Journey Welcome Back Drummer Steve Smith, Announce 2016 Tour With Doobie Brothers
Journey will have another busy year on the concert circuit in 2016 — and they'll return to the road with drummer Steve Smith, who's back in the lineup for the first time since the '90s.
Smith was previously replaced by Deen Castronovo, whose legal and personal issues led to his exit earlier this year. The return of Smith, who played on some of Journey's best-selling records, offers a permanent solution to a problem the band initially addressed by recruiting session ace Omar Hakim as a temporary fill-in.
The revamped Journey lineup will hit the road for a run of co-headlining summer dates with the Doobie Brothers and special guest Dave Mason, called San Francisco Fest 2016 and due to begin May 12 in Irvine, Calif. The Doobies will be performing with their own new addition: Little Feat keyboardist Bill Payne, who's joined the band often in the studio and will reportedly stay with them on the road throughout 2016.
"It’s gonna be a great summer for fans of Bay Area music, and for guys like us who have the pleasure of teaming up with our good friends from Journey and the Dave Mason Band," enthused the Doobie Brothers in a statement. "We look forward to taking the stage with Journey. We love their songs, and think we will all complement each other musically. It is going to be a powerful tour. We can’t wait to share it with the fans!"
Prior to embarking on their tour with the Doobie Brothers, Journey are expected to announce another round of shows for early 2016. Check out the complete list of currently confirmed dates below and visit the band's website for more detailed ticketing information.
Journey, Doobie Brothers and Dave Mason San Francisco Fest 2016 Dates
5/12 — Irvine, Calif. — Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre
5/14 — Phoenix, Ariz. — Ak-Chin Pavilion
5/15 — Albuquerque, N.M. — Isleta Amphitheater
5/18 — Austin, Texas — Austin360 Amphitheater
5/20 — Dallas, Texas — Gexa Energy Pavilion
5/21 — Woodlands, Texas — The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
5/23 — Wichita, Kan. — INTRUST Bank Arena
5/25 — Memphis, Tenn. — FedEx Forum
5/27 — Indianapolis, Ind. — Indianapolis Motor Speedway *
5/28 — Kansas City, Mo.. — Sprint Center
5/31 — Rogers, Ark. — Walmart AMP
6/02 — Birmingham, Ala. — Oak Mountain Amphitheatre
6/04 — Charlotte, N.C. — PNC Music Pavilion
6/05 — Raleigh, N.C. — Walnut Creek Amphitheatre
6/08 — Atlanta, Ga. — Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood
6/10 — Tampa, Fla. — MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amp.
6/11 — West Palm Beach, Fla. — Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre
6/22 — Bangor, Maine — Darling's Waterfront Pavilion
6/24 — Bethel, N.Y. — Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
6/25 — Holmdel, N.J. — PNC Banks Art Center
6/27 — Wantagh, N.Y. — Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
6/29 — Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio — Blossom Music Center
7/01 — Virginia Beach, Va. — Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach
7/02 — Bristow, Va. — Jiffy Lube Live
7/05 — Saratoga Springs, N.Y. — Saratoga Performing Arts Center
7/07 — Toronto, Ontario — Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
7/09 — Darien, N.Y. — Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
7/10 — Mansfield, Mass. — Xfinity Center
7/13 — Syracuse, N.Y. — Lakeview Amphitheater
7/15 — Camden, N.J. — BB&T Pavilion
7/16 — Burgettstown, Penn. — First Niagara Pavilion
7/27 — Nashville, Tenn. — Ascend Amphitheater **
7/29 — Cincinnati, Ohio — Riverbend Music Center
7/30 — Maryland Heights, Miss. — Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
8/02 — Grand Rapids, Mich. — Van Andel Arena
8/04 — Clarkston, Mich. — DTE Energy Music Theatre
8/06 — Omaha, Neb. — CenturyLink Center
8/07 — Des Moines, Iowa — Wells Fargo Arena
8/09 — St. Paul, Minn. — Xcel Energy Center
8/11 — Sioux Falls, S.D. — Denny Sanford PREMIER Center
8/13 — Tinley Park, Ill. — Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
8/16 — Oklahoma City, Okla. — Chesapeake Energy Arena
8/17 — Little Rock, Ark. — Verizon Arena
8/20 — Denver, Colo. — Pepsi Center
8/21 — West Valley City, Utah — USANA Amphitheatre
8/23 — Auburn, Wash. — White River Amphitheatre
8/25 — Ridgefield, Wash. — Sunlight Supply Amphitheater
8/27 — Las Vegas, Nev. — Mandalay Bay Events Center
8/28 — Fresno, Calif. — Save Mart Center
8/30 — Chula Vista, Calif. — Sleep Train Amphitheatre
* Journey only
** Journey and Dave Mason only
See Journey and Other Rockers in the Top 100 Albums of the '80s
You Think You Know Journey?