Foreigner just announced they are finally going to retire. The legendary rock band has been entertaining the world for forty-six years. And now they’re about to hang up their hats for the last time. In an interview with Billboard, founder Mick Jones said about the choice, “it’s a very difficult decision to come to.”
But the timing seemed to play a part in the choice. “Foreigner is a completely revitalized band with a whole new energy that has won the hearts of our fans all over the world, and I want to go out while the band is still at the top of its game,” Jones told Billboard. Jones said he was only 30 when he started Foreigner. And the end of their farewell tour will mark 50 years on the road. Jones figures that’s long enough.
Kelly Hansen agrees it’s time to pull the plug. Specifically because he has high standards for the quality of performances the band puts out. As the lead singer for the last 17 years, Hansen has been delivering some difficult material for the fans. He doesn’t want to lower the caliber of his performance and also doesn’t know how much longer he can maintain at his age.
“This catalog of songs, it’s extremely challenging for a rock tenor vocalist like myself to sing,” Hansen told Billboard, “I never would have thought in a million years I’d be singing these songs in the keys at this age, and I don’t know how much longer I can do that at the level I need do. You can drop keys and do this and do that, but I’m more of an old school person. If I’m not doing it for real then I shouldn’t be doing it” (Billboard).
Hansen also commented on how he’s seen other bands of Foreigner‘s era perform. And walking away being disappointed because they couldn’t deliver like they used to. Hansen said he doesn’t want to be one of those bands. He and Jones had been discussing this move for awhile, and it’s finally going to happen.
The farewell tour will begin July 6 in Georgia and end sometime in 2024. As of right now, there’s no mention of coming to Vegas during this tour. But Foreigner will be doing an exclusive residency at the Venetian in March and April. Better catch them then in case they don’t come back.
There’s no set list yet for the upcoming residency, but here’s what they’ve done in past shows.
–Wendy Rush, 96.3KKLZ Las Vegas
