I never bought a Foreigner album. Somehow "Head Games" wound up in my collection, but I don't remember buying it. It's not that I didn't like Foreigner, I just never felt the need to give the band any more rotation than it was already getting on the radio. In my early teens, if I bought a band's album, that band was mine; my discovery, my soundtrack, part of my identity. Foreigner was everywhere. And though those songs were never mine, hearing Lou Gramm and his band bang them out Friday night in front of huge crowd of aging rock fans (I guess that includes me) at Taste of Rochester was a lot of fun. Gramm's hittin' the high notes again, and guitar hero Donny Mancuso just flat-out rocks. You gotta give the people what they want, so plenty of Foreigner classics peppered the set. Frankly, it was more Foreigner than Mick Jones' pathetic attempt to ride the name's remaining lightning. Compared to The Lou Gramm Band, it's just foreign.

Later that night at hipster hang Abilene, Bobby Henrie and The Goners swung a multitude of sets between the rain drops. This trio's versatility and charm make it the perfect background music for cocktails and innuendo, or cuttin' some rug. I managed both. However, the half glass of champagne I drank made the rug cutting a little uneven. Yeah, I'm a cheap date, and my baby had to take me drunk 'cause I was home.

The Taste Of Rochester Battle Of The Bands started off to tumbleweeds Sunday morning, until battle winners Black August raised the dead by testifying from the big stage. The band's energy and passion pulsed brightly down Main Street. I'm sure people on West Avenue heard the word as well. This band is literally wrangling hip-hop, soul, and r&b from the clutches of those who don't deserve it.

In contrast, 40 Rod Lightning played its trademark rock 'n' tonk and put a little boogie into the spectators. Hillbilly or not, you hear that galloping 2/4 beat and you're gonna move.

The Demos, with new guitarist (and yet another vocalist) Josh Netsky, offered stuff off the new album, including several twin harmonic guitar solos. Cool. The Meddling Kids finished the afternoon by cracking the sky, which in turn released a torrent of rain sideways. It was both rockin' and biblical.