Lights Mix It Up At The Sagebrush, Leave Them Happy In Long Beach!

I can only imagine how hard it is for a tribute band to keep it fresh, not get bored with the established songs that the fans of the original band want to hear show after show! Luckily for Lights, the band they pay tribute to, Journey, is still making new music! That presents a different question: do you take on the new music while Journey themselves are out on tour?

Lights took on the challenge Saturday night. In front of a jam packed crowd at the Sagebrush Cantina in Calabassas Saturday Night, the band surprized the crowd by launching into "Never Walk Away", a song off the new Journey CD, Revolution. The song highlights Journey's signature melodic, guitar driven melodies and their harmonies. It is a total throw back to the Journey of the "Escape" era. With Juan Del Castillo's soaring vocals, driving guitar riffs and melodic keyboards from Jonny Papa and Jeff Vincent as well as the amazing rhythm section of Casey McNerney and Michael Thompson keeping the beat, Lights nailed it! Sure....ask any band member and they will be self-critical as musicians are by telling you it sucked but if the looks on the faces in the crowd are any indication, the song should become a set staple soon!

The following night found the band in it's own "city by the bay", Long Beach! Lights are one of Long Beach's favorite bands and Saturday night they treated the crowd to Journey classics such as "Don't Stop Belivin", "Lights" and "Wheel In The Sky". The Blue Cafe was full of Journey fans that danced and screamed for their favorites all night. Juan, Jonny and Jeff did a great job with melodies as those on "I'll Be Alright Without You" and "Anyway You Want It", while Casey and Michael's driving rhythm made "Lovin, Touchin, Squeezin" sound sexier than ever! The band was so appreciative of the crowd and their energy that they even pulled out the seldom played "Mother, Father"!

New Journey, classic Journey...you never know what the guys in Lights will pull out of their hats! Come see for yourself this Friday, August 1 at Harpers Bar and Grill in Northridge. You won't be disappointed. Check out http://www.lightsband.com/ for details!