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. Instead, the final Journey show in Montreal was postponed by two days, while the ice storm that hit the city, rolled in and out.
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Personally, I applaud this decision. as it shows that the promoter, the artists and those around them care. After all, it is their fans’ last change to see Journey off. In such treacherous conditions, anything could 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 the many hits you’ve has accumulated over the years.
Steve Perry, the original lead singer, confirmed prior to the Final Frontier tour getting underway, that he will not rejoin the band for the tour, putting to rest rumors of a reunion. Arnel Pineda, who has been the frontman of the group since 2007, wasn’t the only vocalist to take this lengthy, final journey. During the evening, he had help with singing duties from Jonathan Cain, Deen Castronovo and Jason Derlatka, who each handled selected songs.
Seemingly, the truce between Neal, 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 youngest of the group, at a spritely 58 years of age. Spending five decades together as a band is bound to have formed strife, 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 once labeled corporate rock, for the formulaic recipe used to cook up all their hits, their melodies and hooks. But very few people, if any, can argue with a winning 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 when they were much younger. I was honestly quite inspired by it all.
By the time Wheel In The Sky played, the concert was well and truly a full-blown party. Again, I was deeply moved by the quality that these lads still had in them. Brilliantly and flawlessly, they plugged away through some of the greatest moments of their fifty-three year career. Attentively, I listened to see if what I was hearing was truly as perfect as I was imagining it to be – and it was. Not a single note out of place the whole night. An amazing feat in itself!
For singer Arnel Pineda, It must have been quite the feeling to not only have joined a band that he obviously loved throughout his entire life, and then all those years later, help put it to rest. During La Do Da, Pineda went on an escorted walk around the arenas lower bowl, greeting fans while the band jammed out 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 especially explosive for these final free tracks .
All around me, people chanted lyrics along with Pineada. An incredible package of light and sound took place all around me; the band, the crowd, the incredible stage lighting and video graphics, was just 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 track ever play in Montreal, began to play.However, there was one smash hit 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 they were all back in the 1980s, in the heyday of rock n’ roll. Not an arse was to be found in a chair, besides those that physically couldn’t stand. 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 reality has finally set in. The reality that we will never have the privilege of spending a night with these fine gentleman again. But that’s for tomorrow. Tonight, the mood during the evening was massive and full of positivity that charged everyone up.
Tonight, the world actually made sense for a brief moment in time.
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After the show was done, stepping outside into the snow was a little tough. My psyche, being so high off a great performance, was not in the least bit affected by winter’s bitter bite. What a night it had been! As we all wish Journey safe travels on their remaining four months of shows, 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.
