New singer, same fun-loving Journey

Arnel Pineda (left, with Neal Schon), who was discovered through YouTube, led Journey through its hits at the Comcast Center Tuesday night. (Globe Photo/Aram Boghosian)

MANSFIELD - While alt-rock bands like Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails have been exploring ways to use the Internet to cut out the old middle man, classic rock bands are turning to it to find a new frontman.

The most recent Internet sensation is Arnel Pineda, who was discovered via YouTube clips of him fronting a Journey tribute act. He made his area debut Tuesday night at the Comcast Center as the latest singer for the indefatigable and commercially revitalized Journey. The diminutive Filipino is another vocal clone of Steve Perry, who fronted the group during its most successful era.

Pineda was clearly an attentive student. He nailed all of Perry's mannerisms from his head tilts to the way he envisioned the "Lights" going down in the "cit-ay," to the manner in which he held on to that "feel-ay-ee-eng" in "Don't Stop Believin' " Pineda's strong, smooth tenor was clearly cut from the same arena-rock spandex.

If the new singer didn't bring anything particularly individual to the creative table - even on surprisingly strong new tunes like "Change for the Better" from the album "Revelation" - it's doubtful most in the near-capacity crowd were seeking departures from their memories of hits like "Open Arms" and "Faithfully."

In terms of energy, Pineda is a strong addition. He leapt, twirled, and bounded around the stage with the kind of glee befitting someone who has won the rock-star lottery. The elder members of the quintet - including hard-hitting drummer Deen Castronovo and ever-elegant keyboardist Jonathan Cain - seemed to feed off that energy. While reeling off his technically precise, sometimes indulgent guitar solos, Neal Schon often gazed over at his new frontman with grateful bemusement.

At times, though, it felt like Pineda was working a little too hard, losing his breath, or hitting a clunker or two, in his determination to win over any skeptics. But by singer number five or six, depending how you count, how many could there be, really?

At just 60 minutes, the night's most thoroughly satisfying set came from sister act Heart. Ann Wilson's voice remains a mighty force. "Barracuda," "Crazy on You," and the psychedelia-tinged "Magic Man" retained their hard-rock punch. A lilting cover of "Going to California" filled the traditional Led Zeppelin cover spot with gentle fire. Hits from the group's '80s comeback period were reworked thoughtfully with "Never" getting a semi-acoustic makeover, dreamy ballad "These Dreams" a ringing mandolin propulsion, and "American Idol" favorite "Alone" distilled to its essence.

On a night that was intensely focused on vocalists, Cheap Trick suffered by comparison. At their own gigs the Chicago rockers usually have a playful spark. In the unenviable, pre-sundown opening slot, however, the weary-sounding quartet felt disconnected pounding out hits like "Surrender" while contending with patches of empty seats and a ridiculously loud mix.

That problem plagued the entire show but especially did lead singer Robin Zander no favors as he tried to belt out the high notes on prom ballad "The Flame" with painful-sounding results.