Live Review: Foreigner

"I wanna see people getting into trouble and rocking this place to the ground, do ya feel me?” Kelly Hansen, Foreigner's lead singer of 13 years, outlines the appropriate reaction to this band's orchestral tour.

The (18-piece) Dave Eggar Orchestra, conducted by Canberra's own Kenneth Lampl, present an overture that includes Cold As Ice featuring xylophone before Foreigner take the stage. Mid-way through this song, Hansen wanders up the stage-left aisle, high-fiving fans, before stepping up and walking across the back of a row of seats. He then runs down the stage-right aisle, doling out more high-fives, before returning to the stage. One would think he'd be puffed-out after this display, right? Negative. Hansen hits a pitch-perfect, extended high note centrestage before striking a rock pose that sees him almost doing the splits; we suspect he's been a yogi since birth. 

When Waiting For A Girl Like You sashays into the setlist, our upper registers are put to the test. Percussionist Chuck Palmer absolutely rocks out during That Was Yesterday, enthusiastically mouthing the lyrics while meticulously executing cymbal clashes. 

Say You Will starts the acoustic portion of this evening's show with Foreigner band members perched on stools across the front of the stage and drummer Chris Frazier upstanding on tambourine duty. We're still in awe of Hansen's vocals - husky enough to ooze rock'n'roll cool, but also capable of scaling flawless, Farnsy-esque heights.


Songwriter/guitarist Mick Jones - the only remaining founding member of Foreigner and a Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee - tells us the band have had a fabulous Australian tour celebrating their 40-year existence and will be back, which is news that's greeted with enthusiastic cheers. We're then told about a phone call Jones received "about 12, 15 years ago" during which he was asked by a good friend to supply seven songs for the Still Crazy movie soundtrack. Jones then introduces what went on to become the film's theme song, The Flame Still Burns.

"Who wears blue sunglasses at night? He does! It’s Bruce Watson!” is how Jones introduces another Foreigner guitarist (who's also in Big Country). Then Jones introduces "long-term Foreigner”, multi-instrumentalist Tom Gimbel.

After Hansen points out that, although music obviously matters to us, it seems we can no longer spend a whole rock concert on our feet, all rise for Feels Like The First Time and this chorus is an absolute singalong hoot. All of the orchestra's bows and brass instruments are held aloft to jubilantly punctuate this song's conclusion. A killer five-piece brass section completely blows us away. 

Urgent coaxes all to their feet once more, and as for Gimbel wielding sax? We're truly not worthy. During his extended sax solo, Gimbel executes fancy travelling footwork for maximum stage coverage. Post-song, punters are seen wide-eyed and gesticulating wildly, attempting to communicate appreciation while speechless. 


What Foreigner's orchestral show does so well is shine a spotlight on the orchestra while the band members leave the stage for a couple of breathers; watching classical musicians clearly getting off on playing rock is endearing. Eggar's cello solo raises the roof and it's pretty hard to drag your eyes away from Palmer - who is clearly experiencing a career highlight touring as part of Foreigner Orchestrated - throughout. Juke Box Hero takes many in the crowd back to our teenage years when music felt like it was written specifically for, and about, us. Hansen's voice effortlessly leaps octaves, nailing those impossibly high notes.

Hansen demands we stand once again, instructing us to place our arms around our neighbours in the crowd before Foreigner perform I Want To Know What Love Is. A children's choir emerges from the wings to supply extra BVs. These kids perform unison '80s sidesteps, some of them look a tad embarrassed while doing so and it's adorable. During this iconic rock ballad, Hansen asks us to get our lighters out. After obeying him and waving a lighter overhead, the scribe is chastised by an usher.

We demand and score an encore. The majesty of Hot Blooded always takes us completely by surprise and tonight is no exception: the track totally takes us there. As we contemplate the suggestive nature of a "secret rendezvous", as mentioned within this song's lyrics, we suspect that all in the house have suddenly "got a fever of a hundred and three". And when a show's this good, merch is a necessity.