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THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL                                                                        MEMPHIS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1994

Perry's 'Journey' success continues

By Jody Callahan
The Commercial Appeal

REVIEW

  Echoes of songs past are still chasing Steve Perry.
  No matter how many solo records the powerful vocalist releases, no matter how many of his solo singles slide up the charts, Perry will always be identified with Journey, the hugely popular pop-rock band he fronted for nearly 10 years.
  And don't think the fans - who range from Baby Boomers to high schoolers barely born when Journey released its first record - don't understand that.
  A sellout of more than 2,300 showed up at the Orpheum Wednesday night, throwing

roses, walking back through the years and absorbing Perry's magnificent voice as he weaved through such Journey classics as Faithfully, Lights, Separate Ways (World's Apart), Wheel In The Sky, Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin' and Don't Stop Believin'.
  Nominally, Perry was touring in support of his second solo record, "For The Love Of Strange Medicine."
  But Perry knew where the hearts of his fans could be found. He opened the show with three consecutive Journey tunes, then followed with Foolish Heart, a still-popular ballad from his first solo record, "Street Talk," released in 1984

  In fact, Wednesday night's concert - the first Memphis appearance by Perry since Journey's 1987 concert at the Mid-South Coliseum - could've almost been a Journey show, as Perry and his band played 17 songs, 11 of which were old Journey tunes.
  But even though Perry donned the famed red tuxedo jacket he wore in Journey's early days, there was one glaring reminder that this was not a reunion: While adept, guitarist Lincoln Brewster was missing the singular flare provided by former Journey guitarist Neal Schon.
  Schon's signature riffs combined with Perry's marvellous voice to give definition to Journey's sound, a sound that resulted

in over 35 million records sold worldwide since "Infinity" was released in 1978.
  But no matter. It all comes back to that voice, easily one of the most recognisable and powerful in rock and still stunning.
  Chased Perry may be, but he didn't seem to mind as he appeared much more animated during the Journey segments, even spending 10 minutes in a cheesy soliloquy with the red tuxedo before donning it and launching into Lovin', one of the band's first big hits.
  "I kind of lost my place," Perry offered to explain his long absence.
  Perhaps, but he seems to have found it again . . . in the red tuxedo.