The Who heads back on the road this weekend, with their latest North American tour kicking off on Sunday night (October 2nd) at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. The 16-show run wraps over two nights on November 4th and 5th at Las Vegas’ Dolby Live.
The concerts, which play with a full symphony orchestra, are split into three parts — with an opening set including a substantial portion of Tommy, along with such classics as “Who Are You,” “Eminence Front,” and “Join Together.”
A third portion of the show welcomes back the orchestra and tackles key tracks from 1973’s Quadrophenia, among other classics.
Pete Townshend told us that he relishes the chance to shake the tried and true Who show up these days: “Y’know, it’s 52 orchestral (laughs) musicians on the stage with us and Zak Starkey with an electronic drum kit. Y’know, and I’m having to leave my Marshall stacks at home (laughs). It isn’t exactly Guns N’ Roses, y’know what I mean? It’s a very, very different experience.”
Roger Daltrey told us he’s adamant that the current road dates showcase the Who at its most unrelenting: “I don’t want the Who to compromise the way we play at all. I want the same venom coming out of Pete and me and within the songs that are there that is always there. We just do not have to make the racket on the stage. We can do it in a way now that the PA can make that noise; I mean we actually generate it, but we do not need the volume on the stage, we can move it out to the sides, so the crowd get the full whack of the Who as it is as a six-piece, and then the orchestra added on top just makes it mega, y’know?”
The Who tour dates (subject to change):
October 2 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena (with Steven Page)
October 4 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena (with Steven Page)
October 7 – Elmont, NY – UBS Arena (with Steven Page)
October 9 – Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center (with Steven Page)
October 12 – Chicago, IL – United Center (with Steven Page)
October 14 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center (with Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs)
October 17 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena (with Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs)
October 20 – Portland, OR – Moda Center (with Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs)
October 22 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena (with Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs)
October 24 – San Jose, CA – AP Center (with Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs)
October 26 – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center (with Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs)
October 28 – Anaheim, CA – Honda Center (with Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs)
October 30 – Phoenix, AZ – Ak-Chin Pavilion (with Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs)
November 1 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl (with Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs)
November 4, 5 – Las Vegas, NV – Dolby Live (with The Wild Things)