Foreigner performs Friday, June 21 at Hard Rock Casino Live venue as part of their Farewell Tour. Photo courtesy of Foreigner

 

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - When Foreigner rolls into Wheatland on June 21 as part of their farewell tour, fans at the Hard Rock Live Sacramento are in for more than just a night of classic rock hits. They’ll also witness a powerful blend of nostalgia and new voices as Lincoln High School’s choir joins the legendary band on stage for their iconic ballad, “I Want to Know What Love Is.”

For keyboardist Michael Bluestein, who has been with the band since 2008, the farewell tour is a culmination of a musical journey that spans decades, continents and generations.

“It’s definitely a night of hits,” Bluestein said. “Generally, we find that people know every song we play. It’s very exciting, a lot of energy. We look forward to seeing everybody and we hope they bring their energy because we feed off that too.”

Since forming in the mid-1970s, Foreigner has built a catalog of enduring rock anthems such as “Juke Box Hero,” “Cold as Ice” and “Hot Blooded.” Their farewell tour marks a milestone and celebrates a nearly 50-year legacy that Bluestein describes as “the soundtrack of my childhood and teenage years.”

Originally trained in classical and jazz piano, Bluestein’s career has taken him through a wide spectrum of musical genres, from touring with Enrique Iglesias to jamming in funky San Francisco jam bands. But stepping into Foreigner’s lineup felt like coming home.

“When I got the offer, it was too good of an opportunity to pass up,” Bluestein said. “These are songs I grew up with. I had a ‘pinch me’ moment playing ‘Juke Box Hero’ for the first time, it’s a really dramatic part of the set with the lighting going low and it’s a very intense, kind of moody, section before the song really explodes.”

Over the years, the band’s extensive touring has brought them to nearly every corner of the world, from Red Rocks in Colorado to amphitheaters in Switzerland and Germany. Still, Northern California holds a special place for Bluestein, who once lived in San Francisco.

“I think the enthusiasm in NorCal is always great,” Bluestein said. “We’re really psyched to be back up there.”

This tour is the last with longtime lead vocalist Kelly Hansen, who has fronted the band for nearly two decades. The band announced the news live on the finale of the “The Voice” on May 20 and broke the news that guitarist Luis Maldonado will step into the role of lead singer.

“Kelly will be doing the shows through like early fall so he still has a lot of shows left with us. We’re sad to see him go, he has been such an anchor and a big part of the taking this band to new heights and keeping us so consistently at such a high level, so we are so thankful to him and his contributions.” Bluestein said. “Luis Maldonado, our guitarist, is stepping up as the new lead singer. He’s a great guy and a phenomenal musician. We’re in good hands.”

Now, as the band enters its final stretch with Hansen, Bluestein reflects on the enduring power of Foreigner’s music.

“These songs are just so well-crafted, so memorable. Lou Gramm’s voice, the songwriting, the production, they were all magic,” Bluestein said. “They’ve been imprinted on people’s lives.”

With decades of touring behind them, the members of Foreigner have found ways to keep their energy high. On show days, Bluestein meditates, others do yoga or stretching, and everyone focuses on staying rested and balanced.

“It’s about staying healthy out there. Connecting with family and friends,” Bluestein said.

For keyboardist Michael Bluestein, who has been with the band since 2008, the farewell tour is a culmination of a musical journey that spans decades, continents and generations. Photo courtesy of Foreigner

One of the most moving moments of each show on this tour comes when Foreigner invites a local high school choir on stage for “I Want to Know What Love Is.” In Wheatland, that honor belongs to the students at Lincoln High School, led by retiring choir director Cindy Hagman.

“I just about fell off the couch when we were first asked in 2014,” Hagman recalled. “This is the fourth time we’ve been invited and the last during my career. It’s an incredible honor.”

Hagman, who has led the choir for 25 years, sees this as a rare and invaluable opportunity for her students to be part of something unforgettable. Each year, a different group of students get to perform and this year 25 students are going. Hagman explained that performers are usually all seniors but this year since the choir program was smaller so the opportunity to younger students as opened.

“It’s not something everybody gets to do. For them to be on stage with a band like Foreigner, to look out over thousands of people, it’s life-changing,” Hagman said. “And it validates everything we do as music educators.”

The partnership is part of Foreigner’s ongoing campaign to support music education and raise awareness about the vital role of arts in schools. Each participating school receives a donation to support their music programs.

“The arts are always the first to be cut,” Bluestein said. “This is a way to give back and help keep those programs alive. A lot of us in the band came through public school music programs, we got a chance to really explore music when we were young boys in school and it’s a chance for younger generations to experience that too.”

For students, the performance is about more than the music, it’s about self-expression, confidence and connection.

“They’re singing a message,” Hagman said. “We work on what the song means so they can sing from the heart. That’s when it really becomes transformative.”

The impact reaches far beyond the stage. One former student who participated in the performance years ago now leads a band of his own, inspired by the experience of singing with Foreigner as a teenager.

“It changed his life,” Hagman said. “And now it’s doing the same for a new generation.”

Foreigner performs Friday, June 21 at Hard Rock Casino Live venue, 3317 Forty Mile Road, Wheatland at 8 p.m.