Several legendary rock bands in past years have performed what they described as their farewell tours. Oftentimes, many of these bands can't resist returning to the stage after saying goodbye to their fans.
One of the early rock bands to retire and come back was the renowned group The Band, which had backed Bob Dylan before setting out on their own in the late 60s. The Band performed what was supposed to be their farewell concert, The Last Waltz, at San Francisco's Winterland Arena on Thanksgiving 1976. However, bandmembers launched a reunion tour in 1983 without their leader Robbie Robertson.
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Electric Light Orchestra officially disbanded in 1986 after lead vocalist Jeff Lynne called it quits three years earlier. Members of the band, not including Lynne, regrouped in something called ELO Part II in 1989 and toured for a little over 10 years.
Doobies just can't quit
The Doobie Bothers are another band that just couldn't retire after a farewell tour. The Doobies embarked on their farewell tour in 1982 and released a live album afterward to commemorate the tour. Then the band got back together in 1989 and continued performing. The band in 2019 scheduled a 50th anniversary tour to begin in June 2020 but needed to postpone shows until 2021 because of the covid pandemic. The Doobies have a hard time ending tours as well, as the 50th anniversary tour has stretched into 2023.
The band hasn't scheduled its second farewell tour yet, however.
One of the most recent farewell tours scheduled is Aerosmith's Peace Out Farewell Tour that begins Sept. 2 in Philadelphia and ends Jan. 26 in Montreal. The band also had a long-running residency at the MGM Resorts International's (MGM) -) Park MGM in Las Vegas from April 2019 to November 2022. Don't be surprised if the band returns for a farewell residency after ending its final tour.
Foreigner on its farewell tour
Popular 1970s rock band Foreigner joined bands embarking on farewell tours as it kicked off its The Historic Farewell Tour on July 6 in Atlanta, which will conclude March 13, 2024, in Fort Myers, Fla. To complement the tour, the band also released a new LP, "Farewell – The Very Best of Foreigner" on gold vinyl.
Foreigner last performed a residency on the Strip earlier this year before the farewell tour with eight shows in March and April for its Best of Foreigner 4 & More Live residency at Apollo Global Management's (APO) -) Venetian Theatre at The Venetian Resort. That return engagement followed a previous eight-show residency at The Venetian in March and April 2022. The band also scheduled a residency to start in January 2020, but that residency was interrupted by the covid pandemic after several shows.
Foreigner can't get enough of the Las Vegas Strip, as the band has scheduled its 16-show farewell residency at the Venetian Theatre on the Strip only days after it completes its farewell tour. The band will kick off the residency with shows on March 22, 23, 27, 29, 30, April 3, 5 and 6, 2024. After a six-month hiatus, the band wraps up the farewell residency with shows Oct. 25, 26, 30, Nov. 1, 2, 6, 8 and 9, 2024. All shows start at 8:30 p.m.
Tickets for the farewell residency go on sale Sept. 1 at 10 a.m. Pacific time at Ticketmaster.com or at The Venetian Resort box offices. Citi cardmember, Artist, Official Platinum and VIP Packages presales begin Aug. 29 at 10 a.m., Pacific. Live Nation, Ticketmaster and Venetian presales begin Aug. 30 at 10 a.m., Pacific.
