Foreigner Delivers Outstanding Performance at Missouri State Fair

It was a night of hits on Thursday as the first grandstand act took to the stage at the Missouri State Fair. That act happened to be Foreigner, and the band’s setlist showed why the original band members and founders, Lou Graham and Mick Jones, will be honored with enshrinement in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame later this fall.

The band presented a high-energy set of Foreigner’s rock and roll hits, including “Double Vision,” “Cold As Ice,” “Waiting For A Girl Like You,” “Feels Like The First Time,” “Urgent,” “Juke Box Hero,” and an encore that included “I Want To Know What Love Is” and “Hot Blooded.”

There was lots of audience participation, and vocalist Kelly Hansen did a good job connecting with the audience throughout the show. It included a bit of fun with the audience going into “Dirty White Boy,” a bit of Foreigner history going into a couple of songs, and a stop-down where Hansen thanked the fans for putting the band in the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame.

That was a tricky bit to handle, since the Foreigner you see on stage are not the guys going into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame. Hansen replaced original singer Lou Graham, and it would seem that bass player Jeff Pilson, another long-time member, is running the show along with Hansen. Yet Hansen pulled it off perfectly, honoring the band’s founding members who laid the groundwork for him to carry the torch for the group.

He also explained what the band meant by calling this tour their “Farewell Tour.” From the stage, Hansen told the crowd that after 20 years of a heavy touring schedule, the band members want to slow down, pursue some other passions, and spend more time with family. Yet, he said he thinks you’ll see the band in the future.

Some might have a bit of an issue going to see a group whose membership has evolved over the years and doesn’t include original members at this point. Yet, I take these situations case by case before snarkily labeling any group as a glorified cover band.

In the case of Foreigner, founder Mick Jones is featured prominently on the website and has been involved and engaged with the business from its start to today. In other words, this isn’t just some cover band; these are guys vetted for their skills and ability to play Foreigner’s stuff well and put on a great show. Additionally, these guys are passionate about the band’s history and understand what the songs mean to Mick and all of Foreigner’s fans.

The show’s climax came during the group’s encore when Smith-Cotton’s Choir joined the band onstage to perform a rousing version of “I Wanna Know What Love Is.” While not my favorite song, it’s arguably the band’s most popular and well-known hit, and the kids and the band pulled off a great version of it at this show.

As the son of two teachers, Kelly Hansen’s plea for the crowd to support music education was heartfelt. As someone who benefited from my school’s music teacher, I appreciated it. I also appreciated that he ensured the Smith-Cotton Choir got their dues from the crowd walking off the stage.

I thought Foreigner put on an excellent show that will WOW not only long-time fans but also those who casually remember the group’s MTV hits and want to relive a little bit of the late ’70s and ’80s. If you want a fun night of rock and roll, you should see this show.

Foreigner has two Kansas City area shows scheduled this fall, Ozarks Amphitheater on Friday, October 4th, and Saturday, October 5th at Azura Amphitheatre’s 40th Summer Celebration. Both shows also feature Loverboy as support.