Neal Schon is added as Special Guest on Journey Canadian Tour

JOURNEY ADDS NEAL“VORTEX” SCHON AS SPECIAL GUEST ON CANADIAN TOUR

 OMAR HAKIM TAPPED TO PLAY DRUMS FOR BOTH JOURNEY AND NEAL “VORTEX” SCHON

 SATURDAY, JULY 25, 22015

FIRSTONTARIO PLACE - HAMILTON

NEAL “VORTEX” SCHON has been added as the special  guest to JOURNEY’s upcoming Canadian tour, which launches Monday, July 6 in Winnipeg Manitoba with concerts scheduled through August 3 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. This tour marks the first time the American rock greats perform Canada-only tour, including markets in which band has never previously performed such as a Penticton;Prince George; and Dawson Creek, British Columbia; and Lethbridge, Alberta. See below for a complete list of tour dates. Tickets are on sale now - visit www.journeymusic.com for complete tour and ticketing information.

NEAL  "VORTEX"  SCHON features Schon on  guitar, Omar  Hakim on  drums, Rachel  Z  Hakim on keyboards and Jerry Brooks on bass. NEAL “VORTEX” SCHON will perform selections from Schon’s brand new, all-instrumental 2-CD album, Vortex, released June 23 through the Mascot Label Group. The album – featuring Neal Schon on guitars and bass, drummer Steve Smith, GRAMMY-winning keyboardist Jan Hammer, and keyboardist Igor Len - utilizes rock as its foundation, and embraces elements of jazz,classical  and world music in an 18-track,  sonically explosive collection  of  original  compositions.  The music of Vortex came to life at Berkeley’s Fantasy Studios, Schon’s preferred spot for recording since Journey cut the 10-times-platinum number-one album Escape there in 1981.

Blazing  hotter  than  ever  with  the  lineup  of  founder Neal  Schon (lead  guitar  and  backing vocals), Jonathan  Cain (keyboards  and  backing  vocals),  co-founder Ross  Valory (bass  and  backing vocals), and lead vocalist Arnel Pineda (who was discovered by Schon), Journey has created some of the  best-known  songs  in  rock,  such  as “Wheel  In  The  Sky,”  “Separate  Ways,” and “Faithfully.”  Neal Schon recruited Omar Hakim to play drums for Journey’s recent Hollywood Bowl Opening Night concert,the band’s July 4th performance in Provo, Utah, and the Canadian tour.

The Hollywood Bowl, one of the most iconic concert venues in the world, launched its 94th season with its2015  Opening  Night  Concert  featuring JOURNEY who  performed  with the Hollywood  Bowl Orchestra and Youth  Orchestra  Los  Angeles  (YOLA),  on  June  20.  The  Bowl’s  opening  night  is traditionally a fundraiser for the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s many education and community programs,which serve more than 150,000 youth, families and teachers every year, and this year it raised a record$1.6 million; the previous best was $1.4 million in 2011.

Following the Hollywood Bowl opener,  and Hakim’s debut with Journey, Neal Schon stated, “I'm very happy I was able to bring Omar Hakim in to help us pull together a very elaborate and complex show at the last minute. It was a nearly impossible feat, and tall order for anyone, but with Omar’s musical integrity and talent, we pulled it off and had a blast! Glad to know I have still got the ears and now I'm 2 for 2: first was finding Arnel and now, recruiting Omar Hakim.”

Over the years JOURNEY has earned multiple accolades, including 19 Top 40 singles; producing 25 Gold and Platinum albums; and receiving a Diamond certification for its Greatest Hits album, marking U.S.sales in excess of 15 million. In 2011, they drew nearly a million fans to their Eclipse World Tour and was awarded  the  prestigious  Legend  Of  Live  Award at  the  Billboard  Touring  Awards  in  honor  of  their significant and lasting contributions to live music and the touring business, and in acknowledgement of their commitment to the fans and the art of performing live.

The group’s seminal anthem - “Don’t Stop Believin’” - is the top-selling digital catalog track in history,after being featured in the last scene of the electrifying series finale of HBO's ‘The Sopranos’  and then reaching  another  level  of  stratospheric  success  when  it  was  covered  by  the  cast  of  FOX's  wildly successful series ‘Glee.’  Three decades after its original release, "Don't Stop Believin” has reached anew generation of young fans welcoming this legendary band as it continues to bring its signature sound of classic hits around the world.

The intensely creative guitar giant, Neal Schon, has always had an innate ability to make glorious music.He began playing at age five and was inspired by soul vocalists like Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight,and blues and jazz guitarists ranging from B.B. King Albert King, and Eric Clapton to Wes Montgomery.When Schon was just 15 years old, Carlos Santana invited him to join his band. Schon’s recording debut was on the classic 1971 album Santana III.  He played the solo on the LP’s  hit  single, “Everybody’s Everything.” Recently Schon  completed the album Santana IV with Carlos Santana, co-writing songs and playing guitar. Additionally, Journey, co-headlined with Santana on Carlos’ recent homecoming concerts in Mexico.


JOURNEY’S 2015 CANADIAN TOUR DATES:
6-July                        Winnipeg, MB                     MTS Centre
8- July                       Calgary, AB                        Fort Calgary – Stampede Roundup
10-July                      Penticton, BC                      South Okanagan Events Centre
11-July                      Vancouver, BC                    Rogers Arena
13-July                      Victoria, BC                        Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre
15-July                      Prince George, BC              CN Centre
16-July                      Dawson Creek, BC              EnCana Events Centre
18-July                      Edmonton, AB                    Rexall Place
19-July                      Lethbridge, AB                    ENMAX Centre
21-Jul                        Regina, SK                         Brandt Centre
22-Jul                        Saskatoon, SK                   SaskTel Centre
25-Jul                        Hamilton, ON                      FirstOntario Centre
26-Jul                        Kingston, ON                      Rogers K-Rock Centre
28-Jul                        Montréal, QC                       Centre Bell
30-Jul                        Moncton, NB                       Moncton Coliseum
31-Jul                        Dartmouth, NS                     Alderney Landing
2-Aug                        St. John’s, NL                      Mile One Centre
3-Aug                        St. John’s, NL                      Mile One Centre


For more information, visit:www.Schonmusic.com
https://www.facebook.com/schonmusic/posts/907439922649817
www.journeymusic.com
www.facebook.com/journey
www.twitter.com/journeyofficia
- Read the full story at UnRatedMagazine.com