Voyage: Recreating Journey
/
Left, lead singer of Journey tribute band, Voyage, Hugo Valenti, left, sings in the likeness of Steve Perry next to guitarist Robby Hoffman at a previous show at The Paramount. This will be their fourth appearance in Huntington
By Jano Tantongco
jtantongco@longislandergroup.com
From the moment Hugo Valenti first heard Steve Perry’s voice, he was captivated by his range and belting voice, eventually coming to master the same vocal “calisthenics” the Journey frontman employed.
Valenti, of Islip, and the rest of the Voyage ensemble will play at The Paramount tomorrow. Bandmates include accomplished musicians like bassist Greg Smith, Robby Hoffman on guitar, drummer Charlie Zeleny and Al Spinelli on the keyboard.
He developed his own music career, “doing the whole ’80s thing” with the band Valentine, debuting with Warner Bros. Records.
They then became Open Skyz, where Valenti played with bands like Mr. Big and even KISS. But, Valenti found a greater calling in playing the role of Perry, sharing an uncanny likeness in looks and voice to the Journey frontman.
Valenti started the band in 2005 and since then they’ve grown to sell out shows throughout the country.
“I was always interested in how Steve Perry sang the way he did. Growing up with singers that were raspy and kicking it out, here was Steve Perry and he was just floating above the melody with this amazing voice,” Valenti said.
With formal training, he was able to bridge the gap between his chest voice and a falsetto to “bridge that gap.”
“You go from Mickey Mouse to Steve Perry,” Valenti said.
This will be Voyage’s fourth time at The Paramount, where they’ll play classics like “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Only The Young,” “Open Arms,” and “Faithfully.”
“We’re just excited to put on another great show, and we love it. It’s local, so a lot of folks that we know come down as well,” Valenti said.
Doors open at 7 p.m., with the show starting at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or at Paramountny.com. They range from $15-$35.
