“Foreigner” and “Lynyrd Skynyrd” have announced a joint tour in 2026, and I could not be less interested. This version of Foreigner has no members from the band’s 1970s-1980s heyday. This version of Lynyrd Skynyrd has (1) Johnny Van Zandt (joined 1987) and Rickey Medlocke (left circa 1971 and rejoined sometime in the 1990s). The bands have become franchises, or juke boxes, or tribute bands, but they’re charging full price and playing sheds as though they’re the real deal.
OTOH, Carl Palmer’s virtual ELP experience is coming around next year, and I’m very interested. He’s got an excellent excuse for not having E or L in the band.
And before anyone else notices, I am aware Lynyrd Skynyrd’s original members have all passed away and thus are unavailable for touring. Nevertheless, I feel the continued tours are borderline fraudulent.
In general I'm with you on this, but when tribute bands (Australian Pink Floyd etc etc) charge the full whack themselves I guess the blurred lines like here don't really matter quite as much perhaps? But overall, yep, madness....
