Review by Dale Varley Jr.
Photos by Micah Gummel
Galleries: Foreigner, Cheap Trick, Jason Bonham
It was a great night to be down by the harbor in Boston on a Monday evening. The weather was great and the music was even better, as Foreigner marked their 40th Anniversary with a tour. Alongside Foreigner was Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group, Cheap Trick, and the remarkable Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience.
Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience opened the show with a bang, rocking “The Immigrant Song”. The band’s set contained hit after hit, as Bonham paid tribute to his father’s and his father’s bandmates legacy. Singer James Dylan is the closest you will get to sounding like vintage Robert Plant these days. Tony Catania rocks that Les Paul guitar like Jimmy Page. Current Whitesnake bassist, who returned to his hometown for this show, Michael Devin, fills out the rest of the band’s current lineup. Bonham’s band is the closest anyone will get to hearing Led Zeppelin alive today. The band is so tight and does an outstanding job of carrying the Led Zeppelin flag. If you get a chance to see them play live, do it.
Up next was the world famous Cheap Trick. What’s great about Cheap Trick is the fact that the band is still putting out great, new music. Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander, Tom Petersson and Rick’s son, Daxx Nielsen, have put out new albums the last two years. The Boston crowd was treated to some tracks off of the new album “We’re All Alright!”, as well as mix of some deep cuts and all of the band’s biggest hits to close out their set. You get everything that anyone would want out of a Cheap Trick set; phenomenal hard rocking music, Rick up to his antics, and Robin’s fantastic singing while wearing his trademark gear. The band is scheduled to be making a return to New England in November at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom in Hampton Beach, NH. So if you missed their phenomenal set here, don’t miss them then.
The evening’s headliner, Foreigner, took the stage to close out the night. As previously stated, the band was out on tour to celebrate their 40th Anniversary. While founding band member Mick Jones is the only original member still in the band, this current incarnation of the band has been together a handful of years now, and puts on a hell of a show. Their setlist struck you with hit after hit, playing most of the hits in the band’s library. They even busted out a deep cut from the self-titled first album; “Starrider”. Kelly Hansen commanded the stage, showing everybody what the nowadays lost art of being a rock band front man should be. Hansen has a tremendous voice and fits in well with the band. Former Dokken bassist, Jeff Pilson, continues to bring energy to the band, running around on stage, dripping with the hard earned sweat. The band set showed why their music has lasted as long as it has and why it’s still thriving. They’re great rock tracks that have a place in everyone’s heart and in the annals of rock history.
This night should be remembered by all in attendance, as it was some of the greatest songs in rock and roll history being performed by three incredibly talented bands. All three are headliners in their own right, and to have them all on one bill was pretty special.
Foreigner, Cheap Trick and Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience – Blue Hills Bank Pavillion, Boston, MA
