MANSFIELD — A local band, Departure – A Tribute To Journey, recreates the sound of one of the most established and recognizable American rock acts of the 20th century.
The four-man group of previously established musicians has meshed through their love of rock and roll and classic songs recorded by Journey.
Local band members include Charles Keffalas on guitar and vocals, Bill Cornell, lead vocalist and guitarist, Tommy Allen, drummer and vocalist and Herman ‘Kid’ Kline, keyboardist, vocalist and guitarist. The band also uses Tom Howell to mix its sound.
Departure originated in 2009 when Cornell and Kline performed in a Halloween cover band contest. That experience inspired them to continue.
“I believe in what the heck we’re doing,” Cornell said.
Cornell is the only member to stay with the band since 2009. Keffalas and Allen joined three years ago and Kline was reinstated after a brief sabbatical 1.5 years ago.
“There’s so few people who can hit those notes like (Journey lead singer,) Steve Perry,” Keffalas said. “That’s why I jumped on this. I have always wanted to play Journey. I love Journey, and we’ve finally got a why to do that.”
The members of Departure unanimously agreed the continuous popularity of Journey has helped their act.
“My kids love Journey, and they are teens,” Allen said. “We play out, and it’ so cool to hear people sing word for word what we’re doing.”
Allen said it is not unusual for fans to get caught up in the moment and cry when listening to their music.
“I never realized how many radio stations play Journey and how many hits they had until I got in this band,” Kline said naming three local radio stations one can regularly hear Journey.
The band is focused on recreating the songs as close to the originals as possible. Working diligently on harmonies on a regular basis, Kline said the band takes pride in providing parallel harmonies to the group from San Francisco.
“One thing that stands out to me about our band is we have four good singers, and we do our best to get as close to the harmonies as we can,” Kline said. “I’ve always been a stickler to getting harmonies as close as I can and this band, I’m very proud of our vocal harmonies. I think we do Journey justice.”
That doesn’t mean Departure physically resembles the members of its inspiration.
“Definitely, by no means do we look like them,” Allen said. “But that’s not what we do. What we do is pay attention to the music. To me that is more important than Bill looking like Steve Perry.”
Reproduction of the classic sound is not easy. Each member brings more than 30 years each of musical experience and a passion for the sound. Allen and Kefflas said the band’s music is a continuous work in progress.
“You’re never totally satisfied,” Allen who has been drumming Journey’s hit songs since he was 11-years-old said.
Keffalas, a guitarist for 50 years, has been in three local bands, Fury, Axis and Hit and Run. He said the guitar parts have “kept him on his toes” because of the speed at which he has to play.
“I’ve had to really work and I still have to work (at the guitar parts),” Keffalas said. “Because Neal (Schon) is one of those guitarists, it’s faster than I am used to playing. That’s the way I like it though; it keeps you on your toes. It’s not easy being Neal.
“You never stop working even if you think you have it perfect. Like on “Don’t Stop Believin’,” how it is with us, we always go back over it. That’s the fun part. You find things you’ve missed. That’s a lot of the fun.”
The band is looking to book more dates and break out of its “best-kept secret” secret status, Cornell said. The band is booked May 14 at the Bad Apple Pub in Howard (Apple Valley), and May 21 at Legends Sports Bar in Mt. Vernon.
On June 3 at Spitzer Speedway, Departure plays the After Race Party. The group is at The Den in Mansfield on June 4 and at Buck’s Bar & Grill in Lexington on June 24.
“We connect to that energy (of the fans),” Keffalas said. “We’re not on the big stage like Journey and all that, but we can be there.”
“We’re not Journey, but when we play Journey, we are Journey,” Allen said.
