Loverboy and Foreigner
At Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
The show started with Mike Reno and the band Loverboy opening. These guys had numerous hits over the years after they began in Canada back in 1979. I was little shocked to see the physical condition of lead singer Mike Reno. I actually didn't recognize him. The good news is his voice is still outstanding and he had no problem singing all their well-known songs.
They played a ten-song set and included favorites like Turn Me Loose, Lovin Every Minute of It, When It’s Over, Heaven in Your Eyes (from the movie Top Gun) and closed the performance with Working for the Weekend. They were a great opening act, but their sound was a little too much bass and drums as it made it hard to hear the other band members and Mike singing.
With Foreigner announcing several months ago that this would be their final tour I had to have tickets to see them one more time. Ever since their first album was released in 1977, I have been a huge fan of these guys. In the early 70’s I had listened to the founding member Mick Jones band Spooky Tooth and knew there was something special about the music he wrote and played. When he put together Foreigner and begin writing and performing, they were dead on from the start.
I didn’t know how they would sound after Lou Gramm retired some 17 years ago, the original lead singer for Foreigner. Mick found a great replacement in Hansen. He has a great stage presence and a voice that can sing all the Foreigner catalog. With Jeff Pilson on bass guitar, Michael Bluestein on keyboards, Luis Maldonado on co-lead guitar, Bruce Watson on co-lead guitar and Chris Frazier on drums he has found the right mix of talented performers to continue the Foreigner experience.
Foreigner has been regulars on FM Radio since the late 70’s and MTV since its inception in 1981. I have seen them perform at music festivals, stadium tours and even a 300-seat venue in a Lake Tahoe casino. Every time I have seen them, they always put on an outstanding show.
They had a crowd of about 17,000 in attendance at this Tuesday night performance. They started the show with Double Vision, Head Games and Cold as Ice. That got the crowd going and in a singing mood. The crowd knew all their songs and the band enjoyed them singing with them. With love songs like Waiting for a Girl Like You and Feels Like the First Time they closed their set with Juke Box Hero and Kelly Hansen being on a raised platform in the middle of the venue. He passed right by me on his way back to the stage. Their encore was I Want to Know What Love Is and Hot Blooded.
After their encore Kelly Hansen explained their reason for having their Farewell Tour now is because they wanted to go out at the top of their game. They are certainly doing that as their show was outstanding. They indicated that they will be continuing the Farewell Tour into 2024. If you want to see an outstanding classic rock show, then go see these guys, they will not disappoint.
I will be seeing Nickelback, Australian Pink Floyd and Aerosmith on their final Peace Out tour over the next month. I will provide write-ups on all three shows.
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