Foreigner has survived since its inception as a live band because of the consistent longevity of founder, guitarist, producer and songwriter Mick Jones.
Jones wrote or co-wrote most of Foreigner’s greatest hits including that very first chart song ‘Feels Like The First Time’, which was point in the set when he joined the band on stage.
Over the years as founding members left one by one, Jones has maintained the integrity of the Foreigner sound by replacing the original members with complimentary musicians capable of recreating the unique sound.
March 8, 2015 will mark the 38th anniversary of that first Foreigner album and a landmark music year that also gave the world ‘Cold As Ice’, the massive hit they remarkably let go early in the setlist.
Mind you when your first four albums sell over 22 million in America alone, there are lots of fans who know lots of songs making an all-hit setlist something you expect from a band like Foreigner and that was what they delivered.
Singer Kelly Hansen has the job of gluing the show together. In dim light it is difficult to detect that Lou Gramm is no longer with the band but the reality was this audience could not care less. Foreigner was a band with a sound, it was never a celebrity band with a personality frontman and this was an audience who were just there for the hits.
‘Juke Box Hero’ was expanded to a 12-minute epic giving the band the chance to jam. ‘I Want To Know What Love Is’ was a showcase moment for Hansen whose onstage banter reminded me more of a young Steven Tyler than Lou Gramm.
The setlist revolved around the Lou Gramm years. Songs were sourced from the first six albums from ‘Foreigner’ (1977) through to ‘Inside Information’ (1987).
While Hansen was the show’s MC, Jones did step up to the microphone just once to recall his early days with Lou Gramm before performing one of the first songs they wrote together ‘Long Long Way From Home’.
Australian fans were treated to just one Sydney and one Melbourne show on this tour with Foreigner making a quick pit stop to Australia following a music event in New Zealand with Heart and Three Dog Night.
PHOTO GALLERY: Foreigner, Melbourne, January 29, 2015 by Ros O’Gorman
Foreigner setlist January 29, 2015
Double Vision (from Double Vision, 1978)
Head Games (from Head Games, 1979)
Cold As Ice (from Foreigner, 1977)
Waiting For A Girl Like You (from Four, 1981)
Feels Like The First Time (from Foreigner, 1977)
Dirty White Boy (from Head Games, 1979)
Say You Will (from Inside Information, 1987)
Urgent (from Four, 1981)
Juke Box Hero (from Four, 1981)
Long Long Way From Home (from Foreigner, 1977)
I Want To Know What Love Is (from Agent Provocateur, 1984)
Hot Blooded (from Double Vision, 1978)
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