One of Los Banos' longest held traditions is the Merced County Spring Fair. Also known as the 'Mayday Fair', it packs an incredible number of activities into just a few short days.  From livestock shows and auctions to tractor pulls to pro wrestling and dainty flower exhibits, there is bound to be something to appeal to almost everybody.

One of the acts this year was a concert by a group calling themselves "Journey Unauthorized".  According to their website, "Journey Unauthorized is a salute to Journey's music and is a tribute show that recreates the sights and sounds of the band 30 years ago. They are NOT affiliated with the band Journey." The members of Journey Unauthorized attempt to give audiences a taste of what going to a Journey concert might have been like.  They dress in a way that mimics the original band, and they play and sing many of the same songs.

Is it effective? Well judging from the response of those who gathered to hear them on Saturday night, the answer would have to be a resounding YES.

Spring Fair attendees by the hundreds gathered around the outdoor stage at about eight o'clock Saturday evening to listen to Journey Unauthorized play such selections as 'Who's Crying Now', 'Don't Stop Believin', 'Open Arms', 'Oh Sherry', 'Any Way You Want It', and more.

The audience really go into it - and age seemed no barrier.  There were middle aged folks who probably rocked out to 'the real  Journey' while they were in high school dancing in the aisles alongside of those who were not even born at the time Journey was most popular.

It appeared to me that the guys that comprise Journey Unauthorized really enjoy what they do and that they really enjoyed the positive feedback from the Los Banos crowd.  Perry Stevens, the lead vocalist who portrays Journey's Steve Perry, ran out into the crowd during the show, sometimes sitting next to blushing audience members, as he continued to entertain. 

Early in the show, one of the children in the audience got up on stage and started playing 'air guitar' as the band performed.  Damion Mantle who portrays Journey's Neal Schon walked over to the youngster and engaged him a little bit as both of them 'played guitar together' until a stage hand helped the young man off the platform a short time later.

The Journey Unauthorized concert was free with admission to the fair and the audience seemed to grow as  passersby who were heading to or from the midway area stopped, listened a bit, and then joined the audience. By the time the concert was complete it was standing room only, and most of those standing were dancing or otherwise getting into the memory invoking sounds of "Journey Unauthorized".

Perry Stevens

Marcus P. Miller

Damion Mantle

Ray Potter

Jimmy Wells

If everyone in Los Banos would just take 1 or 2 hours a month to do something to help their neighborhood or their community we could truly make Los Banos the gem of the valley.

The above is only my personal opinion and I strongly encourage readers to seek out more information from expert sources. Copyright 2010