Foreigner Announces 121-Date World Tour: Exclusive

Foreigner

After 15 months mostly in drydock, Foreigner is ready to hit the road again — and stay a long, long way from home for quite some time.

The veteran band, which played a couple of socially distanced concerts last month in Florida, launches a 121-date world tour on June 24 in Ottumwa, Iowa. The trek will take Foreigner to 72 U.S. cities this year — including a short run of shows with orchestras during October — with concerts in 15 more countries during 2022. Dates for the latter will be announced during November.

“We are full-on back on the road,” frontman Kelly Hansen tells Billboard. “There’s been so many conversations over the last year with promoters and with our agents and with management, trying to figure out what’s the safe thing to do, when can we do this, how can we do that? We’re finally able to say we’re getting out there, we’re getting on the road. That’s a great thing.” He also says the extensive U.S. itinerary is taking the septet “to all kinds of great places we don’t always get to go to.”

Foreigner plans to be cautious in its return, however.

Noting that “protocols are a moving target, changing constantly,” Hansen says Foreigner will have a “backstage bubble” that will include mask requirements and other measures to keep band and crew members safe. “We want to make sure we do the most safe and protective things we can to make sure all these shows go off and happen the way they should,” says Hansen, who got married during the lockdown. He plans to eschew his usual romps into the audience during the shows for now, and the band plans to alter its usual meet and greets with fans before the concerts.

“Depending on the venue, they’re either not happening, or modified,” Hansen says. “We can’t make it the handshaking, one-on-one meet and greet like we’ve been doing — at least not for now. There is an experience still to be had, we just have to modify. We’re putting a lot of thought into it to make sure it’s a presentation we’re proud of.”

Foreigner’s shows will, as usual, rest on the best-known material from the band’s catalog, which includes 22 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including nine top 10s. They’ll also introduce fans to a new member, multi-instrumentalist Luis Maldonado, after the amicable departure of Thom Gimbel earlier this year. “We all love Thom Gimbel and respect him, and there’s not an iota of any kind of bad feelings. Thom is at a point he felt like he needed to not be on the road, and I get it,” Hansen says. “Luis is an amazing musician and a really great singer. It’s a really powerful, strong sound with Luis in the band now.”

Tickets and other information are available via foreigneronline.com.

Foreigner’s 2021 U.S. tour dates currently include:

Thursday, June 24 Ottumwa, IA – Bridge View Center

Friday, June 25 Sioux Falls, SD – Washington Pavilion

Saturday, June 26 Bismarck, ND – Bismarck Civic Center

Tuesday, June 29 Casper, WY – Casper Events Center

Wednesday, June 30 Billings, MT – MetraPark Arena

Friday, July 2 Welch, MN – Treasure Island Great Lawn

Sunday, July 4 Fort Bragg, NC – Pope Army Airfield

Tuesday, July 27 Fresno, CA – Saroyan Theatre

Wednesday, July 28 Prescott Valley, AZ – Findlay Toyota Center

Friday, July 30 West Valley, UT – Maverick Center

Saturday, July 31 Grand Junction, CO – Los Colonias Park Amphitheater

Sunday, August 1 Rio Rancho, NM – Rio Rancho Events Center

Wednesday, August 4 Lubbock, TX – Buddy Holly Hall

Thursday, August 5 Enid, OK – Stride Bank Center

Saturday, August 7 Park City, KS – Hartman Arena

Sunday, August 8 North Little Rock, AR – Simmons Bank Arena

Tuesday, August 10 West Allis, WI – Wisconsin State Fair

Wednesday, August 11 Cedar Rapids, IA – McGrath Amphitheatre

Friday, August 13 Arcadia, WI – Ashley For The Arts

Saturday, August 14 Interlochen, MI – Kresge Auditorium

Sunday, August 15 Peoria, IL – Civic Center Arena

Tuesday, August 17 Kettering, OH – Fraze Pavilion

Wednesday, August 18 Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium

Friday, August 20 Doswell, VA – AfterHours at Meadow Event Park

Saturday, August 21 Selbyville, DE – The Freeman Stage at Bayside

Monday, August 23 Syracuse, NY – New York State Fair

Wednesday, August 25 Bridgeport, CT – Hartford Healthcare Amphitheatre

Thursday, August 26 Webster, MA – Indian Ranch

Friday, August 27 Cohasset, MA – South Shore Music Circus

Saturday, August 28 Hyannis, MA – Cape Cod Melody Tent

Thursday, September 9 Grand Forks, ND – Alerus Center

Friday, September 10 Rapid City, SD – Rushmore Plaza Civic Center

Saturday, September 11 Butte, MT – Civic Center

Tuesday, September 14 Everett, WA – Angel of the Winds Arena

Wednesday, September 15 Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Event Center

Thursday, September 16 Airway Heights, WA – Northern Quest Resort & Casino

Saturday, September 18 Fort Hall, ID – Fort Hall Casino

Tuesday, September 21 Bend, OR – Les Schwab Amphitheater

Wednesday, September 22 Kennewick, WA – Toyota Center

Sunday, September 26 Reno, NV – Grand Theatre at Grand Sierra Resort

Wednesday, September 29 Saratoga, CA – Mountain Winery (orchestral)

Friday, October 1 Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre (orchestral)

Saturday, October 2 Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl (orchestral)

Monday, October 11 Detroit, MI – Fox Theatre (orchestral)

Tuesday, October 12 Youngstown, OH – Foundation Amphitheater (orchestral)

Wednesday, October 13 Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena (orchestral)

Friday, October 15 Johnson City, TN – Freedom Hall Civic Center

Sunday, October 17 Knoxville, TN – Civic Auditorium

Monday, October 18 Columbus, OH – Palace Theatre

Tuesday, October 19 Charleston, WV – Municipal Auditorium

Thursday, October 21 Reading, PA – Santander Performing Arts Center

Friday, October 22 Wilkes Barre, PA – F.M. Kirby Center

Saturday, October 23 Baltimore, MD – MECU Pavilion

Monday, October 25 Providence, RI – Performing Arts Center

Wednesday, October 27 Port Chester, NY – Capitol Theatre

Thursday, October 28 Hampton Beach, NH – Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom

Friday, October 29 New Brunswick, NJ – State Theatre

Saturday, October 30 Atlantic City, NJ – Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena

Thursday, November 4 Corbin, KY – Corbin Arena

Friday, November 5 Springfield, IL – UIS Sangamon Auditorium

Saturday, November 6 Southaven, MS – Landers Center

Monday, November 8 Savannah, GA – John Mercer Theatre

Tuesday, November 9 Augusta, GA – Bell Auditorium

Wednesday, November 10 Greenville, SC – Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Friday, November 12 Macon, GA – Macon City Auditorium

Saturday, November 13 Tupelo, MS – Bancorp South Arena

Sunday, November 14 Brandon, MS – Brandon Amphitheater

Tuesday, November 16 Huntsville, AL – Mark C. Smith Concert Hall

Wednesday, November 17 Birmingham, AL – BJCC Concert Hall

Friday, November 19 Biloxi, MS – IP Casino Resort & Spa

Saturday, November 20 Pensacola, FL – Saenger Theater

 
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