Foreigner

Prior to seeing Foreigner perform live, the band was, for the most part, foreign to me. As a teenager growing up in the 80s, my first allegiance was to Kiss. All is took was one listen to the song All Hell’s Breakin’ Loose and I was hooked. As the years progressed and the Bay Area thrash movement blossomed like a maggot-covered carcass in a fog laced graveyard, my tastes began to lean to harder edged music, Slayer, Exodus, Celtic Frost, Metallica, and Anthrax. For this reason, I initially wavered on attending the show. However, the band’s keyboardist, Michael Bluestein, graciously invited me to discuss the prospects of providing legal representation. I accepted his offer and attended donning a Motorhead t shirt. Interestingly, I was the only visible fan [yes, I admittedly said fan] donning a metal shirt and certainly the only one, aside from Jeff Pilson (bassist), head banging to Foreigner songs I heard yesteryear on television commercials selling “Songs from the 70s” records.

The Fillmore (“TF”) is a historic San Francisco theater that, in the mid 1960s, under the direction of legendary late Bay Area rock promoter Bill Graham, was the site of psychedelic and rock music and counterculture. TF’s early days featured acts such as Led Zeppelin, The Who, Pink Floyd, Cream, The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix Experience, and The Doors. TF is a 1,200 seat capacity venue with a standing room floor similar to an oversized dance hall. Positioned above the floor are 10 chandeliers. The second floor contains a bar and box seats, specifically, six box seats stage right and another two, along with the mixing room, across the stage.

Foreigner started the concert, with no opening band, at 8:17 pm. The band played 15 songs discussed in greater detail below.

1. Double Vision, a mid tempo song, opened the set.

2. Head Games starts out slow and picks up pace. It featured a great Mick Jones (lead guitars) solo while Kelly Hansen (lead vocalist) played a tambourine center stage atop a mini riser about 1.5 feet above the stage in front of the Foreigner logo backdrop. Jones, who is the only surviving original band member, wore black slacks, white tuxedo shirt, and a black vest. [Jones bears a slight resemblance to Micky Dolenz of The Monkees.] Following the song, Hansen asked the crowed if they “are ready for a rock and roll party? It certainly smells like it!” (Referring to the smell of marijuana permeating the air.)

3. Cold As Ice is a slower song that featured a prominent keyboard introduction by Jones. The audience provided ample participation fueled by Hansen’s act of perching himself on the barricade and subsequently grabbing a photographer’s camera to take photos of his band mates. Hansen, who has been handling lead vocals since 2005 and is ex frontman for Hurricane, wore a powder blue leather jacket, black jeans and a black and white t shirt. [Hansen’s mouth reminded me of Mick Jagger and Steven Tyler.]

4. Good Morning Good Day is a poppy song with a catchy chorus. It featured Hansen playing the maracas.

5. Waiting for A Girl Like You is a power ballad that featured Jones on keyboard. The audience, containing a sizable number of females in their 40s 50s, enthusiastically sang along.

6. Can’t Slow Down is a new song featuring a groovy riff, “Eric Claptonesque” guitar solo that Jones played on his black Les Paul, and a harmonic, memorable chorus. Following this song, Hansen stated, “I smell the sweet perfume of women,” which provided a good segue way to the next song.

7. Dirty White Boy was a surprising and very well executed up tempo song, arguably the highlight of the night. Hansen capped the song by encouraging the female contingent to “feel free to take your clothes off.” [I was tempted to throw my Motorhead t shirt on stage but did not think Hansen longed to see my man boobs.]