'Get out your phones and light this up like a big Christmas tree': Journey rocks RodeoHouston

San Francisco-based Journey still knows how to whip a crowd into a frenzy, and the more than 60,000 that gathered at Houston's NRG Stadium to watch the band responsible for an instant earworm from the 1980s known as “Don’t Stop Believin’" was that crowd last night (March 10).

The band took to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo's spinning star-shaped stage a little after 9 p.m. 

Guitarist Neal Schon, the band's lone original member, began what would be a loud, thunderous night with a soaring, goosebumps-inducing rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" that would put Jimmy Hendrix's version to shame though Schon reportedly drew inspiration from the Woodstock barnburner.

After fiercely ripping through "Stone in Love," the moment that the whole stadium waited for occurred earlier than expected.

The roar of the crowd intensified as the familiar keyboard chords that opened Journey's biggest hit wafted through the air. 

There wasn't a quiet soul in the house as tens of thousands of fans engaged in a duet with lead vocalist Arnel Pineda, the Manila, Philippines-based rocker whom the band discovered on YouTube nearly 20 years ago, on "Don't Stop Believin.'"

For the disco era prom staple "Lights," keyboardist Jonathan Cain instructed the crowd to serve as the illuminating backdrop.

“We’re going to play a little tune from 1978 about our city by the bay," Cain said to a staccato of cheers before the band launched into song. "Get out your phones and light this up like a big Christmas tree.”

His instructions were enthusiastically heeded.

Acknowledging the length of time rodeo athletes and personnel spend on the road, Cain dedicated the long-distance relationship/marriage ballad "Faithfully" to them.

Surprisingly, they didn't perform "Open Arms."

As the night progressed, Journey picked up the pace with "Wheel in the Sky," "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)," and "Any Way You Want It."

Journey performed 10 miles south from the place where they put on a concert that was the basis of their "Live in Houston 1981: The Escape Tour" album.

Lakewood Church was formerly a sports and entertainment venue called The Summit.

Seeing as it was literally the band's first rodeo, Pineda assured the crowd it won't be their last.

“We’ll be back Houston," he said. "We’ll be back."