Foreigner
Ameristar Casino
March 13, 2008
Kansas City, Mo.

by John Kindred
Staff Writer

Comments: Foreigner’s return to Kansas City featured the band performing to a crowd of enthusiastic fans. The Ameristar venue isn’t necessarily built for fan comfort but provides artists with a massive stage to unleash their music catalog upon concert goers. With the 2000 seat venue nearly filled to capacity (there were definitely a view empty seats visible) the band hit the stage with a burst of youthful energy that belies the age of founder Mick Jones.

Today’s version of Foreigner features only one original member, Mick Jones … guitarist, saxophonist and all around jack-of-all-trades Tom Gimbel has been with the band since the late ’80s. Not so necessarily new to the band but new to fans who really haven’t followed the group since their heyday are former Hurricane vocalist Kelly Hansen, former Dokken bassist Jeff Pilson, Jason Bonham (son of legendary drummer John Bonham) and new keyboardist Michael Bluestein.

Honestly, with one fifth of the band intact you almost have to view this as a cover band. If you close your eyes and listen and feel the music course through you with its raw energy you would definitely say “wow … this sounds like the original band.” The youth movement in the band (Can you say that when these guys are in their mid-forties?) Hansen, Pilson and Bonham bring forth their showmanship, stage presence and energy and bring new life to the music. And this also brings out the best in guitarists Mick Jones, an old school rock veteran, who hasn’t lost his passion to play or his chops for that matter.

The set list contained “the hits” with rockers like “Double Vision,” “Head Games,” “Juke Box Hero ” and “Dirty White Boy” as well the softer songs “Waiting,” “That Was Yesterday” and “I Want To Know What Love Is.”

A couple of facts about this new version of Foreigner: first the band is tight and second the energy that permeates from the band is contagious. The audience seemed confused as the music spewed forth; people remained seated and didn’t really seem to get it. Or maybe their age was showing? A majority of the women concert goers definitely “got it” and were on their feet throughout the show giving in to the sensuality of rock and roll. Vocalist Hansen attempted to spark the crowd early by leaving the staging and walking out amongst the audience. Once he was on the floor, then everyone came to their feet … Hansen didn’t journey far, moving about 10 rows into the audience, crossing over row H and finally making his way back to the stage.

The band ripped through rocking versions “Cold As Ice,” and “Dirty White Boy.” They also performed the fan favorite “Starrider,” Mick Jones took the mic for this one. The song set Jones up for some serious extended solos and Jones kicked serious ass, making his Les Paul talk with blues inspired riffs that screamed and clawed their way from his still agile fingers.

On the slower, ballad-esque tunes Hansen called for everyone to get to know their neighbors better … the women obviously loved “Feels Like the First Time,” “I Want to Know What Love Is” and “Waiting.” By the last remaining songs the audience finally pulled themselves to their feet to rock out for the final songs. The band encored with “I Want to Know What Love Is” and the fan favorite “Hot Blooded” where Jones again proved he had tapped the fountain of youth by intro-ing into the song with heavy handed guitar riffing.

And with that the show was over and the house lights came back on. Seemed like such a short show without an opening act to lead to the main course. Performing close to one hour and forty minutes, Foreigner showed there was gas in the tank and plenty of tread left on the tires.

Set List:
Double Vision
Head Games
Cold As Ice
Waiting For A Girl Like You
Dirty White Boy
That Was Yesterday
Say You Will
Starrider
Feels Like The First Time
Urgent
Juke Box Hero
Encore:
I Want to Know What Love Is
Hot Blooded

Photos provided by John Kindred