So here we come to the eternal, infernal question that has been plaguing mankind
for centuries — OK, just plaguing me for the past couple of years: Can
a band still call itself that band when there are more ‘newer’ members
in that band than any original members? This is the case with Skynyrd (sporting
two original members at last count), the Cars sporting with three out of five
(with Todd Rundgren replacing Ric Ocasek), the last Pink Floyd go-round which
had so many musicians on stage I lost count, and now Foreigner, as represented
on their new DVD, Alive and Rockin’.
The only original member of the band, Mick Jones, is unquestionably the main
songwriter/brains behind Foreigner, then as now. The latest line-up features
Jones, vocalist Kelly Hansen, and the powerful, though widely-misused Jason
Bonham on drums. Altogether, the group run through the rockier hits of Foreigner’s
past. As Jones explains in his interview in the extras section of the DVD (there
are other interviews with Bonham and Hansen), the band decided when playing
the German “Bang You Head” Festival that they’d stay clear
of some of those middle-of-the-road, sappier Foreigner ballads and instead perform
a rock show.
The hour-long set works pretty well. The crowd is with Foreigner all the way,
even during a ‘slower’ number like “Starrider” with
Jones on vocals. The players are all competent enough musicians. Hansen replicates
Lou Gramm’s vocal parts spot-on and Jason Bonham is as as you would expect,
though a bit too powerful for this band at times. Jeff Jacobs’ keys are
a bit too buried in the mix, and there is a tad bit of overplaying by Jones
at times, but overall, Alive and Rockin’ is a pretty
enthusiastic showing from guys who seem committed to this new version of Foreigner
for the 21st century.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
