Foreigner - Tollwood Festival Olympiapark Munich 22nd June 2009
Setlist: Double Vision / Head Games / Cold As Ice / Blue Morning / Waiting For A Girl Like You / Too Late / Dirty White Boy / Say You Will / Starrider / Feels Like the First Time / Urgent // Juke Box Hero / Hot Blooded
Ever get the feeling of déjà vu? Last time I saw (see what I mean?) Foreigner was on the 4 tour of 1982. I was living in Germany – the first time around – and I went to the Gruga Halle in Essen. That was with Lou Gramm and comes as close to a classic line-up as it gets. They were bloody brilliant, inflatable juke box and all. Did I really expect this 2009 version to come anywhere close to the performance I enjoyed in my salad days?
I didn’t see them in Sweden due to other commitments, but I also knew I would get the chance to catch them in Munich. And so, it was to the Tollwood Festival that I toddled, with my main man Rob, to enjoy a beer, some music, and the attractions surrounding the tent wherein Foreigner would be taking to the stage. Let me tell you, there were some very strange sideshow attractions too and, oh, lots of beer tents. Well, this is Munich.
Back to the gig… Foreigner hit the stage at 8PM sharp and started out with a cracking version of Double Vision, for all us oldies out there in the audience, followed closely by more classics from the back catalogue, and they kept them coming. A new song Starrider, from the upcoming album, was very impressive and it was nice to hear something new, something that didn’t have to be compared to Lou Gramm, which you inevitably found yourself doing.
Not-Lou-Gramm-singer, Kelly Hansen, like Arnel Pineda in Journey, has an unenviable task of being compared to something he can’t possibly compete with. Still, he acquitted himself admirably, proving that he has the voice to sing the old songs and, as a front man, he did a great job. The songs were, as you would expect, well-played and performed with class and style. It was not 1982, there were no huge inflatable juke boxes but this was a sound performance from a great band. I really enjoyed their set and went away feeling that I had got my money’s worth, and then some.
Before the gig, I had paid a little man with a big sack 20€ and, after the gig, I walked away with a USB stick containing the night’s show. Can’t argue with that. Sound! Literally.
If you enjoyed Foreigner at any time in the past, do yourself a favour and go along and check them out when they come to a city near you. You’ll have a good evening out. Trust me.
I fear that after the gig me and Rob did some permanent damage to the chap on the Texican food stand. They really don’t do spicy food over here. I ordered a basket of hot wings and shit and proceeded to cover it on hot cayenne, Tabasco, and even the green Tabasco that the young lad proffered. We crammed it down as though it was yoghurt. I wish I’d taken a photo of the look on the poor lad’s face. He was in awe of us. He must have thought we were superhuman. Truth be told, it could have done with some hot chilli sauce…
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
24th June 2009
I didn’t see them in Sweden due to other commitments, but I also knew I would get the chance to catch them in Munich. And so, it was to the Tollwood Festival that I toddled, with my main man Rob, to enjoy a beer, some music, and the attractions surrounding the tent wherein Foreigner would be taking to the stage. Let me tell you, there were some very strange sideshow attractions too and, oh, lots of beer tents. Well, this is Munich.
Back to the gig… Foreigner hit the stage at 8PM sharp and started out with a cracking version of Double Vision, for all us oldies out there in the audience, followed closely by more classics from the back catalogue, and they kept them coming. A new song Starrider, from the upcoming album, was very impressive and it was nice to hear something new, something that didn’t have to be compared to Lou Gramm, which you inevitably found yourself doing.
Not-Lou-Gramm-singer, Kelly Hansen, like Arnel Pineda in Journey, has an unenviable task of being compared to something he can’t possibly compete with. Still, he acquitted himself admirably, proving that he has the voice to sing the old songs and, as a front man, he did a great job. The songs were, as you would expect, well-played and performed with class and style. It was not 1982, there were no huge inflatable juke boxes but this was a sound performance from a great band. I really enjoyed their set and went away feeling that I had got my money’s worth, and then some.
Before the gig, I had paid a little man with a big sack 20€ and, after the gig, I walked away with a USB stick containing the night’s show. Can’t argue with that. Sound! Literally.
If you enjoyed Foreigner at any time in the past, do yourself a favour and go along and check them out when they come to a city near you. You’ll have a good evening out. Trust me.
I fear that after the gig me and Rob did some permanent damage to the chap on the Texican food stand. They really don’t do spicy food over here. I ordered a basket of hot wings and shit and proceeded to cover it on hot cayenne, Tabasco, and even the green Tabasco that the young lad proffered. We crammed it down as though it was yoghurt. I wish I’d taken a photo of the look on the poor lad’s face. He was in awe of us. He must have thought we were superhuman. Truth be told, it could have done with some hot chilli sauce…
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
24th June 2009