MUSIC

COLLEGE STATION WELCOMES FOREIGNER

by Dylan Allen

You might’ve heard about them from stories of how they electrified audiences, bringing tears to eyes and lighters to the skies with their arena-rock anthems. You might’ve even been in that audience that was invigorated by the iconic guitar solos emitting from the fingers of Mick Jones. Whether it was a debut album, greatest hits album, classic rock radio, or even Guitar Hero, most have heard about the hit-making jukebox heroes called Foreigner. This week, one of the biggest staples of the 1980s will be bringing their heavy rock/R&B fusion musicianship to College Station on February 11.

Foreigner took the music industry by storm with their debut album in 1977 that featured the timeless hit, “Cold as Ice.” In their heyday, Foreigner was playing on just about every set of speakers you could find, receiving 10 multi-platinum albums and 16 Top 30 radio hits. Flash forward to today, and you’ll find “Waiting For A Girl Like You” featured in the latest season of Netflix’s “Stranger Things” and Foreigner on the list of Business Insider’s Top 50 Best Selling Music Artists of All Time in 2017 and inside the top 10 artists on classic rock radio in 2019.

These days, Foreigner stays busy playing shows that may not be exactly the same as those in the 80s but provide that same feeling and energy. “Certain things haven’t changed at all, and that’s the energy between the band and crowd,” says bassist Jeff Pilson. A member of the band since 2004, Pilson says that despite the exponential change in the music industry, Foreigner has still managed to find their place in the modern environment of music streaming due to their loyal fanbase. “With amazing fans,” Pilson says, “the interaction that happens during the show really makes the experience more than just playing a song.”

As many chances as they get, Foreigner now performs their hit, “I Want to Know What Love Is” with a local high school choir. The band donates $500 to the choir for appearing with them and the choir sells Foreigner CDs at the concert to raise money for The Grammy Foundation, the band’s charity partner. Both Foreigner and The Grammy Foundation are passionate about helping to keep music education available to students as part of the core curriculum in high schools throughout North America.

“We’re trying to help school music funding,” Pilson says. “When there’s budget crises almost everywhere, one of the first things to go are the music programs, and that’s a real drag.”

With philanthropic intent and their classic 80s flare, Foreigner will be performing at Rudder Auditorium on Tuesday, Feb. 11. Albums by the band, including their latest live album, “Double Vision: Then and Now,” will be available for purchase at the event.

For more information on the show and how to get tickets, visit the MSC Box Office website, or call (979)-845-1234.

MIKE RYAN WITH KIMBERLY DUNN @HURRICANE HARRY'S

by Mikey Galo

Country music has a way of expressing the heart of the matter, whether it be a break up song, a boy meets girl song, or a kick back on a Sunday afternoon song, and on Friday, Feb. 7, Hurricane Harry’s will be bringing several artists that prove that point when Mike Ryan performs with guest Kimberly Dunn. Ryan is an established artist whose style is a mixture of country music with southern rock and soulful rhythms. He’s also a skilled songwriter. His most recent single, “Dear Country Music,” is a reflection on his journey and his relationship with music thus far. It’s thought-provoking, emotional, and it’s a song that many people, musicians and non-musicians alike, can relate to. Ryan has had five songs reach number one on Texas radio charts. One of which, “Dancing All Around It,” was named 2014 Single of the Year by the Texas Music Pickers. In 2018, he was named one of Pandora’s “Artists to Watch” and played at the White House for its 4th of July Celebration. Dunn released an 11-track album, “New Smoke Show,” in 2018. The album showcases her powerful singing voice on songs with traces of rock ‘n’ roll, pop and country music. Quite the philanthropist, Dunn founded a nonprofit organization, the Dunn Good Foundation, which donates to a variety of different causes, including breast cancer research, horse refuges, and hurricane relief funds. Doors for the show will open at 9:00 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit the Hurricane Harry’s website.

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A CAPPELLA LIVE AT

by Steven Jordan OPAS

Music is wonderfully ubiquitous in the Brazos Valley. Everywhere you go, from bars to coffee shops to parks, you’ll find concerts on the weekends. While proud Texan culture means that country music and rock and roll can be found pretty much anywhere, it can be difficult to branch out if you have the desire for something else. Here is where Texas A&M’s 47th season of OPAS comes in, inviting you to A Cappella Live, an energetic festival celebrating modern a cappella music taking place on Thursday, Feb. 13, in Rudder Auditorium.

First off, you know this will be a stellar show because it’s arranged by Deke Sharon, producer of the “Pitch Perfect” trilogy and “The Sing-Off.” Your second clue is that the performers in A Cappella Live are truly a who’s who of the a cappella world, beginning with the Grammy AwardNominated Committed, a group of five young men from Nashville. Way back in 2010, they won first place on NBC’s musical competition show, “The Sing-Off ” with their now classic version of Queen’s “We Are the Champions.” Their a cappella career has only taken off from there with two album releases, a self titled album released in 2011 and a Christmas EP released in 2014.

Next, also featured on “The Sing-Off,” The Filharmonic is an LA-based a cappella group formed of five young FilipinoAmerican men. After their appearance on the show, their career has similarly skyrocketed after appearing in the hit movie “Pitch Perfect 2” and becoming a viral sensation after their many appearances on James Corden’s “Late Late Show.” Their unique blend of pop, hip-hop, and 90s sentimentality is sure to delight audiences in College Station!

After that, Women of the World is a group formed of four female musicians from the four corners of the earth who make music that crosses cultures while exploring the everyday lives of women everywhere. They have sung songs in 34 different languages and believe that through their music, they can promote peace, wisdom, joy, and tolerance.

Lastly, you will be treated to a performance from Blake Lewis, the American Idol runner up in 2007. His signature sound back then, “blending beatboxing, sound effects, vocal scratching and original arrangements,” has transferred to his solo career swimmingly, and he has released several major-label albums from his 2007 debut, “A.D.D. (Audio Day Dream)” to “Portrait of a Chameleon” released in 2014.

It’s sure to be an energetic, unique night of music from some of the most talented a cappella performers from all across the world. If you’re interested in checking out the familyfriendly A Cappella Live, tickets to this show range from $22-$60 and are available through the MSC Box Office (979- 845-1234) or online through the OPAS website.