Foreigner, Jethro Tull, Kansas and Styx Prep For Summer Tours

As the Sun begins to banish the bitter winter chill and eat away at the snow here in the northeast, the newswire continues to deliver word of more classic rock groups who are set to offer their U.S. fans another opportunity to catch them live.

Three classic rock powerhouses – Foreigner, Kansas, and Styx have teamed up for something they are calling the “United We Rock” tour. All three groups are well-known for their fair share of hit singles that blared from countless car stereos during the 1970’s and 1980’s.

Today, classic rock radio stations continue to pump out those same hits, keeping those classic favorites alive, and bringing a new generation of fans into the classic rock fold. Although the crowds at these up-coming shows will likely feature a good number of graying heads (for those of us who still have hair!), there are sure to be many fans who were not yet born when these groups were at the top of their game, and packing stadium-sized venues full of screaming fans.

Although only a handful of dates have been announced so far, the summer tour dubbed “United We Rock” is set to open on June 3rd in Kansas City. This one should be one of the top classic rock tickets of the summer. The tour heads west after the debut show to finish out the month of June, and more dates will be announced soon, including stops in Boston and Chicago.

A press release from the tour quotes Styx guitarist James “JY” Young as saying “These three bands represent the more rocking side of the classic rock genre. With the countless great rock songs each band will be performing, this is going to be a guitars-a-blazin’ good time had by all.”

British rock veterans Jethro Tull are said to be planning a new album in addition to a summer U.S. tour. Starting on June 11th in Miami, the tour will then take the group north to Boston, Chicago and Toronto, among others.

Tull’s plans for a new album will end an 11-year drought for the group, one that is remembered for iconic hits such as “Aqualung,” “Locomotive Breath,” and “Living In The Past.”

Regarding the new album, enduring frontman Ian Anderson says, “I have sent material over to America where the band are working on it. That’s kind of how it works these days but they seem to like what I am doing.”

No release date for the new material has yet been announced, but it is probably a bit too early in the process. Perhaps there’s a chance they will showcase a taste of their new work while on tour.

So far it looks like the summer of 2010 is looking pretty good for classic rock fans. It is probably reasonable to assume that more tour news is on the way. The market is obviously still hungry for the genre, and other recent reunion plans are bound to translate into more live shows for classic rock fans across North America.

More on these tours is available at Live Daily.

Tags: Foreigner, Jethro Tull, Kansas, New Album, Styx, Summer 2010, Tours

Kerry Livgren Suffers ‘Massive Stroke’

Kerry Livgren, one of the driving forces behind the classic rock group Kansas during its peak of popularity, has suffered a massive stroke on Tuesday and underwent surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain. Livgren had recently performed with Kansas at the Missouri State Fair.

Update: Although news reports at the time indicated that Livgren had performed at the Missouri State Fair, a reader has informed me that he had attended the fair, and Livgren did not perform there.

Livgren reportedly came through the surgery well and was listed in serious but stable condition thereafter.

Recent reports on his condition are encouraging, and the 59-year-old rocker is said to be showing very positive signs of recovery. Family members were not open about the details of Livgren’s conditions, but they stressed that there are very positive signs, adding that “…it’s going to take time, but it’s encouraging.”

There are reports that Livgren has already begun working with a speech therapist, which certainly sounds like he has made excellent progress and that his condition is no longer considered serious.

Personally, Kansas has been a favorite of mine since the 1970’s and were an early influence that fueled my appreciation for other progressive rock groups at the time such as Rush and Yes.

The reports of Livgren’s progress since he was first hospitalized are certainly encouraging, and it is likely that a large number of fans are praying for his recovery or at least keeping Kerry Livgren and his family in their thoughts.

Tags: Clot, Condition, Hospital, Kansas, Kerry Livgren, Stroke, Surgery