Foreigner Announce Farewell Tour For 2023

Rock legends Foreigner have announced their farewell tour. The group, who have been together since the mid 1970s, have decided that the dates set for 2023-24 will be their last, and they plan to retire from the road – although not from the band itself.

The announcement

In an exclusive interview with Billboard, the news broke with founding member Mick Jones opening the conversation, saying:

“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. I had the idea that was to become Foreigner back in 1974, and I was 30 years old at the time. By the end of our farewell tour, over 50 years will have passed, and that’s a long time to be on the road.”

In agreement, the band’s singer from 2005 – present, Kelly Hansen added his thoughts on keeping up with the demanding performance standards:

“It’s a very difficult decision to come to. This catalogue of songs, it’s extremely challenging for a rock tenor vocalist like myself to sing. 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.

We’re at an era in life where a lot of bands from the ’70s are right on the ragged edge of still being able to do shows. I see other musicians sometimes that I go, ‘Wow, that was disappointing,’ and I don’t want to be someone that other people say that about. I want to do this band the way it’s supposed to be, and when it’s not like that I don’t want to be doing it.”

The announcement was accompanied with a light-hearted and positive video, with the band clearly not taking themselves too seriously.

The impressive list of North American tour dates so far for the end of 2022 into 2023 have been announced as:

Tue, NOV 15 Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, Tampa, FL

Wed, NOV 16 The Stage At Coco Outdoors, Coconut Creek, FL

Thu, NOV 17 Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Sarasota, FL

Sat, NOV 19 Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at FSW, Fort Myers, FL

Sun, NOV 20 The Maxwell C. King Center, Melbourne, FL

Fri, MAR 24, 2023 The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV

Sat, MAR 25, 2023 The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV

Sun, MAR 26, 2023 Pechanga Resort Casino, Temecula, CA

Wed, MAR 29, 2023 The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV

Fri, MAR 31, 2023 The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV

Sat, APR 1, 2023 The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV

Mon, APR 3, 2023 Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, South Tucson, AZ

Wed, APR 5, 2023 The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV

Fri, APR 7, 2023 The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV

Sat, APR 8, 2023 The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV

Tue, APR 11, 2023 Apache Casino Hotel, Lawton, OK

Sun, APR 30, 2023 Hartman Arena, Park City, KS

Tue, MAY 2, 2023 Stormont Vail Events Center, Topeka, KS

Wed, MAY 3, 2023 Ralston Arena, Ralston, NE

Tue, MAY 9, 2023 DECC Symphony Hall, Duluth, MN

Wed, MAY 10, 2023 Scheels Arena, Fargo, ND

Wed, MAY 17, 2023 Old National Events Plaza, Evansville, IN

Fri, MAY 19, 2023 Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo, MI

Sun, MAY 21, 2023 Salem Civic Center, Salem, VA

Tue, MAY 23, 2023 Cambria County War Memorial, Johnstown, PA

Thu, JUL 6, 2023 Ameris Bank Amphitheatre, Alpharetta, GA

Sat, JUL 8, 2023 Coral Sky Amphitheatre, West Palm Beach, FL

Sun, JUL 9, 2023 MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa, FL

Tue, JUL 11, 2023 Ascend Amphitheater, Nashville, TN

Fri, JUL 14, 2023 Walmart AMP, Rogers, AR

Tue, JUL 18, 2023 Starlight Theatre, Kansas City, MO

Wed, JUL 19, 2023 Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, Maryland Heights, MO

Fri, JUL 21, 2023 Ruoff Music Center, Noblesville, IN

Sat, JUL 22, 2023 Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, Tinley Park, IL

Mon, JUL 24, 2023 Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH

Tue, JUL 25, 2023 Budweiser Stage, Toronto, Canada

Fri, JUL 28, 2023 Darien Lake Amphitheater, Darien Center, NY

Sat, JUL 29, 2023 The Pavilion at Star Lake, Burgettstown, PA

Tue, AUG 1, 2023 Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY

Wed, AUG 2, 2023 Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, NY

Fri, AUG 4, 2023 Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion, Gilford, NH

Sat, AUG 5, 2023 Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA

Tue, AUG 8, 2023 Coastal Credit Union Music Park At Walnut Creek, Raleigh, NC

Wed, AUG 9, 2023 PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte, NC

Fri, AUG 11, 2023 Dos Equis Pavilion, Dallas, TX

Sat, AUG 12, 2023 The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, The Woodlands, TX

Mon, AUG 14, 2023 Moody Center, Austin, TX

Wed, AUG 16, 2023 Ball Arena, Denver, CO

Fri, AUG 18, 2023 USANA Amphitheatre, West Valley City, UT

Sun, AUG 20, 2023 AK Chin Pavilion, Phoenix, AZ

Mon, AUG 21, 2023 FivePoint Amphitheatre, Irvine, CA

Wed, AUG 23, 2023 Toyota Amphitheatre, Wheatland, CA

Thu, AUG 24, 2023 Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA

Wed, AUG 30, 2023 Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI

Fri, SEP 1, 2023 Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT

Sat, SEP 2, 2023 St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview, Syracuse, NY

Sun, SEP 3, 2023 PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ

Foreigner Facts

• Foreigner has 9 Top 10 hits – that’s the same as Fleetwood Mac and more than Journey and most of their Classic Rock peers.
• Audio and video streams close to 15 million every week.
• Foreigner is consistently in the Top 20 at Classic Rock radio with a weekly audience exceeding 20 million (Source: MusiConnect 9/2/22)
• Foreigner ‘4’ sat at #1 on the Billboard charts longer than any album by any artist in Atlantic Records’ 75-year history.
• Foreigner’s connection to a younger demographic is illustrated by the massive increase in streaming generated by the band’s song uses in such hit movies and TV shows as ‘Good Boys’ and ‘Stranger Things’.
• Breaking the record in Billboard magazine, ‘Waiting For A Girl Like You’ was #2 in the Top 10 for 14 weeks and landed Foreigner at #49 on Billboard’s Hot 100 All Time Top Artists chart above the Eagles at #54, Fleetwood Mac at #73 and Aerosmith at #90.
• Foreigner’s connection to a younger demographic is illustrated by the massive increase in streaming generated by the band’s song uses in such hit movies and TV shows as ‘The Eternals,’ ‘Good Boys’, Stranger Things’ and ‘Tacoma FD.’
• Digital downloads of ‘Juke Box Hero’ and ‘I Want To Know What Love Is’ certified platinum by the RIAA indicating Foreigner’s resonance in the new era.
• Foreigner’s catalogue sales hit Top 40 in Business Insider’s Best Selling Music Artists of All Time, ahead of Britney Spears, Bob Dylan, Phil Collins, Prince, Queen, Bon Jovi and Def Leppard.
• Foreigner’s founder, Mick Jones, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013.
• The 2018 orchestral album spent 12 weeks at #1 on the Billboard classical chart. It generated sold out US and international concerts including a spectacular night at the Sydney Opera House.
• Jukebox Hero, a musical based entirely on the hits of Foreigner, was launched in Toronto in 2019.
• The Foreigner catalogue has sold more than 80 million albums.

While the stage is set for the final tour, Foreigner also hinted at the possibility of new music coming, and the group are still keeping busy alongside their busy live schedule – they are currently working with the Grammy Museum Foundation recruiting local choirs to join their tour stops and perform the classic I Want To Know What Love Is.

Find out more at Foreignerchoirs.com

Buy tour tickets

Also by Michelle Sciarrotta: