Foreigner are heading to Las Vegas’ Venetian Resort in 2020 for a 10-show run at the Venetian Theater. Five concerts will take place between January 24th and February 1st, and another five are slated for April 17th through April 25th.
“If you take a look at Foreigner’s catalog, there are 16 Top 30 hits, and [in planning a show like this] the problem becomes what songs do you leave out,” singer Kelly Hansen told Billboard of the residency. “Do you do some songs acoustically or do you give them all the classic presentation? These are all discussions that we have in creating a set list, but you’re definitely going to hear all of the big ones for sure.”
Guitarist Mick Jones is the sole remaining member of the classic Foreigner lineup. Over the past couple of years he’s been joined by original lead singer Lou Gramm and other classic-era members on very brief occasions, but the current incarnation features lead singer Kelly Hansen, bassist Jeff Pilson, drummer Chris Frazier and multi-instrumentalist Thom Gimbel. Jones sometimes takes breaks from the road; when that happens, not a single member of the band that played on any of their hits is on the stage.
The individual member of Foreigner (past and present) may not be household names on their own, but they have an impressive catalog of hits that includes “I Want To Know What Love Is,” “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Waiting For a Girl Like You,” “Urgent,” Feels Like the First Time” and “Juke Box Hero.”
The Foreigner musical Jukebox Hero debuted in Toronto earlier this year. It tells the story of a rock story who returns to his hometown in Pennsylvania after a factory closes. It features many of the band’s biggest hits. “I’m not a huge fan of musicals,” Jones told Rolling Stone earlier this year. “But we figured maybe it’s time to take a shot.”
Foreigner joins a long list of acts that have headed to Las Vegas in recent years, including Aerosmith, Journey, the Backstreet Boys, Gwen Stefani, Mariah Carey, Reba McEntire with Books & Dunn, John Fogerty and Sting.