Foreigner is an English-American rock band that has been performing for over 40 years, entertaining fans around the world with their classic rock hits. As one of the top-selling bands of all time, does Foreigner still have what it takes to put on an entertaining and high energy live show? Let’s take a look at some key factors to determine if Foreigner’s concerts are worth attending.
Their Hit Songs
One of the main draws of a Foreigner concert is the chance to hear them perform their long list of catchy and enduring hit songs live. The band is known for massively popular singles like “Feels Like the First Time,” “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Urgent,” “Juke Box Hero,” and their heartfelt power ballad “I Want to Know What Love Is.” Foreigner has 16 songs that reached the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Even if you’re not a huge Foreigner fan, you’ll likely recognize many of their biggest hits and be able to sing along during their live shows.
High Energy Performances
Although the band has undergone some lineup changes over the decades, founding member and lead guitarist Mick Jones has been the anchor that maintains Foreigner’s style and spirit. Jones, now in his late 70s, still brings infectious energy to the stage, dashing around while playing guitar solos and engaging with the audience. Lead vocalist Kelly Hansen, who joined Foreigner in 2005, is an electrifying frontman with powerful vocals and a dynamic stage presence. Concert reviews consistently describe the band’s performances as high energy, entertaining, and musically tight. The band knows how to play off each other and get the crowd excited.
Playing The Hits Note-For-Note
Fans want to hear Foreigner’s hits played as close to the original recordings as possible when catching a live show. The good news is that Foreigner generally delivers on this front, with Hansen capable of reaching all the iconic vocal lines and Jones nailing the guitar licks note-for-note. Concerts often feature extended instrumental jams and solos as well, allowing the seasoned musicians to show off their skills. The band insists on keeping the integrity of their classic songs intact during live performances. In recent years, they’ve also mixed in deeper cuts for diehard fans.
Visual Elements
Foreigner’s production crew ensures the band’s shows are visually engaging as well as musically entertaining. Concerts feature an elaborate light show, smoke machines, and pyrotechnics timed to accentuate the soaring choruses and rocking solos. Massive video screens placed around the stage play clips, lyrics, and close-up shots of the musicians as they perform. Foreigner has escalated their visual elements in the past decade, adding even more entertainment value to their concert experience. The visual components complement the music to create an immersive concert atmosphere.
Playing Venues of All Sizes
Over their 40+ year touring history, Foreigner has performed in just about every type of venue imaginable, from tiny clubs to massive stadiums. These days they mostly play amphitheaters, festivals, casinos and mid-sized concert halls that accommodate anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 fans. This range of venue sizes allows the band to deliver their full arena rock production while also keeping things a bit more intimate. Since every seat is relatively close to the stage, attendees are treated to great views and sound quality.
Touring Regularly
While many older bands play sporadic shows or reunite for occasional tours, Foreigner still tours regularly every single year. Their persistence as road warriors reflects the band’s continued passion for playing live. Foreigner schedules tours year-round, frequently performing over 80 shows annually. Fans know they can reliably catch Foreigner live somewhere nearby each year as the band visits major cities across North America and Europe. Their non-stop touring also keeps the band sounding tight.
Playing All The Hits
An advantage of Foreigner having so many huge radio staples is that every show is essentially a greatest hits setlist packed with popular songs the crowd will enjoy. Since their catalog of hits is too extensive for one concert, Foreigner often plays alternating setlists between nights on a tour. This ensures they can fit in all their fan favorites while keeping the experience fresh. Concertgoers know they’ll hear plenty of Foreigner’s smashes regardless of the night. The band makes it a priority to satisfy audiences with a dose of nostalgia and familiar favorites.
Length of Show
Foreigner’s concerts typically run between 90 minutes to two hours with an intermission, delivering plenty of bang for the buck for concertgoers. The generous set lengths allow the band to fit in 15-20 songs per show, rotating through their catalog of radio staples along with some deep cuts and new tracks. The pacing keeps the show moving with a mix of hard-rocking jams, intimate ballads, extended solos, and moments for the crowd to sing along. Fans get a full experience packed with the best of Foreigner.
Ticket Availability & Affordability
Given their consistent touring, Foreigner has made their shows pretty accessible for fans in terms of ticket availability and affordability. There are usually plenty of seats available even in the weeks leading up to shows. Ticket prices are reasonable compared to many legacy acts, typically ranging from $40-$100 per seat depending on venue and location. Limited VIP packages are also often available with perks like meet-and-greets or exclusive merch. Budget-minded fans appreciate Foreigner’s fair pricing.
Crowd Engagement
Throughout their shows, Foreigner does an excellent job making the crowd feel like part of the experience. Mick Jones often emerges at the front of the stage and interacts with fans in the front rows as he solos. Kelly Hansen regularly addresses the audience and gets them cheering, waving their arms, and singing along. During hits like “Hot Blooded” and “Urgent,” Hansen literally has thousands of people singing the “hmm hmm himmm” and “urgggent” hooks in unison. The engagement makes concerts fun communal events.
Shared Nostalgia
The multi-generational nature of Foreigner’s fanbase creates a shared feeling of nostalgia during shows. When thousands of people from ages 8 to 80 sing classics like “I Want to Know What Love Is” together, it evokes plenty of emotion and memories. For older fans, Foreigner’s music represents their youth in the late 70s/early 80s. Younger fans have inherited an appreciation for the band’s songs through radio airplay. Their shows inspire nostalgia across the generations.
Talented Openers
Foreigner consistently invites quality classic rock acts to open their shows, providing great added value and musical variety for audiences. Fans get to enjoy full sets from openers like Styx, Whitesnake, Night Ranger, and Loverboy. The openers get audiences warmed up nicely before Foreigner hits the stage. The band definitely holds their own following the openers. Seeing two great bands makes Foreigner’s shows even more worthwhile.
Sounding Close to the Records
Kelly Hansen’s vocal range allows him to accurately hit the notes Mick Jones originally recorded in the studio. As a result, Foreigner’s live performances capture the precise sound of their hits. The band reproduces the lush instrumental textures, layered vocals, guitar parts, and keys heard on their records. Sound engineering has also improved since the 70s, ensuring excellent audio quality at shows. Audiences get a stellar live recreation of Foreigner’s recordings.
Enhanced Album Cuts
In addition to all the radio hits and and number ones, Foreigner incorporates selected album tracks into their sets, giving avid fans a chance to hear deeper cuts live. Songs like “Double Vision” and “Feels Like the First Time” pack an even bigger punch in concert with extended jams and solos. Obscure nuggets like “Starrider” also occasionally get played live. The concerts showcase how these lesser known songs truly shine on stage.
Respect for the Classics
While some aging rock bands try to modernize or alter the arrangements of their old songs, Foreigner pays tribute to the original versions their fans know and love. Mick Jones’ guitar parts stay true to the recordings, and the band’s vocals capture the precise harmonies and melodies. The fact that Foreigner maintains the integrity of their classics demonstrates their respect for the band’s legacy and acknowledgement of what made them great.
Good Value of Money
Between the band’s consistent two hour setlengths, Jones and Hansen’s high-energy performances, abundance of smash hits, impressive visuals, talented openers, fair ticket prices, and their stellar live recreations of the classics, Foreigner concerts deliver tremendous value for the money. Fans agree the tickets are well worth the costs compared to other legacy acts touring nowadays. For the range of entertainment provided, Foreigner remains a good value.
A Tight Band
Despite some lineup changes, Foreigner’s core duo of Mick Jones and Kelly Hansen along with their talented backing musicians continue sounding incredibly tight on stage. Jones’ guitar mastery remains intact and his interplay with Hansen is seamless. The band is locked-in and proficient at recreating their intricate studio recordings in a live setting. The band’s seasoned professionalism comes through in every show.
Conclusion
After looking at all these factors, Foreigner appears to consistently deliver entertaining and high value concert experiences for fans. From the iconic radio staples to the group’s undeniable energy and showmanship, Foreigner shows offer plenty of bang for the buck. While the band lacks some original members, Jones and Hansen spearhead performances focused on doing justice to Foreigner’s amazing catalog. For feel-good shows packed with nostalgic singalong hits, Foreigner still brings it live.
Setlist Comparison
To illustrate how Foreigner varies their setlists between tour stops, here is a comparison of two different shows from their recent 2022 tour.
Concord, CA – July 15, 2022 | Los Angeles, CA – October 4, 2022 |
---|---|
Double Vision | Feels Like the First Time |
Head Games | Cold as Ice |
Waiting for a Girl Like You | Head Games |
Dirty White Boy | Urgent |
Blue Morning, Blue Day | Juke Box Hero |
Say You Will | Long, Long Way From Home |
Feels Like the First Time | I Want to Know What Love Is |
Urgent | Hot Blooded |
Juke Box Hero | Double Vision |
Cold as Ice | Blue Morning, Blue Day |
I Want to Know What Love Is | Waiting for a Girl Like You |
Hot Blooded | Dirty White Boy |
Long, Long Way from Home | Say You Will |
As you can see, while Foreigner makes sure to play all their biggest hits each show, the set order and specific tracks vary from night to night to keep things fresh. This benefits concert goers catching back-to-back shows on a tour.
Past Tour Setlists
Here is a look back at some setlists from previous Foreigner tours over the past decade. This gives a sense of how their set length, selection of hits, and show structure has evolved:
2011 Tour
Double Vision
Head Games
Cold As Ice
Waiting For A Girl Like You
Feels Like The First Time
Urgent
Starrider
Juke Box Hero
Long, Long Way From Home
I Want To Know What Love Is
Hot Blooded
2014 Tour
Double Vision
Head Games
The Flame Still Burns
Feels Like The First Time
Urgent
Starrider
Juke Box Hero
Long, Long Way From Home
Dirty White Boy
I Want To Know What Love Is
Hot Blooded
2017 40th Anniversary Tour
Long, Long Way From Home
Double Vision
Head Games
Waiting For A Girl Like You
Feels Like The First Time
Cold As Ice
Dirty White Boy
Blue Morning, Blue Day
Jukebox Hero
I Want To Know What Love Is
Hot Blooded
Urgent
2022 Tour
Double Vision
Head Games
Waiting for a Girl Like You
Dirty White Boy
Feels Like the First Time
Urgent
Juke Box Hero
Cold as Ice
I Want to Know What Love Is
Hot Blooded
Long, Long Way from Home
Looking at their recent setlists, we can see that Foreigner has settled into a consistent mix of about 10-12 hits that provide a great sampling of their catalog at each show. The ordering shakes up a bit to keep things unpredictable. But they ensure staples like “Cold as Ice,” “Urgent,” “Jukebox Hero,” and “I Want to Know What Love Is” are featured prominently at every concert.
Reaction from Fans
Here are some direct quotes from Foreigner fans sharing their thoughts on seeing the band live in recent years:
“I’ve seen Foreigner 8 times now dating back to 1984, and they keep getting better. Kelly Hansen sounds even more like Lou Gramm now which is impressive. Mick Jones still nails those guitar licks perfectly. And the rest of the new guys are killer musicians. They put on an amazing show.”
“As a teenager in the 70s, I grew up on Foreigner. Now at age 62, I’ve seen them a few times in recent years and the shows bring back all the feels of my youth! Kelly absolutely nails the vocals. Mick transports me back to 1977. And the mix of slow and fast songs is perfectly paced. I will continue to see them anytime they come to town.”
“Foreigner sounds fantastic in concert. Kelly Hansen can hit every note Lou Gramm did back in the day, and Mick Jones’ guitar work is breathtaking. Definitely one of the best classic rock acts still touring. If you grew up during the 70s/80s heyday, do yourself a favor and catch Foreigner live! Their songs really hold up.”
“Just saw Foreigner for the first time and they blew me away! Although I’m only 30 years old, I’ve been a fan for years listening to my parents’ records. Kelly Hansen is a phenomenal frontman and hearing those hits live was incredible. Can’t believe a rock band from the 70s still rocks this hard! Foreigner did not disappoint.”
“Saw Foreigner last night and they were even better than I expected. Hit after hit after hit! Kelly Hansen sounds exactly like Lou Gramm in his prime and Mick Jones seemed ageless. Their energy was through the roof. Definitely catch this tour if Foreigner’s coming your way…the classics sound absolutely epic in concert! So glad I went!”
Conclusion
Based on Foreigner’s reliably lengthy, hit-filled, and energetic concerts over the past 15+ years, the consensus seems clear – Foreigner still puts on an outstanding live show that delivers great value for classic rock fans of all ages. The shows allow older fans to relive the band’s heyday of the late 70s while introducing their iconic songs to younger generations. For a joyful, nostalgic concert experience, Foreigner remains a safe bet.