Journey, a band that has shaped the American arena rock scene since its formation in San Francisco in 1973, set off on its Final Frontier Tour only a few weeks ago. The tour was promoted as “our heartfelt thank you to the fans who’ve been with us every step of the way,” said Journey founder Neal Schon. On March 4, the tour arrived in DC to a warm welcome at Capital One Arena.
Billed as “A Special Evening with Journey,” the concert featured no opening act, allowing the band to play a full 27-song set over the two-hour show. The visual design of the tour was clearly designed with the stadium-sized scale in mind. The stage featured three LED screens that provided various visual effects during the show. Along with the remote video, it created some truly hypnotic scenes of the band.
At the core of the band are its longest tenured members, founding lead guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist/rhythm guitarist Jonathan Cain, who joined the group in 1980. Schon remains the fire in the band’s live performances, rocking out in countless solos in his shades and high top sneakers. His improvisational skills were shown off during a jam in “La Do Da” with teases of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love,” which earned heavy applause from the 20,000 fans in attendance.
Cain serves as more of the emotional anchor of the band on piano. His warm tones guided the arena through some poignant moments, while also ringing out jazzy solos. He later truly won over the DC crowed dawning a custom Washington Capitals jersey. His most resonant moment, though, came when he introduced the song “Faithfully,” dedicating it to the veterans and their families in the audience.
Watch Journey perform “Faithfully” live in Manilla via YouTube:
Taking over vocals, Arnel Pineda, who was discovered by Schon on YouTube, joined the band in 2007. Nearly two decades into his tenure, Pineda’s vocal talent is the reason Journey can still pack massive arenas. Bounding out on stage in a fuzzy pink sweatshirt and shimmering velvet purple pants, his energy was infectious. Vocally, Pineda handled the heaviest load of the night impressively, wailing out on songs like “Stone in Love” and “Open Arms.” He has impressively tackled the band’s most memorable hits, giving them the honor they deserve while fully taking command of the arena himself.
The rest of the band was not without contribution; drum master Deen Castronovo and keyboardist Jason Derlatka were impressive vocal assets. Castronovo, an impressively fluid drummer, settled in for lead vocals on “Mother, Father” and the band’s letter to its San Francisco roots, “Lights.” Performing lead vocals while hammering away at his kit is an astounding skill, and still, Castronovo held strong on vocals.
Derlatka offered some beautiful vocal performances on “I’ll Be Alright Without You” and “Suzanne,” providing more of a light pop sound in contrast to Pineda’s powerful tenor. Tying it all together was bassist Todd Jensen, laying down a flawless rhythm.
The two-hour performance concluded with the karaoke anthems the crowd had been waiting for. “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart),” “Any Way You Want Itm” and the monolith “Don’t Stop Believin’.” Every member of Journey fired on all cylinders, proving that even if this is the end, their current live performances are a spectacle to behold.
Setlist (Retrieved from Setlist.fm)
Be Good to Yourself
Stone in Love
Only the Young
Just the Same Way
Lights
When You Love a Woman
Escape
Piano Solo
Who’s Crying Now
Mother, Father
Suzanne
Guitar Solo
Wheel in the Sky
Faithfully
Feeling That Way
Anytime
Dead or Alive
Ask the Lonely
I’ll Be Alright Without You
Open Arms
La Do Da
Drum Solo
Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’
Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
Any Way You Want It
Don’t Stop Believin’
Here are some photos of Journey performing live at Capital One Arena on March 4, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Caden Forrester.
