Rock and roll bands, pop singers and other performers have a difficult time retiring from the stage. Sometimes, a health condition forces artists to stop performing, such as frontman Huey Lewis of Huey Lewis and the News, singer Steve Harwell of Smash Mouth or pop icon Celine Dion. In other cases, performers may have toured for so long that they decide it's time to drop the mic for the final time.
Former Genesis frontman and solo star Phil Collins in 2004 launched a farewell tour, The First Farewell Tour, though he may not have been serious about it, since he continued touring afterward. In March 2022, however, he appeared with his Genesis bandmates while sitting in a chair on stage in London at what is believed to be his final concert ever because of his health issues.
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The Who just keeps coming back
British invasion band The Who also keeps sticking around after hitting the road in 1982 on what they called their "farewell tour" playing arena and stadium shows to sellout crowds. The band returned to the stage for a benefit Live Aid performance in 1985, but decided to retire the idea of retirement in 1989 for their 25th anniversary tour.
The Who then toured again in 1996, 1999, 2000 and embarked on 10 tours between 2002 and 2021. Talk about an unusual retirement plan.
Legendary pop singer Tony Orlando, who had a No. 1 hit with "Tie a Yellow Ribbon" back in 1973, was a regular headliner on the Las Vegas Strip and off the Strip throughout his career. The singer has performed residencies over the past 25 years at Michael Gaughan's Orleans Las Vegas casino and his South Point Casino more recently. At age 79, Orlando decided to retire from performing after he performs his Farewell Concert at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Conn., on March 22.
Legendary rock band the Eagles, which has performed farewell tours for over 20 years, is expected to wrap up its touring career with its "Long Goodbye" tour on June 15, 2024, in the Netherlands. The band formed in 1971, but broke up after its Long Run Tour in 1980.
The breakup ended when the band reunited in 1994 for the Hell Freezes Over tour, released a live album from that tour and returned to the recording studio. The band also continued touring every year, except in 1997 and 2000. Less than 10 years after reuniting, the band decided to take advantage of the farewell tour trend and launched its Farewell 1 tour in May 2003 in Sunrise, Fla.
This reporter suspects that the Eagles were not serious about their Farewell 1 tour after hearing singer/guitarist Glenn Frey, who passed away in 2016, reject the notion that they were retiring during a 2005 show in Sacramento by saying, "If you're payin', we're playin'."
The Eagles reportedly will fly into the Sphere
Despite the Eagles wrapping up the band's latest farewell tour in June, the group has signed up for a residency at Sphere Entertainment's (SPHR) Sphere in Las Vegas from September through December, according to sources familiar with the situation the New York Post reported. The amount of shows and terms of the transaction have not been disclosed. The Sphere is not commenting on the deal, the Post said.
Jam band Phish follows superstar rock band U2's five-month, 40-show residency at the Sphere, which wrapped up March 2, with four shows April 18, 19, 20 and 21. The band's website said that these would be the band's only shows at the Sphere in 2024.
Grateful Dead spinoff band Dead & Company, a group that finished its final tour July 16, 2023, arrives in Las Vegas for its Dead Forever – Live at Sphere residency in Vegas consisting of 24 shows from May 16 through July 13.
