Concerts you have attended?

One more to the list. This was my son's suggestion. REO Speedwagon with Train. Also a third guest "The Yacht Rock Review" (whatever that is). Tickets were cheap. We are sitting in the section without a roof.

Upcoming Shows:

2024:
  • Foreigner & Styx [06/14 Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON]
  • REO Speedwagon with Train [07/20 Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON]
  • twentyone pilots [09/27 Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON]
  • Creed [11/27 Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON]
 
One more to the list. This was my son's suggestion. REO Speedwagon with Train. Also a third guest "The Yacht Rock Review" (whatever that is). Tickets were cheap. We are sitting in the section without a roof.

Upcoming Shows:

2024:
  • Foreigner & Styx [06/14 Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON]
  • REO Speedwagon with Train [07/20 Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON]
  • twentyone pilots [09/27 Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON]
  • Creed [11/27 Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON]
I have a bit of a dilemma if I want to see Foreigner. I can either go see them on 8/28 in Sioux Falls, with Styx, or wait for them to come to Mankato, and see them with Lita Ford, on 9/28. I really want to see them with Styx, but that means driving 2 and a half hours, or driving 20 minutes to see them here.
 
I have a bit of a dilemma if I want to see Foreigner. I can either go see them on 8/28 in Sioux Falls, with Styx, or wait for them to come to Mankato, and see them with Lita Ford, on 9/28. I really want to see them with Styx, but that means driving 2 and a half hours, or driving 20 minutes to see them here.
I've never seen Lita Ford but have seen Styx and Foreigner before. They both did great shows. If it were me (and you can do whatever with this advice) I would stay overnight in Sioux Falls and make the trip an adventure.
 
  • Foreigner & Styx [06/14 Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON]

This show was tonight. The weather was great. Warm and sunny. No rain or wind. Our seats were not covered tonight. Opening act was John Waite. I will review each act separately.

SMOKER ANNOYANCE FACTOR: 6
There was a vaper for most of the show. If it was just him, it would have been a 2 since his stuff wasn't actually smoke. But by the third artist a stoner had joined in. Was annoying considering this venue does provide a smoking area. It's just not as convenient as annoying your neighbours by your seat.

John Waite

Setlist
1. Midnight Rendezvous (The Babys song)
2. Change (Spider cover)
3. When I See You Smile (Bad English song)
4. Missing You
5. Every Time I Think of You (The Babys song)
6. Head First (The Babys song)
7. Back on My Feet Again (The Babys song)
8. Whole Lotta Love / Let Me Love You Baby

John was a bit disappointing. His solo song "Missing You" came out good. But his Babys stuff sounded bad. "Every Time I Think of You" he explained that the recorded version had an orchestra and some backing musicians and he didn't as he was on a budget. But "Back on My Feet Again" is a pretty straight forward rock song. He could have done a better version of it.

Foreigner

Setlist
1. Double Vision
2. Head Games
3. Cold as Ice
4. Waiting for a Girl Like You
5. Dirty White Boy
6. Feels Like the First Time
7. Urgent
(Drum Solo)
8. Juke Box Hero
Encore:
9. I Want to Know What Love Is
10. Hot Blooded

This was both my son and I's second time seeing Foreigner. We saw them last year on their "Farewell Tour". Apparently if you don't stop touring you can visit the same place twice on the "Farewell Tour". I know have said this before and will no doubt again but I HATE DRUM SOLOS! I hate all instrument solos but the drums are the worst. Aside from that, it was a great show. I don't think they have any original members so this was technically a cover band (Mick Jones is technically part of the band but I don't think he was touring with them tonight).

Styx

Setlist
1. The Grand Illusion
2. Too Much Time on My Hands
3. Lady
4. Lorelei
5. Crash of the Crown
6. Miss America
7. Criminal Minds (Gowan song)
8. Rockin' the Paradise
9. Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)
10. The Best of Times
11. Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)
12. Come Sail Away
Encore:
13. Mr. Roboto
14. Renegade

This was my third time seeing Styx. The first 2 times was with my wife. This was my son's first time. The fact he agreed to see this concert was quite remarkable as he cannot stand the song "Come Sail Away". Of course it's a long song and longer in concert so he was quite annoyed. But he added 7 Styx songs to his Spotify playlist. Lawrence Gowen is an amazing performer. He fits in well. I never saw Styx with Dennis DeYoung so I can't compare but I can't see then lacking. Since the show was in Canada (and/or Toronto) they added "Criminal Minds" to the setlist. That is Gowan's most popular solo hit which was big in Canada particularly Toronto (his home).

We had a good time and overall it was a great show. Definitely would recommend if you get the chance.

Upcoming Shows:

2024:
  • REO Speedwagon with Train [07/20 Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON]
  • twentyone pilots [09/27 Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON]
  • Creed [11/27 Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON]
 
You hate all instrument solos - at concerts? Or during the songs on the radio also?
Concerts. If the solo is in my memory imprint of the song it doesn't bother me. For example, the last 1/2 of "Hotel California" at the Eagles concert does not bother me. It's the improvisation of lets see what cool things I can do with my instrument while my bandmates get a beer and take a piss that I don't like. And the drums are the worst as they have absolutely no cool things they can do.
 
One funny note, during the closing remarks from Foreigner they mentioned they were not touring anymore after this (second time I have heard that speech). It got the expected boos from the audience. He said he heard the boos and he liked boos too and got a glass and took a slug. He didn't do that last year.
 
This show was tonight. The weather was great. Warm and sunny. No rain or wind. Our seats were not covered tonight. Opening act was John Waite. I will review each act separately.

SMOKER ANNOYANCE FACTOR: 6
There was a vaper for most of the show. If it was just him, it would have been a 2 since his stuff wasn't actually smoke. But by the third artist a stoner had joined in. Was annoying considering this venue does provide a smoking area. It's just not as convenient as annoying your neighbours by your seat.

John Waite

Setlist
1. Midnight Rendezvous (The Babys song)
2. Change (Spider cover)
3. When I See You Smile (Bad English song)
4. Missing You
5. Every Time I Think of You (The Babys song)
6. Head First (The Babys song)
7. Back on My Feet Again (The Babys song)
8. Whole Lotta Love / Let Me Love You Baby

John was a bit disappointing. His solo song "Missing You" came out good. But his Babys stuff sounded bad. "Every Time I Think of You" he explained that the recorded version had an orchestra and some backing musicians and he didn't as he was on a budget. But "Back on My Feet Again" is a pretty straight forward rock song. He could have done a better version of it.

Foreigner

Setlist
1. Double Vision
2. Head Games
3. Cold as Ice
4. Waiting for a Girl Like You
5. Dirty White Boy
6. Feels Like the First Time
7. Urgent
(Drum Solo)
8. Juke Box Hero
Encore:
9. I Want to Know What Love Is
10. Hot Blooded

This was both my son and I's second time seeing Foreigner. We saw them last year on their "Farewell Tour". Apparently if you don't stop touring you can visit the same place twice on the "Farewell Tour". I know have said this before and will no doubt again but I HATE DRUM SOLOS! I hate all instrument solos but the drums are the worst. Aside from that, it was a great show. I don't think they have any original members so this was technically a cover band (Mick Jones is technically part of the band but I don't think he was touring with them tonight).

Styx

Setlist
1. The Grand Illusion
2. Too Much Time on My Hands
3. Lady
4. Lorelei
5. Crash of the Crown
6. Miss America
7. Criminal Minds (Gowan song)
8. Rockin' the Paradise
9. Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)
10. The Best of Times
11. Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)
12. Come Sail Away
Encore:
13. Mr. Roboto
14. Renegade

This was my third time seeing Styx. The first 2 times was with my wife. This was my son's first time. The fact he agreed to see this concert was quite remarkable as he cannot stand the song "Come Sail Away". Of course it's a long song and longer in concert so he was quite annoyed. But he added 7 Styx songs to his Spotify playlist. Lawrence Gowen is an amazing performer. He fits in well. I never saw Styx with Dennis DeYoung so I can't compare but I can't see then lacking. Since the show was in Canada (and/or Toronto) they added "Criminal Minds" to the setlist. That is Gowan's most popular solo hit which was big in Canada particularly Toronto (his home).

We had a good time and overall it was a great show. Definitely would recommend if you get the chance.

Upcoming Shows:

2024:
  • REO Speedwagon with Train [07/20 Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON]
  • twentyone pilots [09/27 Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON]
  • Creed [11/27 Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON]
Surprisingly, I've never seen any of those bands. Styx and Foreigner especially, since they were big when I was in high school and checking out a lot of shows.

I've got a couple of Gowan records, and agree that he's a great fit for Styx.

I'm good with drum solos if they can keep a decent groove, have some sort of structure (verse, chorus, bridge arrangement if you will) and aren't just bashing about as fast as they can. Peart did a good job of kind of telling a story with his solos. They were compositions & musical all on their own.
 
I'm good with drum solos if they can keep a decent groove, have some sort of structure (verse, chorus, bridge arrangement if you will) and aren't just bashing about as fast as they can. Peart did a good job of kind of telling a story with his solos. They were compositions & musical all on their own.
I think he is the exception. That would make them tolerable. I have not seen another like that.
 
One other observation. Styx did not play their one and only #1 song "Babe". They did not do it in any of the 3 shows I have seen them. In a similar note, Bob Seger did not play his only #1 song "Shakedown" at either of the 2 shows I have seen him (although it does appear occasionally on his playlist -- always as the first song which seems to be variable and likely his "play what I feel like" spot).
 
Both times I’ve seen Queen + Adam Lambert, Brian May has done an extended guitar solo. It was cool. The platform elevates. I’m guessing it gives the rest of the band a break.
 
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