A classic rock band is going on tour with its original lead singer.
Foreigner, ahead of its 50th anniversary, announced new tour dates Wednesday that will feature Lou Gramm guesting on some of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group’s biggest hits. Gramm, the original voice of Foreigner, will share the stage with Luis Maldonado, who is replacing current frontman Kelly Hansen on lead vocals.
Concerts include three shows in New York state on Dec. 3-4 at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester and Dec. 6 at St. George Theatre in Staten Island. Tickets go on sale Friday, July 11, at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster, StubHub, Seat Geek, and Vivid Seats.
The new December dates are in addition to Foreigner concerts already scheduled this year, including performances Aug. 7 at the Erie County Fair and Sept. 20 at the Turning Stone. Both are expected to feature Hansen and Maldonado, though Gramm previously hinted at a 50-50 chance he could make appearances.
According to Ultimate Classic Rock, Foreigner is also gearing up to re-release one of its biggest albums, “4,” on Sept. 12. The super deluxe edition of the 1981 multi-platinum release will feature hits “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” “Urgent,” and “Juke Box Hero,” plus five previously unreleased songs, alternative versions, and live performances from the 1981-82 “4″ tour. The album also marked the group’s transition from six members to four.
“Recording our fourth album took the better part of two years,” Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones said in a statement. “It was something that just had to be right and I truly believe that [producer] Mutt Lange, Lou, [bassist] Rick [Willis], [drummer] Dennis [Elliott] and I accomplished something very special. This package, and particularly the stunning Atmos mixes, present a spectacular culmination of one of the most exciting periods of my life.”
Jones is the only Foreigner co-founder who is still an official member, though he no longer performs due to Parkinson’s disease. The December tour with Gramm will mark the first official dates Maldonado taking over lead vocals full time, backed by a band that includes Jeff Pilson (bass), Michael Bluestein (keyboards), Bruce Watson (guitars), and Chris Frazier (drums).
“Earlier this year, we toured Mexico and South America with the incredible Lou Gramm,” Maldonado said in a statement. “We all had such a fantastic time performing and being together, and it’s with that same excitement I look forward to working with Lou again. He was an integral part of the writing and recording of the ‘Foreigner 4’ album and his presence will add a historic dimension to our forthcoming tour.”
Gramm, a Rochester native who currently lives in Webster, has said he’d like to continue performing with Foreigner next year when the band celebrates the 50th anniversary of its formation in 1976. The original voice of hits like “I Want to Know What Love Is,” “Hot Blooded,” “Feels Like the First Time,” and “Cold As Ice” is also set to perform with Foreigner on Sept. 5 to help launch a new musical, “Feels Like The First Time - The Foreigner Musical.”
Foreigner 4 Deluxe tour dates with Lou Gramm
December 3 - Port Chester, NY - Capitol Theatre
December 4 - Port Chester, NY - Capitol Theatre
December 6 - Staten Island, NY - St. George Theatre
December 7 - Bethlehem, PA - Wind Creek Event Theater
December 9 - Wallingford, CT - Oakdale Theatre
December 11 - Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theater
December 12 - Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theater
December 13 - Williamsport, PA - Community Arts Center
