On a beautiful Saturday night for outdoor live music in Upstate NY, Foreigner, Whitesnake and Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening took over the Capital Regions favorite outdoor venue, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, with their Juke Box Heros Tour.
Fans packed the venue to hear a wide variety of rock & roll classics that will stand the test of time. Dubbed the Juke Box Heros tour, it felt like the quarters were popping with hit after hit from each band’s set list. Some fans in attendance called it a live version of local classic rock radio station PYX 106. Each band kept the talking to a minimum as it was all about the music.
Jason Bonham, son of late Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, got the fans in attendance and those still trying to find their seats warmed up. On a packed night, his Led Zeppelin Evening prepared the SPAC crowd for a classic hard rock night.
The band played Zeppelin favorites like Good Times, Bad Times, Whole Lotta Love. Bonham once played drums for Foreigner from 2004-2008. They closed with the Zeppelin classic Stairway to Heaven
Setlist: Immigrant Song, Good Times Bad Times, The Ocean, Whole Lotta Love, Stairway to Heaven
The venue was almost full by the time Whitesnake hit the stage. Frontman David Coverdale kicked things off with “Bad Boys.” Whitesnake rocked the house with all members getting a chance to show off their skills with solos. Guitarist Joe Hoekstra is a beast on the ax and fun to watch on stage. Each band member’s resume is pretty impressive before joining Whitesnake. Coverdale showed off his charisma strutting around on stage while constantly swinging his mic stand in the air.
The SPAC crowd was singing word for word with Coverdale by the time fan favorites “Is This Love?'” and “Here I Go Again” were performed. They closed their set with “Still of the Night” and “We Wish You Well.”
Setlist: Bad Boys, Give Me All Your Love, Love Ain’t No Stranger, Slow an’ Easy, Crying in the Rain, Is This Love?, Slide It In, Here I Go Again, Still of The Night, We Wish You Well
The now packed house at SPAC was amped up and rabid for Foreigner to take the stage. Foreigner started off with “Long, Long Way from Home” followed by “Double Vision.” The third song in the set, “Head Games,” marked the point of no return as fans were locked in and consumed by the band’s energy, sound and style hit song after hit song.
Midway through the band’s set, frontman since 2005, Kelly Hansen took a moment to give thanks and applauded the only original member and co-founder left in Foreigner, lead guitarist Mick Jones for his longevity and contributions to the music business.
Hansen stood on a rising platform at the beginning of “Juke Box Hero” to close out the band’s set. They would shortly return for a two-song encore set. Hansen brought out music students from Hudson Falls on stage to help sing on the first encore song, “I Want to Know What Love Is.” Hansen paused several times during the chorus to let the fans sing it instead. Foreigner closed their encore set with “Hot Blooded.”
Setlist: Long, Long Way From Home, Double Vision, Head Games, Cold As Ice, Waiting for a Girl Like You, Dirty White Boy, Feels Like the First Time, Urgent, Starrider, Juke Box Hero Encore: I Want to Know What Love Is, Hot Blooded
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