Journey Reaches Out as Farewell Tour Nears; Steve Perry Could Appear at Any Stop
Jonathan Cain confirmed that Journey has reached out to steve perry with an open invitation to join the band's Final Frontier farewell tour, a move that comes as the group prepares to open the run on Feb. 28 in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Steve Perry and the invitation
Cain said Neal Schon has already asked and that steve perry is “thinking about it, ” leaving the door open for a guest appearance. Cain added, “He didn’t say no — leave it at that, ” and noted the band has “100 shows, so he’s welcome at any one of them. ” Those comments set a clear theatrical possibility: Perry could appear at a single stop or more, but Cain stopped short of announcing any confirmed dates for a reunion appearance.
First show set for Feb. 28 in Hershey, Pennsylvania
The band will launch the Final Frontier Tour on Feb. 28 in Hershey, Pennsylvania, with Arnel Pineda set as the group’s current, longest-tenured frontman for that opening date. Cain said Pineda has recovered from off-stage issues and is “gonna be fine, ” adding that the first round of farewell shows runs through July. Cain also said he and Schon have put aside past personal and legal disputes to focus on the tour.
Run of shows, past reunions and what the band said
Cain placed the invitation in the context of Journey’s history: he joined the band after a run of three multi-platinum-selling albums and pointed to 1981’s Escape, which he said sold more units than all the others combined. The band split two albums later, reunited with the Escape-era lineup to complete 1998’s Trial by Fire, and has since moved forward with other singers. Cain confirmed more dates will be added as the farewell tour continues and conceded uncertainty about future plans beyond this run: “Wait ’til that time and see, ” he said, before adding, “I just know that’s it for me. ”
The invitation makes a tangible choice for fans in the near term: whether steve perry accepts any single-night appearance or remains off the stage will be resolved in the coming weeks as the band begins performances. The Final Frontier Tour opens Feb. 28 in Hershey, Pennsylvania; the first round of dates continues through July, and the band has promised additional dates as the farewell run proceeds.
