Prior to the concert, Jones told Billboard that a more full-scale Foreigner reunion was inevitable. “It’s good to be back,” Wills told the crowd. There have been previous reunions this year - in Florida, Spain and at Jones Beach in New York - but this marked the first time all of the musicians were together onstage at the same time. The marquee part of the night, however, came as Jones, Gramm and Greenwood were joined by fellow original members Dennis Elliott on drums and multi-instrumentalist Ian McDonald, as well as Wills, Foreigner’s second bassist.
Founder Mick Jones’ present lineup started things with a 70-minute set that included a cameo by Gramm for an acoustic version of “Fool For You Anyway” and a titanic rendition of “Juke Box Hero” that was introduced by a bit of the 1978 instrumental “Tramontane,” which current keyboardist Michael Bluestein dedicated to his predecessor Al Greenwood. For fans, it felt like something entirely different, a salute to the long-lived band’s hit-filled heritage over the course of 18 songs.
