Music News

The Who announce 36-date Quadrophenia tour

By Patrick Doyle
Rolling Stone

Roger Daltrey, left, and Pete Townshend in 2010 (©AP)

The Who have announced they will embark on a 36-date Quadrophenia tour this fall, performing their 1973 rock opera in its entirety. The band's first North American tour in four years will kick off on Nov. 1 in Sunrise, Fla., and will wrap on Feb. 26 in Providence, R.I.

Bing: Pete Townshend's memoir

The band last took "Quadrophenia" on the road in 1996 and 1997. "We've been anxious to work together before we drop dead," Pete Townshend said Wednesday at a press conference with bandmate Roger Daltrey in London. Added Daltrey, "I don't know how many more years I'll be able to sing this music."

In a statement, Pete Townshend said, "I really love playing all of it. It's a unique piece for me in that. Some Who music is nightmarish to perform live. Roger has some very tough songs to sing, and he must have preferences. But for me on guitar, everything falls under the fingers. It flows naturally, and I always feel proud of my achievement as the writer, that I put it all together and gave the band a third wind."
Before heading out on tour, the band will be featured in the finale of the Olympics. "We've recorded a piece of music which I think is a fabulous ending for the Olympics," Daltrey said. "This country put some fabulous music into the world. It wasn't really about the Who being on a TV show. It's about just making great music that is applicable to the end of that event, where you've had people who have given the last eight years of their lives to be there on that field doing their thing."
The lineup for the Who's upcoming tour includes Daltrey and Townshend backed by Zak Starkey (drums), Pino Palladino (bass), Simon Townshend (guitar/backing vocals) and Chris Stainton, Loren Gold and Frank Simes (keyboards).

At the press conference, Townshend updated fans on his upcoming memoir, due this fall -- and made a dirty joke about his buddy Mick Jagger.

Tickets will go on sale via the Who's official fan club at 10 a.m. on July 20 and will go on sale to the public July 25.
Here are the upcoming tour dates:
11/1 Sunrise, Fla. -- BankAtlantic Center
11/3 Orlando, Fla. -- Amway Center
11/5 Duluth, Ga. -- The Arena at Gwinnett Center
11/8 Greenville, S.C. -- Bi-Lo Center
11/9 Greensboro, N.C. -- Greensboro Coliseum
11/11 Pittsburgh -- CONSOL Energy Arena
11/13 Washington, D.C. -- Verizon Center
11/14 Brooklyn, N.Y. -- Barclays Center
11/16 Boston -- TD Garden
11/20 Montreal -- Bell Centre (on sale 7/28)
11/23 Toronto -- Air Canada Centre
11/24 Detroit -- Joe Louis Arena
11/27 Minneapolis -- Target Center
11/29 Chicago -- Allstate Arena
12/2 Nashville, Tenn. -- Bridgestone Arena
12/5 New York -- Madison Square Garden
12/6 Newark, N.J. -- Prudential Center
12/8 Philadelphia -- Wells Fargo Center
12/9 Uncasville, Conn. -- Mohegan Sun Arena
1/28 Anaheim, Calif. -- Honda Center
1/30 Los Angeles -- Staples Center
2/1 Oakland, Calif. -- Oracle Arena
2/2 Reno, Nev. -- Reno Events Center
2/5 San Diego -- Valley View Casino Center
2/6 Glendale, Ariz. -- Jobing.com Arena
2/8 Las Vegas -- The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
2/12 Denver -- Pepsi Center
2/14 Tulsa, Okla. -- BOK Center
2/16 Louisville, Ky. -- KFC Yum! Arena
2/17 Columbus, Ohio -- Schottenstein Center
2/19 Hamilton, Ontario -- Copps Coliseum
2/21 Uniondale, N.Y. -- Nassau Coliseum
2/22 Atlantic City, N.J. -- Boardwalk Hall
2/24 Manchester, N.H. -- Verizon Wireless Arena
2/26 Providence, R.I. -- Dunkin' Donuts Center