Lou Gramm says that "it was great" to perform with fellow original FOREIGNER members this past summer. Gramm (vocals), Dennis Elliott (drums), Al Greenwood (keyboards), Ian McDonald (multi-instrumentalist) and FOREIGNER's second bassist, Rick Wills, rejoined FOREIGNER's founder Mick Jones (guitar) on stage for a two-night special event on October 6 and October 7 at the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort in Michigan for the ultimate toast to forty years of rock and roll. This special event was recorded for a forthcoming 2018 TV special, DVD and accompanying album release. Jones, Gramm, Greenwood, Elliott, McDonald and Wills ran through a five-song mini set consisting of "Feels Like the First Time" — which Jones dedicated to late original bassist Ed Gagliardi — "Double Vision", "Blue Morning, Blue Day", "Long Long Way From Home" and "Dirty White Boy". The musicians later joined FOREIGNER's current lineup to play "I Want to Know What Love Is" and "Hot Blooded". Although there have been previous partial FOREIGNER reunions earlier this year — in Florida, Spain and at Jones Beach in New York — the Michigan concerts marked the first time all of the musicians were together onstage at the same time. In a brand new interview with Rockbandreviews.com, Gramm stated about performing with his former bandmates again: "It was great to get back on stage with the original FOREIGNER. We played about six or seven songs; it was a lot of fun. And Mick, of course, played with us. And then the two bands — the FOREIGNER of today and the original FOREIGNER — actually played a few songs together, and that was also fun. And they are really nice guys and good musicians. And we had a lot of fun, and we're gonna do some more, I think." Regarding his future plans, Lou said: "I've been doing weekends for the last few years. That's kind of nice. You leave Thursday, you play Friday, Saturday [and] you come home Sunday. So I think we're gonna be doing more of those, and then there's gonna be the FOREIGNER shows. I don't know how many of those we're gonna do into what month. I suppose it depends on the reception of the audience. So I think everything is kind of poised for a fun and interesting summer [of 2018], and let's see what happens." Gramm and Jones's June 2013 performance of "I Want To Know What Love Is" and "Juke Box Hero" at the Songwriters Hall Of Fame in New York City marked the first time the pair performed together in a decade after Gramm left FOREIGNER for a second time. Kelly Hansen has fronted the group since 2005. Jones is the sole remaining founding member in FOREIGNER's current lineup. FOREIGNER recently completed a fortieth-anniversary U.S. tour with support from CHEAP TRICK and JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE.
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