GIBSON CITY, Ill. (Chambana Today) — Rock group Foreigner, was shining brighter than the electrical storm that preceded their show last weekend at Summer Bash, but a little over an hour into their set, they had to close the show just over halfway through due to intense lightning and winds. Lead singer, Kelly Hansen, started to announce his departure from the band after 20 exciting years, starting in October, when the power went out. His replacement, he said, will be their current guitarist, Luis Maldonado. Hanson said he felt confident in the next phase of the band.
“It’s all good, there’s love all around, there’s nothing bad that’s happened, I’m just going on,” Hansen said of his upcoming departure. The group didn’t skip a beat during their show and went on performing many of their hits such as “Double Vision”, “Head Games”, “Cold As Ice”, “Waiting For A Girl Like You,” “Dirty White Boy,” “Feels Like The First Time,” and one not played as often, “Starrider,” in which Hansen, tributed to Mick Jones, original founding member, who is currently not touring with the band due to health issues.
“I want to dedicate this song to our leader, Mick Jones who wrote and produced the majority of our songs, that your hearing tonight, he’s not with us tonight, but he’s feeling great in New York and I just want to give up some props for the man who literally looks up to the sky and pulls down songs for us to write and play…thank You Mick,” Hansen concluded before breaking out with the song “Starrider.” Mick Jones, who is now 80 years old, started the group back in 1977 with Lou Gramm, Rick Wills, Al Greenwood, Dennis Elliott, Ian McDonald and Ed Gagliardi.
Foreigner is one of the most loved rock bands over several decades and is celebrating their 48th year. The band interacted with fans and fans couldn’t seem to get enough of the band who were inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in 2024. Guitarist Bruce Watson and Luis Maldonado, along with Hansen, often traded sides of the stage to greet fans, pointing fingers at the audience, comparing hair styles with audience members in the front rows, throwing out guitar picks, while fans sang along and cheered back. Other current band member included, Jeff Pilson, bass, Chris Frazier, drums and Michael Bluestein, keyboards. Hansen announced, that Maldonado will be taking his place after October 11, 2025, as lead vocalist and also broke the news to fans the show would be ending early due to the severe lightning and winds, ending with “Juke Box Hero.”
A local High School Choral group was set to play on stage with Foreigner during their song “I Want to Know What Love is,” but were unfortunately not able to after the show ended early. Attendance was at the highest of any other concerts since the beginning of Summer Bash in 2021, immediate attendance numbers were not readily available. Summer Bash is put on through Gibson City Hospital. Opening act was John Waite, best known for his songs, “When I See You Smile,” and “Missing You.”
