Tuesday
Aug072018
Foreigner Announces New Tour Dates
Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at 07:46AM From my inbox, for the Foreigner fans:
August 6, 2018 - With ten multi-platinum albums and sixteen Top 30 hits, FOREIGNER is universally hailed as one of the most popular rock acts in the world. With an arsenal of hits such as “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” and “Feels Like The First Time,” FOREIGNER - Mick Jones (lead guitar), Kelly Hansen (lead vocals), Tom Gimbel (rhythm guitar, sax, vocals), Jeff Pilson (bass, vocals), Michael Bluestein (keyboards), Bruce Watson (guitar) and Chris Frazier (drums) – continue to propel sold-out tours and album sales, now exceeding 75 million. FOREIGNER has no less than ten multi-platinum albums and has been awarded platinum singles for digital sales of “I Want To Know What Love Is,” and “Juke Box Hero,” demonstrating its resonance in the era of downloads and streams. YouTube views of FOREIGNER songs total almost five hundred million, and the band’s recordings are constantly featured in movies and TV shows all over the world.
Now for the first time ever, FOREIGNER presents Double Vision: Then and Now, four special celebration events featuring all current band members plus the original band members who helped to put the iconic group on the map more than forty years ago. Lou Gramm, Dennis Elliott, Al Greenwood, Ian McDonald and Rick Wills join Mick Jonesand FOREIGNER to rock through some of the best-selling songs from the band’s albums, and bring back the memories that make it feel like the first time for both long-time fans and new generations.
Double Vision: Then and Now Dates (visit www.foreigneronline.com for tickets):
November 9 Microsoft Theater, Los Angeles CA
November 10 Agua Caliente Casino, Rancho Mirage CA
November 30 Hard Rock, Atlantic City NJ
December 1 Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville CT
FOREIGNER features strongly in every category in Billboard’s “Greatest of All Time” listings. Recently released album Foreigner with the 21st Century Symphony Orchestra & Chorus immediately hit the #1 spot on the Billboard classical album chart for multiple weeks. The concert is being streamed and broadcast by PBS and internationally this summer. The album inspired sold-out tour dates. FOREIGNER’S recent European tour included sold-out shows at London's Royal Albert Hall, in Tel Aviv, Hamburg, Reykjavík and a return to The Kultur und Kongresszentrum in Lucerne where the band has now played four shows to sold-out audiences. In addition to this, the band's appearance with the National Youth Orchestra of Australia already sold out the iconic Sydney Opera House, and will play to full houses all over Australia and New Zealand in October 2018.
No End In Sight: The Very Best Of Foreigner
Founded in 1976, FOREIGNER‘s debut album produced the hits “Feels Like The First Time,” “Cold As Ice” and “Long, Long Way From Home.” The album Double Vision followed, as did a string of hits like “Urgent,” “Juke Box Hero” and “Waiting For A Girl Like You.” Those songs helped give FOREIGNER‘s next album, 4, its impressive run at #1 on the Billboard chart. At the zenith of 80’s sound, FOREIGNER‘s fifth album, Agent Provocateur, gave the world the incredible #1 global hit,” I Want To Know What Love Is.” This musical milestone followed the record-breaking song “Waiting For A Girl Like You.”
At FOREIGNER‘s core is the founder and Songwriters Hall of Fame member Mick Jones, the visionary maestro whose stylistic songwriting, indelible guitar hooks and multi-layered talents continue to escalate FOREIGNER‘s influence, and guide the band to new horizons. A multi-talented and multi-dimensional “musician’s musician,” Jones has also written songs such as “Bad Love” with Eric Clapton and “Dreamer” with Ozzy Osbourne, and produced records for others including Billy Joel’s Storm Front and Van Halen’s 5150. A Grammy and Golden Globe-nominated songwriter, Jones is the winner of the prestigious British Ivor Novello Songwriter Award for “The Flame Still Burns”, the soundtrack music for the film Still Crazy.
Jones reformed the band after a 2002 hiatus and selected lead singer Kelly Hansen to help write an inspired new chapter in the history of Foreigner. One of rock’s greatest showmen, Hansen is known for his innate ability to connect with the crowds. As a front man and lead vocalist, Hansen is among the most respected, consummate professionals in rock and roll. With a 35-year career that spans almost every area of music, from the role of lead vocalist to producing and engineering, Kelly has the unique ability to advance and excel when faced with new challenges.
This summer, FOREIGNER rocks cross the US on its Live Nation twenty-nine city headline Juke Box Heroes Tour with WHITESNAKE and JASON BONHAM’S LED ZEPPELIN EVENING supporting. This is one of the hottest tours of the summer and tickets are available at LiveNation.com.
August 2018 sees the launch of Juke Box Hero, the Musical in Canada. Based on the book written by the prolific writing duo, Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, responsible for The Commitments movie and the Tracey Ullman TV show, the show will feature many of FOREIGNER’s 16 iconic Top 30 hits.
Recently, FOREIGNER’s catalog sales were celebrated in Business Insider for hitting the Top 40 among the Best Selling Music Artists of All Time. The Beatles were #1, but FOREIGNER came in ahead of Britney Spears, Bob Dylan, Phil Collins, Prince, Queen, Bon Jovi and Def Leppard.
Reader Comments (7)
If you enjoyed Foreigner back in the day, these are the sorts of show that are never going to happen again. I have major qualms about how Jones has handled their legacy and how he treated Gramm when he was ill (and have said so on here numerous times). But I respect them doing these sorts of shows for the fans.
If only our other “Juke Box Heroes” could be so calculating, realizing how much more cash there would be to be made, while delivering what the fans want and deserve — original and/or classic members on stage!
If yer still alive and can still f*ckin’ play or sing, or even approximate it, cut the bullsh*t!
We want yer a*s up there!
Sadly, the way he is looking these days, I don't think Jones has a lot of time left. So it is also good for him on a level beyond calculation. And, nowadays, that is more than enough reason to support something like this. This is the twilight period. A lot of those stars are going to fall.
Case in point: if you love ELO, see them (or him, really) this time around. You are likely never going to get a chance to see Lynne, that hair, or these songs played this way, again. I was an hour away last week and am kicking myself for not going. I should have done what I am urging. But I couldn't find it in myself to pay top dollar for crappy seats. Now I regret it. Oh well. If only humans were consistent creatures.
In the case of ELO, who I’ve also never seen, my thinking is there’s probably not a crappy seat in the house if that house has good acoustics. Just to be in the room and hear that stuff live must be pretty awe inspiring.
Regardless of where I may rank ELO’s music, there’s no question, Lynne’s a genius!
You are correct, Shawn. Jones has suffered from heart issues, as well as emotional ones, in recent years. But his recent appearances suggest that he is still not healthy. I get it. He is 73 years old. But one wonders if and when the Foreigner train needs to, no less should, stop. This sort of tour would be a fitting coda to a great band. There is a time to quit. This seems like the time. And this seems like the proper way to do it.