the band for so many great tunes over the years.
Cheers to Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, Arnel Pineda, Deen Castronovo, Todd Jensen and Jason Derlatka and best of luck luck in whatever comes next.
