It's Urgent: Foreigner to play Ruth Eckerd Hall on Jan. 15

Sorry about the headline. Another earworm for a Monday. But it's important news so I went with the obvious song-title cliche: Foreigner is set to play Clearwater's Ruth Eckerd Hall on Jan. 15.

Eddie Money is the special guest. (About time. It's been maybe a year since we last saw Eddie. He doesn't write. He doesn't call.)

Foreigner's gig looks like it's part of a short, weather-friendly winter tour by the band. Click here to check for dates closer to you.

Tickets go on sale Friday, Nov. 20. Prices are $85.00, $59.50 and $49.50, but that's a small price to hear Foreigner's classics live. And of course that means the obligatory top 5 list. 

TOP 5 HIGHEST CHARTING FOREIGNER SONGS:

5. URGENT (1981): "I'm not looking for a love that will last. I know what I need and I need it fast."

4. HOT BLOODED (1978): "Now it's up to you, we can make a secret rendezvous. Just me and you, I'll show you lovin' like you never knew."

3. DOUBLE VISION (1978): "My mind is racing, but my body's in the lead."

2. WAITING FOR A GIRL LIKE YOU (1981): "It feels so right, so warm and true. I need to know if you feel it too."

1. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS (1984): "In my life there's been heartache and pain. I don't know if I can face it again."

Still pining over Jessie's Girl: Rick Springfield to play Seminole Hard Rock on Dec. 30

Rick Springfield is coming to Tampa on Dec. 30 to play the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. And I can say this securely and confidently:

If you're never seen "Dr. Noah Drake" live, do ... not ... miss ... this ... concert.

Sorry for the annoying punctuation, but I've seen Rick twice -- and hung out backstage with him both times (not to brag, but hey, yeah I'll brag. It was fun!). Both were excellent shows full of ever hit you can remember -- and some you shouldn't have forgotten. And if he's still doing the shtick where he comes out into the audience to play a couple tunes, then just cross your fingers that he'll launch into Jessie's Girl right in front of you.

Of course, Rick had a new album out in 2008  -- Venus in Overdrive -- so no telling if he'll throw in some current stuff with the old standards. Doesn't matter. The new album's good stuff.

Tickets for concert go on sale Friday, Nov. 13 at 10 a.m. through the Hard Rock Shop and Ticketmaster. Prices are $40 for general admission and $55 for reserved seating.

By the way, the Rick Springfield Cruise departs tomorrow (Nov. 12). Sadly, I won't be onboard. Somehow, I doubt the Rickster needs a wingman anyway.

[Times file photo]

Review: Devo's 'Are We Not Men' show is short but super

Are we not '80s fans? No, we are Devo fans. At least many of us are, including Stuck in the '80s correspondent Christina Kajtsa, who lives in possibly the most un-'80s city of all: Seattle. (Death to grunge!) She caught Devo in concert last week and provides this short review:

Last night I went to see Devo in concert at the Moore Theater here in Seattle. They're only performing in 6 cities, doing two shows a night. One night they are only performing songs off their Are We Not Men?... We Are DEVO! album. The second night they're performing Freedom of Choice. I went to see Are We Not Men?....

The theater was sold out, and a little after 9 p.m. a giant screen came down from the top of the theater and starting showing old DEVO videos (specifically, Secret Agent Man and Mechanical Man). The crowd went wild once all the band members came on stage.

All of them wore their trademark yellow jumpsuits with the word "DEVO" printed across the chest and during the first two songs -- the setlist was the same order as the album... starting with Uncontrollable Urge and ending with Shrivel Up -- Mark Mothersbaugh kept ripping off parts of each of the band members suits (a sleeve here, a pant leg there).

I have to say, I was quite impressed with the show. I thought they would just stand around playing their old songs, but they had choreographed moves for each number (mainly just a lot of marching in place and in circles) and Mothersbaugh was all over the stage. He played the keyboard, the guitar, sang and ran around the stage with pompoms.

At one point in the show, they ripped off their yellow jumpsuits and wore nothing but black t-shirts and black shorts.

Unfortunately, the show was only about 70 minutes long. I thought they were going to play their greatest hits as well, but they mainly stuck to the songs on the We Are Not Men album.

Overall I really had a great time and I was impressed as hell that men who are well into their 50s and 60s still know how to show the crowd a good time.

[Click here to see if Devo is coming to your town.]

[Photo by SIT80s LA correspondent Brad Williams]

Reason #257 to hate the IRS: The taxmen hate the '80s!

Echo & the Bunnymen have canceled their fall U.S. tour for which reason:

A) Tired of explaining band's name to clueless media.

B) They can't bring themselves to play Bring On The Dancing Horses from the Pretty in Pink soundtrack in the wake of John Hughes' passing.

C) They're in some sort of fight with the IRS.

Pretty sure the correct answer is "C" ... but don't rule out "A" or "B."

"It’s with the deepest regret that Echo & The Bunnymen have had to cancel their USA November tour," the band announced on its official website. "This is due to unreasonable demands been presented by the IRS for the band to enter the USA to tour. This is not a VISA issue as some websites have stated."

The tour was set to start Nov. 15 in Atlanta and run through the month. To see what we're missing, check out the Bunnymen's blog from their recent U.K. tour.

What the heck is the IRS doing getting involved with touring plans? Is this about the $12 I still owe the taxman for my 2008 taxes? Dude, the check is in the mail. Let the Bunny fun commence!

In concert: We keep on loving Styx, REO and Night Ranger in Tampa

Not to sound too corny, but after seeing REO Speedwagon live for the third time in about 12 years, the only words that come to mind are: " When I said that I love you, I meant that I love you forever."

And I do still mean it. It's impossible not to still love REO. Even on nights when Kevin Cronin and the boys are a little off.

REO Speedwagon and Styx were the co-headliners Friday night in Tampa at the Ford Amphitheatre, but REO drew the short straw and went on first (well, after a short set by Night Ranger.) All three bands seemed to struggle a little with a sound system that left them sounding muddy and a little light on guitar. Here are the highlights:

STILL ROCKING AMERICA: Give Night Ranger credit. They seem to enjoy every second on stage, even with a 7 p.m. start time (and even if a few of their stories and bits seem a little rehearsed or stale.) "Every band has a na-na song," Jack Blades explained to the crowd after Secret of my Success. Yep, I heard the same schtick word for word a few years ago in Clearwater. Given their short allowance of time on stage, NR used it efficiently, rolling through the hits including Sing Me Away, When You Close Your Eyes, Don't Tell Me You Love Me and Rock in America. Tommy Shaw from Styx came onstage to sing along with Sister Christian, a song that has lost none of its magical powers over the years. If you can't sing along, then your soul is dead.

STILL MISSING DENNIS: I know founding lead singer Dennis DeYoung has been gone from the Styx lineup forever. But they're just not Styx without him. Case in point: Would the Chicago-bred band EVER have been forced to open with Miss America (James Young on vocals) in the old days? With only Young and Shaw remaining in the lineup, the band just feels like a really good tribute band.

TOO MUCH TIME ON THEIR HANDS: There's absolutely nothing wrong with Styx's musicianship. But it feels like they're trying just soooo hard to make fans like them. "Look! We're having fun! We love being on stage! We're happy! We're energetic! You can still like us! Please still like us!"

OBLIGATORY PDA WHINING: It's not a concert review without complaining at "that one couple," right? In this case, it was the heavily boozed up 45-year-old and his 23-year-old date two rows in front of me. By the time Styx got to Grand Illusion, they had broken out some naughty moves I haven't seen since Johnny Castle and Baby Houseman mixed it up in Dirty Dancing. And just like the movie, you get the feeling the night's gonna end with Baby needing to ask her dad to borrow some cash. 

Falling from Grace with God at a Pogues concert in Denver

The Pogues are on tour?!? My Irish eyes would smile, but I'm German, and this isn't a Kraftwerk review. (Check the official Pogues website for dates near you.) Stuck in the '80s Denver correspondent Matt Tartar caught their show over the weekend and supplies a great take of the show. The floor is yours, Matt. (Just be wary that McGowan is passed out over there to the left):

I just returned from the Pogues show here in Denver. I was the first time they've played here and it's taken too long. The concert was exceptional.

The show started off on an odd note when I realized I was wearing the same shirt as Shane MacGowan. But when they kicked off with Streams of Whiskey and If I Should Fall from Grace with God all was forgotten in a wave of Celtic jubilance. They followed those up by pouring out song after song.

My friend and I were amazed at how complete the group sounded and how unexpectedly coherent MacGowan sang. His voice was deeper and well worn but there was no mistaking the growl on Poor Paddy or Sick Bed of Chunhulian. Even the slower songs like A Pair of Brown Eyes and A Rainy Night in Soho were pronounced.

Of course he did need Spider Stacey to interpret his stage banter early until we got used to the brogue. The rest of the band was tightly wound around Stacey's Tin Whistle and James Fearnley's accordion.

Every few songs, MacGowan would take a break, stumble off stage and let another singer take over. The group played almost every song I wanted to hear. By the end, it felt less like a concert and more like a night at the pub with 1,000 people singing along. It was 95 minutes of greatness.

The Pogues setlist: (I am sure I have 90% of it)

• Streams of Whiskey
• If I Should Fall from Grace with God
• Tuesday Morning
• The Broad Majestic Shannon
• Thousands are Sailing
• Poor Paddy
• Repeal the Licensing laws
• Sick Bed of Chunhuliann
• Sunny Side of the Street
• Dirty of Old
• The Irish Rover
• A pair of brown eyes
• A Rainy Night in Soho
• The Old Main Drag
• Sally MacLennane

[Getty Images photo from New York show]

Sick '80s rock star of the day? Morrissey!

How long has it been since we've had a "Morrissey's not doing well" item in the news? We're overdue.

From the Associated Press: "Former Smiths frontman Morrissey was released Sunday from a hospital where he was held overnight after collapsing on stage during a concert."

Collapsing on stage?!? That's a lot more serious that the predictable colds and fevers he catches when he's about to tour Florida.

The singer was performing in Swindon (about 100 miles west of London) "when he was stricken. Two band members rushed to his side and dragged him offstage," the AP reports.

The 50-year-old Morrissey spent the night in a hospital before being discharged. Still no word on what exactly he was "stricken" with. Nobody's talking. Except the fans who saw it all go down.

"I didn't think he looked particularly well but then again, he's well known as a reclusive character so I sort of thought that was just the way he was when he was on stage," one fan told the BBC. "He kept putting his hand up to his mouth as if he felt sick or perhaps he was trying to hide something, but he didn't look particularly comfortable."

[AP photo]

Sunday earworm: Night Ranger's 'When You Close Your Eyes...'

Night Ranger is headed to Tampa, and so this song -- my favorite of from their catalog -- is swimming around my head nonstop.

Jack Blade and the boys play the Ford Amphitheatre on Friday, Oct. 30, along with Styx and REO Speedwagon on the "Can't Stop Rocking" tour, sponsored by Cialis and Rogaine.

(Oh wait, I'm 42 years old. What am I joking about? I just hope they're handing out free samples. And for the record, no, those aren't the real sponsors. But someone hire me please to do their marketing. I'm a genius.)

I'll be at the Ford Amp for the show -- part of my "Blow the Budget with Concert Tickets Fall Tour 2009." I never miss a chance to see REO in concert and torment those around with me by singing Time For Me To Fly at top volume. Bringing a REO "virgin" with me too. My guess is that she'll be second-guessing coming along by the second chorus.

"Things are getting a little rough now:" Bono sounds off on future of U2, America

Because Bono is the only celebrity these days we like equally for his musicianship and philanthropy, we'll take his latest comments on the state of U2 and America more seriously.

Here are some highlights of an interview he gave to the Associated Press as U2's North American tour comes to a close.

ON THE POST-ELECTION OPTIMISM ENDING SO FAST: "I didn't think it could come to this so quickly, after the joyous occasion of that election. I thought America was looking good. ... Things are getting a little rough now."

ON FUNDING TO FIGHT AIDS IN AFRICA: "The Obama administration is just getting going. (He) has promised to double aid over the next years, because even though (President George W.) Bush tripled it, ... the United States is still about half as what European countries give as a percentage, and I think he knows that's not right."

ON THE DISAPPOINTING NEW ALBUM: "We felt that the album was a kind of an almost extinct species, and we should approach it in totality and create a mood and a feeling, and a beginning, middle and an end. And I suppose we've made a work that is a bit challenging for people who have grown up on a diet of pop stars."

Click here to read the full story, which includes some candid remarks from The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. 

[Getty Images]

Bon Jovi's 'When We Were Beautiful' debuts Saturday on Showtime

Bon Jovi's new documentary -- When We Were Beautiful -- debuts Saturday (Oct. 24) at 9 p.m. on Showtime. The black-and-white movie follows the group's 2008 Lost Highway world tour (and of course promotes the band's upcoming album The Circle).

Band members Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Tico Torres and David Bryan also are featured in one-on-one interviews and retell the band's history (the rumored breakups, their sordid social lives, you name it). Of course, the buck always stops with Jon.

"True, it isn't a democracy," Jon says during the documentary. "I've had a vision. The vision seems to work." (Well, maybe except for your country music album, Jon.)

On Wednesday night, the band and some '80s celebrity friends gathered in New York for a Hornitos Tequila-sponsored screening of movie. Here are some cool publicity pics.

JUST WHAT I NEEDED: Ric Ocasek of The Cars (please reform the band, Ric!) and wife/former model Paulina Porizkova were on hand, even though they were celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary. (Who in the world figured they'd last that long?!? I hate you, Ric! ... But seriously, please get the Cars together again.)

GAME SET MATCH: I can't be the only guy out there who wants John McEnroe's life. And wife. Johnny Mac was there with Patty Smyth, who once gave us one of the greatest interviews in Stuck in the '80s history when she spilled the beans on Eddie Van Halen inviting her to replace David Lee Roth. Good move passing that up, Patty. Sometimes love of Eddie, Alex and the boys ain't enough.

[AP photos]