By Andrew Catania
This concert was very special to me seeing one of my idols, the legendary Neal Schon. Journey rocked the Amway Center this past Thursday night to a packed crowd.
I’ve seen Journey in the ’80s with Steve Perry and other replacement vocalists during the last 25 years, but aside from the original members, Neal and company sound amazing!
Journey played all of their hits. Neals’s playing was absolutely masterful, tonality spot on, you’d figure after 45 years of playing these songs, he’d get tired of it. Not a chance! He looks like the first time he stepped on stage with Santana back before I was born.
Neal is a legend, a maestro, his playing is much bigger than Journey songs.
If you listen to any of his solo albums, they will blow other albums out of the water with names like Vai, Yngwie, etc. That’s a pretty bold statement but Neal is a great songwriter. Something a majority of guitarists/shredders are not. That’s why Neal plays in front of 16K fans vers a shredder playing to 10 guys in a club with their arms folded watching him/her.
Jonathan Cain, Deen Castronova, Arnel, and the entire band made this concert a memorable one personally for me. The level of talent in this group is off the charts.
If it sounds like I’m putting Neal Schon on a pedestal it’s because I am. Neal is the whole package. Brilliant songwriter, phenomenal guitar player, Tone, Vibrato, he checks off every box.
I will close with this: Neal Schon is a legend and is one of a handful of guitarists that are the best out there in any genre!
Amen!!!!! Completely agree! I purposely purchased Tix 4 Orlando in the 2nd row Neal’s side so I could watch his magical playing. Was not disappointed in the concert one but. Smiles all night!