By Stephen Appezzato
HOLMDEL – Foreigner is singing farewell to its decades-long run as a touring band, making a stop at the PNC Bank Arts Center July 23.
“It is just one night of hits and fun, and the tour has just been always spectacular,” bassist Jeff Pilson told The Two River Times ahead of the show. “All the shows have been great,” he said.
Since 1976, the group has toured almost nonstop, keeping chart-topping radio hits like “Cold as Ice,” “Hot Blooded” and “Feels like the First Time” alive. But after almost 50 years, band members agree it’s time to tone it down.
“We’re not going to be a year-long touring band like we’ve been, so that is coming to an end and a little bittersweet because it’s such a fabulous gig, and we all love it,” Pilson said.
An Illinois native, Pilson joined the band in 2004 after writing music and touring with Dokken, Dio and other big-name rock bands. He attended the University of Washington, leaving early to pursue a career in music. After making his way to Los Angeles, he received a call in 1983 from singer Don Dokken, who needed a bass player.
The decision to turn down the volume stems from the toll it takes on singer Kelly Hansen’s voice, belting hits night in and night out. “These songs are getting much more difficult to sing as he gets older, and he does not want to be that guy that goes up there and sucks,” Pilson said. “In fact, he won’t be. And I have pure faith he never will because of his standards, and he is still sounding great. It’s just more difficult for him. He has to give up things every year just in order to be in the right condition to sing all these songs.”
Hansen, formerly of the band Hurricane, became Foreigner’s frontman in 2005 after founding vocalist Lou Gramm stepped away from the group in 2003 to pursue solo work. “The sweet part of that is, I could use the rest as well. But the bitter part is that we love the audiences, and we love being together, and we love playing. So, yeah, it’ll be a lighter schedule,” Pilson said.
Joining Foreigner along the tour are fellow ’80s powerhouses Styx and John Waite.
“We love touring with Styx; they’re such a great band, such pros, and they’re also good friends,” Pilson said, adding praise for Waite, who has been an “incredible” and “fabulous” opening act.
The Central Regional High School Choir from Bayville will perform with the band at PNC July 23, adding vocal harmonies to the 1984 classic “I Want to Know What Love Is.”
The bassist said the Farewell Tour has been well received by audiences so far, exceeding expected ticket sales and “firing on all cylinders.”
When asked about his favorite song to perform, Pilson said he can’t place his finger on any single hit – the band has produced 16 Top 30 songs.
“I look at it more as an entire show and the way we build the show up and come to a climax,” he explained. “One song after the other in the set list is just, you know, it’s a hit and it’s a popular song.”
Pilson warned those going to the band’s stop July 23 in Holmdel to be ready to sing.
“Between Styx, us and John Waite, you’re going to have a lot of hits that you’re going to be singing along to and you’re going to be hoarse by the end of the night, so come prepared,” he joked.
The article originally appeared in the July 11 – July 17, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
