Thom Gimbel says ever since he was a kid, hesa国际传媒檚 always wanted to perform in a rock band, so being a part of Aerosmith and now Foreigner is an indescribable thrill.

sa国际传媒淭o be able to play with these groups has just been the ultimate high point,sa国际传媒� said Gimbel.

Foreigner, with guests Honeymoon Suite, will be onstage at the South Okanagan Events Centre on Oct. 21, as part of their Foreigner 40 tour, marking four decades since Mick Jones put the bandsa国际传媒檚 original lineup together.

Along with Gimbel (rhythm guitar, sax, vocals), the current lineup features Mick Jones (lead guitar), Kelly Hansen (lead vocals), Jeff Pilson (bass, vocals), Michael Bluestein (keyboards), Bruce Watson (guitar) and Chris Frazier (drums).

sa国际传媒淭his band is rocking. We really love the stuff we are doing and working together. Itsa国际传媒檚 like a supergroup,sa国际传媒� said Gimbel, adding that though the lineup has changed over the years, the music is still there.

sa国际传媒淭he Foreigner sound is definitely intact,sa国际传媒� said Gimbel, talking about the new lineup Jones put together in 2004. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 been a really fantastic situation ever since. It has really melded.sa国际传媒�

The Penticton performance also features some special guest performers. The Penticton Secondary school choir will be performing with the band on I Want To Know What Love Is. Pen High music director Justin Glibbery said the bandsa国际传媒檚 request came out of the blue, but itsa国际传媒檚 a great opportunity for the students.

sa国际传媒淚 couldnsa国际传媒檛 be happier for the kids. It is going to be a memory for their entire lives,sa国际传媒� said Glibbery. sa国际传媒淭heysa国际传媒檒l be able to tell their kids, when they are parents, I got to sing on the stage with Foreigner.sa国际传媒�

This tour features a companion album, a career-spanning compilation titled 40, featuring 40 hits from 40 years, released this spring, along with a double-vinyl version featuring 23 songs.

Gimbel said while the tour features a lot of the great hits from the bandsa国际传媒檚 catalogue, like Feels Like The First Time, Urgent, Waiting For A Girl Like You, there is new work as well.

sa国际传媒淭here are a couple of new songs on that compilation. That just shows you that Mick sa国际传媒� Mick Jones, our leader and founder, ace guitarist sa国际传媒� is always writing songs,sa国际传媒� said Gimbel. sa国际传媒淗esa国际传媒檚 always continuing to write new stuff and there has been talk about getting Lou Gramm (the bandsa国际传媒檚 original lead singer) doing some stuff in the studio with some old tapes that they rediscovered, they might consider finishing them.sa国际传媒�

And, Gimbel continued, no two live shows are the same.

sa国际传媒淭here is always room for creativity and even if we are playing the live show, we are going to stretch out a little bit and throw in some interesting moments,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淭hese live versions have a life of their own, and we like to encourage that flourish.sa国际传媒�

Gimbel said they are looking forward to bringing the tour to Canada.

sa国际传媒淪o vast and open and clean air and trees, we really are looking forward coming up there,sa国际传媒� he said, adding theysa国际传媒檙e looking forward to connecting with the audience in Penticton.

sa国际传媒淚t will be a lot of fun to get that many people rocking out together, that will be our goal. We love any kind of scenario that involves an audience and us,sa国际传媒� said Gimbel. sa国际传媒淲e are just happy to be there and get a chance to connect. It is fun to rock out as a band, but it is ten times more fun when the audience becomes part of it.sa国际传媒�

Foreigner isnsa国际传媒檛 just looking to the past, Gimbel said, and there are a bunch of new projects on the go.

sa国际传媒淭here is a DVD we did with a symphony, that should be coming out by the end of this year. Fantastic project,sa国际传媒� said Gimbel, adding that there is also a reunion with the bandsa国际传媒檚 original 1970s lineup being planned.

sa国际传媒�2018 is booking up pretty quick,sa国际传媒� he said.

Tickets for Foreigner with Honeymoon Suite at the SOEC can be purchased in-person at the Valley First Box Office at the SOEC, via phone 1-877-763-2849 or online at .