The large crowd at Turning Stone was now on their feet screaming and singing along and did not have time to catch their breath before Foreigner went right into their second song, “Head Games”. Then in an instant the house lights went up illuminating the band as lead singer Kelly Hansen ran out on stage and the band immediately broke into their first number, “Double Vision”. As the opening score continued to build, the other members of Foreigner walked on stage including Jeff Pilson, Bruce Watson and Thom Gimbel. At the same time, entering from stage right was Foreigner’s multi-talented keyboardist Michael Bluestein who also gave the crowd a well received greeting gesture before settling down behind his rig. with the Turning Stone Casino Event Center totally blacked out, the pre-show recorded music stopped and gave way to Foreigner’s dramatic opening score as drummer Chris Frazier entered stage left and greeted the exuberant crowd with a wave of his sticks before sitting on his drum throne. If a 40th Anniversary reunion tour becomes a reality and, “… hopefully feasible and possible to pull it off next year,” as Jones relates, It may include a line-up of original members including Lou Gramm, Ian McDonald, Al Greenwood, Dennis Elliot and Rick Wills.Īt just a little after 8:00 p.m. Jones has recently discussed, in a 2016 interview, a possible 40th anniversary reunion tour, featuring the Head Games era lineup. The band’s debut album, Foreigner was released in 1977 and featured the mega-hits “Cold as Ice,” “Feel’s Like the First Time” and “Long, Long Way From Home.” This year marks the 40th anniversary of Foreigner and the band has currently been promoting the iconic success of the band with Foreigner40 merchandise from t-shirts to guitar picks and highlighting the milestone at every show. Especially Bruce Watson, who is handling Jones amazing and timeless guitar work on all the Foreigner classics from “Hot Blooded” to “Feel’s Like the First Time,” “Dirty White Boy” and more.įoreigner, one of the world’s best selling bands of all time with worldwide sales exceeding 80 million records, formed in New York City in 1976 by veteran English musician Mick Jones and American vocalist Lou Gramm. Jones, who has been hit or miss as of late due to speculated health issues was surely missed at the Turning Stone show, however the band which he cherry picked to become the new generation of Foreigner, picks up in his absence in superb form.
For all intents and purposes, it really is Foreigner with Jones still performing when he is able. Close your eyes and you would swear this is the original Foreigner.
The seasoned band, most who have been with this current version of Foreigner for the greater part of the last decade play the music as it was most likely heard in 1983.
The band performs all the classic and top Foreigner hits flawlessly, never missing a beat, a lick or even a second of doubt. Despite the fact that original Foreigner founding member and guitarist Mick Jones was not on stage last Tuesday, July 26, at the Turning Stone Event Center was not indicative of Foreigner’s inability to turn heads, wow the audience and put on a huge rock show at its sold out shows wherever it is on tour.