Foreigner Sets UK Dates; Asia to Honor John Wetton

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(Update: Mar. 10): These dates have been postponed.

Earlier this year, Foreigner announced an extensive 40th Anniversary U.S. tour with Cheap Trick and Jason Bonham. Today (March 6) they revealed that they are bringing the worldwide tour to the U.K. in November with Asia and John Parr supporting. The four dates include Foreigner’s first performance ever at London’s esteemed Royal Albert Hall.

Asia will be performing an official tribute in memory of founder member John Wetton, who passed away on January 31. Already signed up are Steve Howe on guitar and Geoff Downes (keys, vox), together with John Wetton’s chosen successor, Billy Sherwood on lead vocal and bass guitar, and other Asia guests to announce. Carl Palmer is unable to join due to prior commitments. Dylan Howe will be performing drums in his place.

The concerts will be a homecoming for founding member and lead guitarist, Mick Jones, who was born in Somerset.

Tickets go on sale to fan clubs on March 8 and to the general public on March 10.

Says Mick Jones in the announcement: “I never could have imagined when I set out to create Foreigner forty years ago, that we’d still be touring around the world and performing the music we love all these years later. I can’t express the gratitude I feel when fans share stories of how our songs have been woven into their milestones and memories over the years. Playing at The Royal Albert Hall has been a childhood dream.”

1977’s Foreigner was an out-of-the-box smash with three huge pop hits: “Feels Like the First Time” (#4), “Cold as Ice” (#6) and “Long, Long Way From Home” (#20). The band enjoyed 14 Top 20 singles including the 1978 follow-up album’s “Hot Blooded” (#3) and “Double Vision” (#2), 1981’s “Urgent” (#4) and “Waiting For a Girl Like You” (#2). In 1984, they earned a #1 chart hit “I Want to Know What Love Is.”

To coincide with the tour, Foreigner–Mick Jones (lead guitar), Kelly Hansen (lead vocals), Jeff Pilson (bass, vocals), Tom Gimbel (rhythm guitar, sax, vocals), Michael Bluestein (keyboards), Bruce Watson (guitar) and Chris Frazier (drums)– will be releasing a celebratory anniversary album 40 – Forty Hits From Forty Years coming May 5 on Rhino. The album includes two new songs, “The Flame Still Burns,” and “Give My Life For Love,” a brand new song by Jones.

Watch Foreigner perform “Waiting For a Girl Like You” in 2016

Watch Asia perform their hit “Heat of the Moment” live in 2013 with their singer-bassist Wetton…

Parr, who earned a #1 hit with “St Elmo’s Fire” in 1985, will be performing an acoustic set.

Foreigner 2017 U.K. Dates

Nov 26 – Wolverhampton – Wolverhampton Civic Hall
Nov 27 – London – The Royal Albert Hall
Nov 29 – Glasgow – SEC Armadillo
Nov 30 – Manchester – O2 Apollo

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