Foreigner’s Historic Farewell Tour to hit Brandon

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/04/2024 (574 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When most rock and roll fans hear the songs “Juke Box Hero,” “I Want To Know What Love Is,” and “Cold As Ice,” it’s almost immediate — even “Urgent” — that they’ll recognize Foreigner, the band that is bringing those hits and a few more to Brandon on May 14.

Foreigner has had five platinum records, which means sales of more than one million, and have sold more than 80 million albums worldwide.

Today, there are seven members of Foreigner. Guitarist Mick Jones is the only original since the band was formed in 1976 with six on stage.

Jones is joined by lead singer Kelly Hansen, Michael Bluestein on keyboards, Bruce Watson and Luis Maldonado on guitar, Jeff Pilson on bass and Chris Frazier on drums.

Last Sunday, Foreigner learned it was selected for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Days later, both Hansen and Bluestein spoke with the Sun from their homes in Los Angeles.

Hansen, who just turned 63 years old, joined Foreigner in 2005. He is the third lead singer, following Lou Gramm and Johnny Edwards. When asked about the Hall of Fame induction ceremony in October, Hansen said he’s only thinking about the short term.

“There’s a lot to be done and worked out before that will happen, not to mention that there’s a huge amount of shows in between now and then, so we’ve got a lot to think about right now,” Hansen said.

Brandon’s Westoba Place is the eighth stop on the band’s 64-city Historic Farewell Tour that begins May 3 in British Columbia and ends Oct. 19 in Reno, Nev. The final nine shows will be played in Las Vegas in November.

“This audience — and I like to call them audience rather than fans — because the people who support this band have been supporting this band for nearly 50 years,” Hansen said.

“And if you’re not paying attention to that, you’re a moron. So, all of us are very, very aware and feel very fortunate for the position that we’re in, and we take it very seriously.

“We’re not standing there and just you know, pressing a button. There are a lot of things going on. Every night it’s completely different, never the same,” he said.

There’s a degree of perfectionism and a high standard that’s been set, Hansen said, from the songwriting to recording, producing and performing. “Even the artwork on the albums has always been a very high standard,” he added.

“That’s one of the reasons why I feel fortunate. Because it’s rare to have a group of guys not only in the band, but in the crew and management and everybody involved, who you genuinely like.

“And there are no egos at play. Everybody understands what the goal is every day and pursues that. It really makes a big difference. It makes you look forward to being there every day.”

Bandmate Bluestein described Hansen as “kicking ass and singing impossible-for-me-to-sing songs.”

“He’s that rare kind of rock and roll unicorn guy with the insane high tenor vocal range, and so much power and soul in his voice. He’s also a great frontman and a great entertainer,” said Bluestein.

Hansen laughed when he heard about Bluestein’s comments, and added he always has to “pay attention” to his voice “24-7.”

“I do stretching and a light vocal warmup before the show. I don’t do warmups like some opera singers do,” Hansen said.

“My personal philosophy is that there’s only so much rubber on the tire and you just need to get blood flowing to your vocal cords and make sure that you’re able to reach the area of your voice that you’re going to have to get to — on stage. Really that’s it, and then go out there and do the show,” he said.

Bluestein joined Foreigner in 2008. Now 55 years old, he said he was eight when the song “Feels Like the First Time” came out in 1977.

“I remember watching MTV and seeing Lou Gramm and Mick in the studio with the Harlem Gospel Choir with the song, “I Want To Know What Love Is.” So, yeah, my childhood was replete with lots of Foreigner on the radio and on TV,” said Bluestein.

At nine years old, Bluestein began studying classical piano, which led to his attending a private music college in Boston, Mass., followed up by recording his own music with vocals and keyboards.

“My keyboard domain is four keyboards up on my riser and various synthesizer sounds. There’s a piano, a Hammond organ and a Leslie speaker for the organ, so I’m able to get all the textures that I need with that setup,” Bluestein said.

The setlist doesn’t change much once the band hits the road, he added, and there isn’t any song that the audience doesn’t already know.

It’s cool to see different generations really get into it, he said.

“It’s almost like you see the nostalgia and the memories cross everyone’s faces as they’re singing along and reliving those times when they first heard all these songs — whether that was childhood, high school, college, their 20s or 30s. We have a lot of high schoolers, college kids and 20-somethings that have grown up in houses where they were hearing these tunes right from childhood,” said Bluestein.

Both Bluestein and Hansen get enthusiastic when they talk about involving local youth choirs to join them on stage for “I Want To Know What Love Is.’

“We do that to put a spotlight on the lack of funding that a lot of schools are experiencing for music and arts programs,” said Bluestein.

Hansen, who said he is a product of a school music program, said it’s the band’s way of giving a little bit back.

“But I think we get the better end of the bargain, because we get to see the reaction on the faces of these talented kids, and we get lots of texts, letters and emails from choir directors and parents. So, it’s really great,” Hansen said.

Brandon’s Bounce Radio 96.1FM has taken submissions from local choirs that sent in a video of them singing “I Want To Know What Love Is.”

The winning group will be chosen by teachers, students, their families and friends and will perform with Foreigner May 14 at Westoba Place. The group will also receive a $500 cash bursary from the band.

For Foreigner ticket info, visit https://keystonecentre.com/

» mmcdougall@brandonsun.com

» X: @enviromichele