Steve Perry Tribute Singer Hugo Valenti Joins Journey Onstage in Fukuoka, Japan

Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain called longtime Steve Perry tribute vocalist Hugo Valenti up to the stage on August 29, 2026, during the band’s set at the first-ever Greatest Rock event in Fukuoka, Japan. Valenti sang “Faithfully” with Journey, nearly three decades after he was briefly in contention to become the band’s lead singer when Perry left in 1998.

• Cain told the Fukuoka crowd: “We’ve got a special treat for you tonight. He’s comin’ all the way from New Jersey to visit Japan, and I thought we’d have him sing a song for you tonight.”
• Valenti has fronted Journey tribute acts for 21 years, starting Voyage in 2005 (now led by Pedro Espada) before forming Hugo, The Ultimate Journey Tribute.
• Five different vocalists handled lead vocals across Journey’s 20-song Fukuoka set.
• Night Ranger also performed at the inaugural Greatest Rock event.

How Hugo Valenti Almost Became Journey’s Singer in 1998

When Steve Perry exited Journey in 1998, Valenti was briefly considered as a possible replacement. He told Melodic Net in 2007 that Sony executive John Kalodner called to tell him Perry was out of the band and that he was preparing to fly to Los Angeles to meet and rehearse with the group.

Valenti has said the plan fell apart because his likeness to Perry was seen as a liability for the band moving forward. Journey ultimately hired Steve Augeri instead.

Guitarist Neal Schon backed up that account in a 2003 interview with Melodicrock.com, saying Valenti’s video appearance struck him as too close to Perry’s own look and calling the resemblance “weird.” Schon added that he considered Augeri the more compelling vocalist at the time. Valenti’s own website says he was told directly that he resembled Perry too closely to take over the role.

Five Singers Shared the Mic at Journey’s Fukuoka Set

Journey spread lead vocal duties across five performers during their 20-song Fukuoka performance. Arnel Pineda handled the bulk of the set, drummer Deen Castronovo took the lead on “Lights” and “Anytime” (with Cain joining in on the latter), and keyboardist Jason Derlatka sang “Of a Lifetime” and “Suzanne” before Valenti closed out the guest-vocal rotation with “Faithfully.”

Journey Setlist, Greatest Rock, Fukuoka, Japan, August 29, 2026

1. “Be Good to Yourself”
2. “Stone in Love”
3. “Ask the Lonely”
4. “Only the Young”
5. “Lights”
6. “Of a Lifetime”
7. “La Do Da”
8. “Escape”
9. “Chain Reaction”
10. “Dead or Alive”
11. “Anytime”
12. “Who’s Crying Now”
13. “Open Arms”
14. “Suzanne”
15. “Wheel in the Sky”
16. “Faithfully”
17. “Don’t Stop Believin'”
18. “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin'”
19. “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)”
20. “Any Way You Want It”

Fans React to Valenti’s Cameo

Footage of the moment circulated widely on social media, with some viewers reportedly convinced they were watching an actual reunion with Steve Perry rather than a tribute performer. Others speculated that Valenti’s appearance might have doubled as a trial run for a future Journey lineup without Pineda, who has previously taken part in a Journey tribute show himself.

What’s Next for Hugo Valenti and Journey

Valenti’s group, Hugo, The Ultimate Journey Tribute, is set to play September 11 at Sinatra Park in Hoboken, New Jersey. Journey, meanwhile, is scheduled to pick its Final Frontier farewell tour back up in North America on September 12 and continue through November 28, 2026.

Journey Final Frontier Tour Dates, 2026

• September 12: Los Angeles, CA, Crypto.com Arena
• September 14: San Diego, CA, Pechanga Arena San Diego
• September 15: Phoenix, AZ, Mortgage Matchup Center
• September 17: Stockton, CA, Adventist Health Arena
• September 19: Portland, OR, Veterans Memorial Coliseum
• September 21: Seattle, WA, Climate Pledge Arena
• September 24: Edmonton, AB, Rogers Place
• September 26: Calgary, AB, Scotiabank Saddledome
• September 27: Saskatoon, SK, SaskTel Centre
• September 29: Winnipeg, MB, Canada Life Centre
• October 2: Grand Forks, ND, Alerus Center
• October 4: St. Paul, MN, Grand Casino Arena
• October 5: Chicago, IL, United Center
• October 8: Tulsa, OK, BOK Center
• October 10: San Antonio, TX, Frost Bank Center
• October 12: Biloxi, MS, Mississippi Coast Coliseum
• October 13: Birmingham, AL, Legacy Arena at the BJCC
• October 16: Sunrise, FL, Amerant Bank Arena
• October 17: Orlando, FL, Kia Center
• October 19: Atlanta, GA, State Farm Arena
• October 21: Nashville, TN, Bridgestone Arena
• October 22: Louisville, KY, KFC Yum! Center
• October 24: Baltimore, MD, CFG Bank Arena
• October 25: Newark, NJ, Prudential Center
• October 28: Philadelphia, PA, Xfinity Mobile Arena
• October 29: Providence, RI, Amica Mutual Pavilion
• November 2: Detroit, MI, Little Caesars Arena
• November 4: Toronto, ON, Scotiabank Arena
• November 6: Wilkes-Barre, PA, Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza
• November 7: Uniondale, NY, Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
• November 10: Boston, MA, TD Garden
• November 12: Cleveland, OH, Rocket Arena
• November 14: Greenville, SC, Bon Secours Wellness Arena
• November 16: St. Louis, MO, Enterprise Center
• November 18: Houston, TX, Toyota Center
• November 20: Dallas, TX, American Airlines Center
• November 22: Denver, CO, Ball Arena
• November 24: Anaheim, CA, Honda Center
• November 27: Las Vegas, NV, MGM Grand Garden Arena
• November 28: San Francisco, CA, Chase Center

More Info

• Watch Longtime Steve Perry Impersonator Hugo Valenti Finally Guest With Journey | Rolling Stone
• Steve Perry Lookalike Sings with Journey in Japan: Videos, Set List | ultimateclassicrock.com
• Journey performed in Japan with Steve Perry’s doppelgänger | chaoszine.net