In a recent interview with Laughingmonkeymusic, Jeff Pilson revealed how he felt about Foreigner’s ongoing farewell tour, which kicked off in July 2023. Asked if the experience was bittersweet for him, he explained:
“It is bittersweet. I mean, the band is actually sounding, playing, singing, getting along better than [ever]. We’re in a fantastic place right now.”
Although he’s been performing seated due to his recent back injury, the bassist went on:
“This tour has been so much fun this year. I mean, it is — it’s gonna be bittersweet. The audiences have been great, the crowds are great, but it will be nice to not travel as much. A hundred shows a year for 20 years, that’s a lot. I’m ready to slow that down.”
Reflecting on the band’s future plans, he added:
“And we’ll see exactly where we go from here, but I know that after next year, ’cause we’re gonna go till the end of 24, but I know after next year, no more of the long tours. And yes, it’s bittersweet, but, again, I’m just trying to really appreciate it right now and enjoy it ’cause it’s been so much fun. And I’ve even been in a fricking wheelchair, and it’s been fun. So I’ve gotta say. Doing good.”
Is It Really Farewell?
The ‘Feels Like The Last Time Farewell Tour’ included a Las Vegas residency in fall 2023, and some rumored they were Foreigner’s last performances. But Pilson revealed in September on Idaho’s 94.9 FM and 104.5 FM The Pick that the band planned to continue performing until the end of 2024:
“We know that we’re gonna do eight shows at the beginning of 2024, the end of March and early April, and then we have another residency later in 2024, the end of October and early November. So, yeah, quite, quite a bit of Vegas residency next year, which is pretty exciting. But I don’t know if that’s gonna be the absolute last show or not, but possibly.”
He touched on the possibility of performing as Foreigner even after the farewell by saying:
“And just because we’re doing a farewell tour doesn’t mean that we’re doing a complete retirement. I mean, we still may do occasional shows here and there — you know, special events or whatever. It’s just this is the end of that ‘nine months in the year you’re on the road’ kind of thing.”
The Tour’s Lineup
The lineup for the tour included the original member, Mick Jones, in addition to Pilson, Kelly Hansen, Michael Bluestein, Bruce Watson, Chris Frazier, and Luis Maldonado. But Jones’ presence in the live shows changed from time to time depending on his health condition, as the guitarist went through health issues that led to heart surgery in 2012.
About the matter, Hansen told 100 FM The Pike:
“He’s with us whenever he’s able to be with us. And he is still the architect of this band. And he and I have worked closely for many years. And the great thing about it is that we’ve always been very simpatico about our ideas and about how we think things should be done. So, yeah, whenever he can be with us, he is.”
The Last Dates For Foreigner
The 2023 leg of Foreigner’s farewell trek will continue until November 18. The 2024 shows will kick off in early March in Oklahoma and conclude with a series of Las Vegas shows in November.
