In the last while at the Red Robinson Show Theatre we have enjoyed the talents of some pretty amazing groups. April Wine paid us a visit as did Styx and Foreigner.

Styx is a Chicago-based rock quintet who ran up 23 Billboard hits between 1972 and 1991. Some of their biggest hits included Lady from 1974, Come Sail Away in 1977, and Babe which hit number one in 1979. Other major hits included The Best of Times in 1981, 1983’s Mr. Roboto and Show Me The Way in 1990. In Greek mythology Styx is a river in hell. They proved to be as solid as advertised and the audience was right into their music.

Next up was Foreigner, which was formed in New York City in 1976 by veteran musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald, along with then-unknown vocalist Lou Gramm. The band has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide. In May of this year Lou Gramm (who is no longer with the group) will be featured as a solo artist for the annual fund raiser at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concert in Cleveland.

The band’s hits stretch from 1977 to 1995. Some trivia: Their 1995 hit Until The End Of Time featured the talents of guitarist Duane Eddy. Last year marked the 30th anniversary of the band’s formation, and Mick Jones was rightfully proud of their longevity. He was a terrific and candid artist when it came to our interview. I asked him where they got the idea for the name of the band, Foreigner. He said it was because the band was made up of Brits and Americans and it just sounded right. Interestingly Foreigner, along with Styx, joined Def Leppard on tour in 2007.