Just three years ago, Foreigner was playing at the Microsoft Theater in Downtown Los Angeles, CA to commemorate 40 years of Double Vision with the current lineup and classic lineup performing together. Friday night, Foreigner stopped at the Greek Theater which had been postponed a week and was originally scheduled with an orchestra. Nevertheless Foreigner put on a great show as always and the set was all hits. Foreigner’s namesake came from the group being a mix of British and American musicians. In Foreigner’s 45 years they have released nine studio albums, half of which ranked between number one and five on the Billboard U.S. Album Chart. Foreigner also had 23 charting singles, nine which made the Top 10.
The current formation of Foreigner is founding member Mick Jones (Guitar/Keys) who played a total of five songs, front-man Kelly Hansen (Ex-Hurricane), bassist Jeff Pilson (Ex-Dokken), Michael Bluestein, (Keys), guitarist Bruce Watson, and drummer Chris Frazier (Ex-Whitesnake), and their newest member Luis Maldonado (Guitar) who replaced Thom Gimbel this year who was a member of 16 years. Prior to Gimbel leaving, Foreigner had the same lineup since 2011.
Foreigner kicked off the show with “Double Vision,” and played hit after hit with “Head Games,” and “Cold As Ice.” Even though the setlist was just 12 songs plus a drum/keyboard solo it came to 90-minutes. 2021 marked the 40th anniversary of their number one album Foreigner 4 which included three hits performed during the show “Juke Box Hero,” “Waiting For a Girl Like You,” and “Urgent.” For “Urgent” Bluestein came out front playing a keytar. Hansen, being a SoCal native took a minute to talk about playing all sorts of venues including Gazarris, Starwood, Whisky A Go’ Go’, and Madame Wong’s East and West. Jones joined in on the group’s first hit song “Feels Like the First Time,” which was followed by a keyboard and drum solo from Bluestein and Frazier. Jones joined again for “Juke Box Hero,” the final song before the encore and all three encore songs ending with “Hot Blooded.”
