Details

Title: Foreigner: Live
Appearances: Mick Jones, Kelly Hansen, Tom Gimbel, Jeff Pilson, Michael Bluestein
Director: Joe Thomas
Region: Region 1 (USA and Canada)
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
Studio: Image Entertainment
Blu-ray Release Date: July 12, 2011
Run Time:105 minutes
Setlist: Night Life, Head Games, Cold As Ice, Waiting For A Girl Like You, Too Late, Say You Will, Long Long Way From Home, Double Vision, Blue Morning, Blue Day, Dirty White Boy, Starrider, Feels Like the First Time, Urgent, Juke Box Hero, I Want to Know What Love Is, Hot Blooded
Retail Price: $14.98

Foreigner: Live is a misleading title for a re-issue of the DVD Soundstage: Foreigner – Live, which portion of this show was originally aired PBS on January 22, 2009. Image Entertainment either may not have the right to use the Soundstage name in its packaging or they just hope fans might pick it up again. I don’t have the Blu-Ray version for review, but looking at the re-issue, Image Entertainment got it right with the Blu-Ray, unlike the botch job of Chicago’s WTTW National Productions release of the Blu-Ray from 2009, which missed a few songs.

For those hoping for the original singer Lou Gramm, he actually left the band in 1990 (and again in 2003) to concentrate on his solo material. Instead, this new Foreigner features ex-Hurricane frontsman, Kelly Hansen, who had been the lead singer since 2005. Personally, I think Hansen is a good choice, he looks fit and handsome for his age and he can carry a tune and clearly knows the classic Foreigner songs. The only original band member is “foreigner” Mick Jones, who formed the band.

Jones, who prefer to not be in the spotlight, he actually takes up singing “Starrider” and then introduces the band, before going into “Feels Like the First Time”. This little set is fitting, since both songs are from their
quadruple Platinum-selling debut self-titled album from 1977. Other highlight includes “Cold as Ice” (also from the debut album), “Urgent” (featuring a great saxophone solo), and the soft-pop “Waiting for a Girl like You” (which Kelly Hansen insists that the audience gets touchy and friendly).

Once again, no bonus features, this is just a straight concert DVD. Again, Joe Thomas and Soundstage, do an excellent job on capturing the show, lots of closeups and great lighting.

Since Foreigner is going to do a stadium rock tour, starting July 21st at Rio Tinto Stadium in Salt Lake City, you can expect the band to do a similar setlist from this DVD. They are playing here, in St Paul (July 28th), but generally shows at the Xcel are far beyond my concert budget. Just to give you an idea, the VIP tickets to meet and greet the band are sold-out, but prices were $350. So, yes, the DVD is probably the next best thing at retail of $15.