Johnny Foreigner - Hop Farm Festival
Review by Matt Nunn
To say that Johnny Foreigner are in it for the music is probably an understatement. When front man Alexei asks the decent sized crowd gathered for them in a circus tent in the middle of Kent if they could give them a lift to their forthcoming video shoot, there’s no doubting Jo-Fo’s commitment to nothing but getting their messy, frantic and raucous music out into the world, and today it was the Hop Farm’s turn to brace themselves.
Energy pours from the imaginatively named 'Third Stage', as the Birmingham three-piece kick off on this hot July day with latest free download 'Feels like Summer', and the rest of the set continues in the same vain, the 30 degree heat outside doing nothing to contain them. Surprised to find themselves with a full hour slot, we are treated to some tracks from forthcoming second album 'Grace and the Bigger Picture', which don’t feel one bit out of place in a set that also included tracks that date from before last year’s excellent debut 'Waited Up ‘Til It Was Light'.
If the Johnny Foreigner production line continues at this rate of knots, there’s no doubt that their cult following will only grow and grow, and their recently announced autumn headline tour will easily be playing to packed houses each night. Get in while you can.