Original Journey keyboardist and lead singer Gregg Rolie, who played with the band from 1973 to 1980, joined his former bandmates onstage on Wednesday during their show in Austin, Tex.
You can see the full set list below.
“We have an extra special set tonight,” guitarist Neal Schon told the crowd early in the night. “So when we go offstage at the end of the show, don’t leave.”
Schon kept his word, welcoming Rolie to the stage when Journey emerged for their encore. The guitarist credited his former bandmate for taking him under his wing and picking him up from high school when he was 15 years old, “’cause I wasn’t going to school anyway.”
The band then tore through several Rolie-era cuts: “Just the Same Way” off 1979’s Evolution, “Of a Lifetime” off 1975’s Journey and “Feeling That Way” and “Anytime” off 1978’s Infinity. Rolie and Schon also revisited their shared Santana roots by covering “Black Magic Woman” with help from tourmate and Toto guitarist Steve Lukather. They finished out their set with the time-honored hit “Any Way You Want It.”
“I just wanna say: Fifty years?” Rolie marveled to the crowd about his former bandmates. “Fifty years of one band going through changes, but it’s like a runaway freight train that just keeps going with no brakes.” He also thanked past and present Journey members and, above all, the audience. “Without you guys, this place is empty,” he said.
Watch Gregg Rolie Sound Check With Journey
Schon teased Rolie’s appearance earlier this month when he tweeted that there would be a “special surprise” at the band’s Austin show. While some Twitter users hoped in vain for an appearance from ex-frontman Steve Perry, many correctly predicted a cameo from Rolie, who lives near the capital city.
Rolie co-founded Journey with Schon in 1973 and handled lead vocals on the band’s first three albums. He ceded vocal duties to Perry on Infinity and continued playing keyboards with them until 1980, appearing on that year’s aptly titled Departure and the soundtrack album Dream, After Dream. He then yielded his position to former Babys keyboardist Jonathan Cain.
Journey is currently in the midst of their 50th-anniversary tour, which has gone off without a hitch despite the ongoing litigation between Schon and Cain. Schon filed suit against Cain last November, claiming the keyboardist had “improperly restricted” his access to financial documents related to the band’s joint American Express card. Cain countersued Schon in January, accusing the guitarist of racking up more than $1 million in personal expenses to the card.
As the band members traded barbs and lawsuits publicly ahead of their tour kickoff, Schon also hinted at a lineup change. He tweeted a photo of himself and Rolie back in November with the caption, “2 original founding members. I think my brother Gregg Rolie should join us for 2023 tour. What do you think, friends? He will spice it up and we will have a great variety of songs to choose from. What would you like to hear for the 50th-anniversary tour?”
The guitarist later changed his tune, though, telling another Twitter user that Rolie would join the band “not at this moment. Both Gregg and I intend to shed some real light on the subject matter very soon.” When that quote began to circulate, Schon responded by tweeting, “This is going out to all media of all your postings today that Gregg Rolie is out. FALSE – where would you get this information? Ex managers? PR stunt again.”
Journey’s 50th-anniversary tour is currently scheduled to run through May. The band will revisit the Lone Star State in April to play at San Antonio’s AT&T Center. Schon suggested on Twitter that Rolie would also make an appearance there.
Journey, 2/22/23, Moody Center, Austin
“Only the Young”
Neal Schon guitar solo
“Stone in Love”
“Don’t Stop Believin'”
“Lights”
“Send Her My Love”
“Escape”
“Who’s Crying Now”
“Let it Rain”
“Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin'”
Jonathan Cain piano solo
“Open Arms”
“Faithfully”
“Girl Can’t Help It”
“Just the Same Way” (with Gregg Rolie)
“Of a Lifetime” (with Gregg Rolie)
“Feeling That Way” (with Gregg Rolie)
“Anytime” (with Gregg Rolie)
“Black Magic Woman” (with Gregg Rolie and Steve Lukather)
“Any Way You Want It” (with Gregg Rolie)
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