The Who

[Tomorrows]

Id see them if I could - love the band and the music.

That said, I find it hard to look at Roger Daltrey. He can still sing well (even live) but the man looks terrible. Has anyone seem him in that Tommy/Quadrophenia DVD set?

Also, it always makes me sad to see a rock god in old age performing 


Oh yeah, and Zeppelin going out in a "blaze of glory"? Haha, 13 years of aging musicians performing and with the quality of their last two albums, hardly I blaze of glory thing.

[J?]

So does that mean we get Zak Starkey drumming? Cause if so for sure I'll see them.

Hands off to Zak Starkey, Keith Moon taught him alot of shit! What an awesome Godfather to have had.

- Jimmer

[Malcolm]

On February 14, 1970, The Who played at the 2,000 capacity venue Refectory and recorded one of the all-time classic live albums ?The Who Live At Leeds?. On June 17th, 2006, they revisited the site to do it all again.

The concert was recorded and filmed for a live CD and DVD later this year. Sir Peter Blake, who did the original artwork back in 1970 and also designed the sleeve for The Beatles ?Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band? album was recruited to design the new sleeve for Live At Leeds 2. His other credits include artwork for Band-Aid ?Do They Know It?s Christmas??, Paul Weller?s ?Stanley Road? and The Who?s ?Face Dances?.

The show was an immediate sell-out with fans queuing overnight for tickets. One headline read ?I Hope I Buy Before I Get Cold?.

Live at Leeds 2 featured only ?I Can?t Explain? and ?Substitute? from the previous setlist 36 years ago but the band did debut the new song ?Wire & Glass? which Pete Townshend describes as ?eleven minutes long, we will blast through it, and if the crowd get distracted they can buy our fabulous merchandizing?.

The setlist for Live at Leeds 2 was:

Who Are You
I Can't Explain
The Seeker
Substitute
Wire & Glass
Sound Around
Pick Up The Peace
Endless Wire
We've Got A Hit
They Made My Dreams Come True
Mirror Door
Baba O'Riley
Let's See Action
Relay
Behind Blue Eyes
Mike Post Theme
Pinball Wizard
Amazing Journey
See Me
Listening To You

Encores:

Eminence Front
Naked Eye
Won't Get Fooled Again


Wow what a freakin setlist

[Kujo]

That setlist is keeping me from getting pissed. They've been promising the new CD since last winter.

[J?]

Zak Starkey drumming?

[Malcolm]

Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey, surviving founders of The Who, have revealed the initial dates for the group's first world tour in over 20 years, which gets underway with a round of North American shows this fall.

So far, the rock legends have inked 15 September and October tour dates that kick off in Philadelphia Sept. 12 and focus on the northeastern US and Canada. A lone November show in Los Angeles and a lone December show in Toronto, both part of the tour's planned November/December leg, have also been confirmed.

Tickets for most of the 17 shows will hit the box office Monday (7/17), according to organizers, with a handful of others scheduled for release Aug. 5. Details are included below.

Members of the band's official tour club will have early access to tickets via an online presale that begins today (7/13) and runs until Saturday (7/15), as well as access to special VIP ticket packages. More information is posted at the tour's official website.

Tickets will be priced at $97, $77 and $52 in most US markets, with "a limited number of golden circle seats also available," according to a press release. There will be an eight-ticket limit per person during the public on-sale, and a four-ticket limit per person during the fan-club presale.

Ticket purchasers will also receive a free membership to the tour club, which features behind-the-scenes and concert video and audio streams, downloads, set lists, news and more, according to The Who.

In addition to announcing their tour plans, Townshend and Daltrey have also nailed down an Oct. 23 release date for a new album tentatively titled "Who 2," which is The Who's first new studio collection since 1982's "It's Hard."

"For the first time in 25 years we are returning to the USA with great live music--the entire catalogue of our old stuff--and new music," Townshend said in a press release. "We have a great new video show, a new Mini-Opera and plans to do some special shows with special themes. Our European shows are warming us up, and we will be in great form when we start the tour in September," said Pete Townshend. "I don't think I've ever looked forward to a tour as much as this one. Roger and I are both fit and well, ready to rock."

"Pete and I are really excited to be returning to the US with some brand new music to play," Daltrey added. "We'll also be digging out some rarities that we've not played for a long time. We're looking forward to reconnecting with our American fans and hopefully seeing some new ones coming along too."

Townshend and Daltrey have tapped drummer Zak Starkey (son of Beatles drummer Ringo Star), guitarist/vocalist Simon Townshend (Pete's younger brother), bassist Pino Palladino and keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick to back them during the tour.

Original bassist John Entwistle died of a cocaine-induced heart attack in 2002 at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, where the band was preparing for a North American tour that was scheduled to launch three days later. Daltrey and Townshend canceled the first two shows, but ultimately forged ahead with the outing.

Original drummer Keith Moon died of a drug overdose in 1976.

September 2006
12 - Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Center (on sale 7/17)
13 - Wantagh, NY - Jones Beach Theater (on sale 7/17)
15 - Boston, MA - TD BankNorth Garden
16 - Ottawa, Ontario - Scotia Place (on sale 7/17)
18 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden (on sale 7/17)
21 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center (on sale 7/17)
25 - Chicago, IL - United Center (on sale 7/17)
29 - Clarkston, MI - Palace of Auburn Hills
30 - London, Ontario - John Labatt Centre (on sale 7/17)

October 2006
3 - Winnipeg, Manitoba - MTS Centre (on sale 7/17)
5 - Calgary, Alberta - Pengrowth Saddledome (on sale 7/17)
6 - Edmonton, Alberta - Rexall Place (on sale 7/17)
8 - Vancouver, British Columbia - General Motors Place (on sale 7/17)
10 - Portland, OR - Rose Garden (on sale 8/5)
11 - Seattle, WA - Key Arena (on sale 8/5)

November 2006
5 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl (on sale 8/5)

December 2006
4 - Toronto, Ontario - Air Canada Centre (on sale 7/17)

[AxlsMainMan]

Well, Ill definately be trying to score tickets for the Ottawa and Toronto show, but Im sure The Who's fanclub will suck up all the quality tickets before us, joe blows even have a crack at them..

[AxlsMainMan]

Got 2 tickets on the floor for the December 4th Toronto show this morning

Row 30, so here's hoping for a good view

It's just kind of funny, these tickets were double that of Gn'R's Hammerstein shows, and those were far more intimate than a show at the ACC would be..

But anywho, who else is coming to the Toronto show?

[Mattattack]

I just got my tickets today for the Vancouver show. I got 6th row baby. Hopefully Pete smashes his guitar at some point in the show.

[AxlsMainMan]

I just got my tickets today for the Vancouver show. I got 6th row baby. Hopefully Pete smashes his guitar at some point in the show.

6th row....

I hit refresh a few dozen times and row 30 was the best I could do for Toronto...

Oh well, I simply cant wait even with it being months away...but I just hope this show does't coincide with Gn'R's touring plans in the Fall..

[Mattattack]

I just got my tickets today for the Vancouver show. I got 6th row baby. Hopefully Pete smashes his guitar at some point in the show.

6th row....

I hit refresh a few dozen times and row 30 was the best I could do for Toronto...

Oh well, I simply cant wait even with it being months away...but I just hope this show does't coincide with Gn'R's touring plans in the Fall..

Vancouver isn't a great concert town. I got row 6 on my first try. Hopefully GnR comes back to Vancouver again, but I doubt it. I saw them at Hammerstein so I have got my GnR fix until the records out.

[Acquiesce]

http://billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003052874

The Who Inks With Universal For 'Endless Wire'


August 24, 2006, 2:20 PM ET

Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
The Who has inked a new deal with Universal Republic for the Oct. 31
release of "Endless Wire," its first album since 1982's "It's Hard."
The set will feature the complete mini-opera "Wire & Glass," a
shortened version of which was released internationally last month.

Other tracks expected to appear include "Mike Post Theme" and "Man in a
Purple Dress," which guitarist Pete Townshend has previously likened to
"a Bob Dylan song from the early days." "Pete's music, for me, is still
a driving force in my life," vocalist Roger Daltrey said last month,
adding that the new songs have "the Townshend magic."

Townshend has a pre-existing relationship with Universal, whose Hip-O
imprint is reissuing his entire solo catalog next Tuesday (Aug. 29).
Universal also issued the Who's 2004 retrospective "Then & Now," which
featured the band's first new songs in two decades.


The Who are gearing up for a fall North American tour, during which
songs from "Endless Wire" are expected to debut. The outing opens Sept.
in Philadelphia.

[Malcolm]

Tuesday night's Wachovia Center Concert was billed as the kickoff of The Who's 2006 North American tour. A better description would probably be "dress rehearsal."

This should not be taken as a slap at the classic rock titans led by guitarist-composer Peter Townshend and vocalist Roger Daltrey. Judging by some mid-show remarks, Townshend would be the first to say, "Amen."

"The old stuff can sound just as crappy and unrehearsed as the new stuff," Townshend told the sold-out crowd following a mid-show rendition of "You Better You Bet" which, to that point, was actually one of the better efforts of the evening.

Indeed, the concert's first half had all the earmarks of an opening-night gig.

The standard material, including the band's traditional show-opener, "I Can't Explain," "The Seeker" and a surprisingly early-in-the-set "Baba O'Reilly," seemed tentative and even, at times, a bit soft around the edges. That was also the case for the presentation's first new song, "Good Looking Boy," a paean to Elvis Presley.

And then there was the program's most interesting sequence, the 10-minute, seven-segment "mini-opera," "Wire and Glass," the centerpiece of Endless Wire, the band's first album of new songs in more than 20 years that will be released Oct. 30.

According to Townshend, it's a semi-fictional work about a rock band of a generation subsequent to The Who's that takes its individual personalities from from Townshend, Daltrey and the unit's two deceased charter members, drummer Keith Moon and bassist John Entwistle.

Townshend covered himself and his teammates by asking the audience for its forbearance before playing the piece. It was a brilliant strategy, earning instant sympathy: The work was dodgy as all get out; making matters worse, at one point, Daltrey's ear-bud monitors apparently conked out, leaving him to struggle mightily (and unsuccessfully), with the melodies.

But glimmers of the diamonds buried within poked through the rough, in particular during the catchy and ebullient "It's A Hit," and "Dream Come True," which references the death of 11 fans in a stampede before the band's concert in Cincinnati in December, 1979.

And it's a mortal lock the group will absolutely nail the entire suite when it returns in late November for its sold-out performances at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa and the Wachovia Center.

Townshend's self-directed sarcasm had an interesting effect. What had been a program of somewhat mushy and out-of-step pieces suddenly got on track.

"You Better You Bet" was followed with the musically tricky "Who Are You," which snapped, crackled and popped it way toward being, arguably, the finest live version of the song Philadelphia has ever witnessed.

And from there on out, the set steamrolled its way toward a typically chill-producing pre-encore finale of "Won't Get Fooled Again." Along the way were stops at "Fragments," a new composition which Townshend said was composed by (not on) a computer, and a really cool "My Generation."

Individually, the players delivered.

Townshend remains a perpetual motion machine, skittering about his side of the stage, regularly serving up the "windmill" style of strumming that is as iconic as rock music gets. And his lead playing was inelegant and blunt, but oddly stylish and always to-the-point.

Daltrey is no longer the klaxon-toned belter of yore. But like Frank Sinatra before him, he's wisely chosen not to challenge the come-due toll demanded by the passage of time, but instead to adapt, transforming his tone from flashy, defiant brass to mellow, burnished woodwind.

And rest assured he's still able to summon ample amounts of spit and vinegar when necessary.

And of course, an incalculable contribution was made by drummer Zak Starkey, Ringo Starr's son, who amazed once again with his sure-handed (and footed) evocation of Moon's inimitable bashing style.

[Malcolm]

OTTAWA - Lots of teenage musical obsessions have come and gone over the last 40 years, none have had the enduring snarling pheromones of The Who, who played Scotiabank Place last night.

Even reduced to two old geezers in Roger Daltrey, who's 62, and Pete Townshend, a waif at only 61, the band many considered one of a trio of groups who led the British Invasion of the 1960s, amazingly still has enough musical muscle, raw rock energy and a killer set of pre and post-punk tunes to thrill more than 12,000 -- 12,000??? What's wrong with you Ottawa?

The last time The Who played the capital was Oct. 1969. Here they are 37 years later, in front of a red theatrical curtain almost an hour after the opening band Peeping Tom cleared the stage. But no one seems to mind. There's plenty of beer, lots of banners with the Who's RAF logo and the sound system is playing Led Zeppelin really loud.

If you don't know how good that is, ask your parents.

But when Daltrey and Townshend do walk on stage, the roar is deafening. So loud, they have to wait for the noise to die down before they can begin to play I Can't Explain. It isn't long before Roger is twirling the microphone and Pete is doing the first of many windmill waves on his guitar.

Joined by Pete's brother, Simon, on bass, with Zak Starkey -- Ringo's son -- on drums, Daltrey and Townshend both look and sound fabulous. Okay, Roger admittedly has lost the top end of his voice. That was obvious during Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere but Townshend appeared ageless and loving the show, bouncing constantly.
   

<A HREF="http://ads5.canoe.ca/event.ng/Type=click%26FlightID=32120%26AdID=58147%26TargetID=6569%26Segments=2371,4176,4833,4952,4953,5075,6137,7437,7485,7523,8625,9318,10505%26Targets=439,6697,6569,4862,4884,3989,3846,3773,4302%26Values=30,50,60,72,86,90,101,110,150,160,213,224,264,332,334,374,379,380,396,493,861,863,889,1284,1304,1315,1445,1467,1544,1551,1561,1620,2292,2307,2326,2402,2408,2553,2670,2686,2699,2701,2703,2704,2787,3070,3079,3562,3718,3797,3993%26RawValues=USERID%2C7f000001-20171-1142379370-1%26Redirect=" target="_top"><IMG SRC="http://imageads.canoe.ca/Domestique06/Toronto/yoga_20060622_300x300.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=300 BORDER=0></A>

Then, joking with the audience, he laughed about getting kicked out of their hotel, presumably the Chateau Laurier, when they were last here in 1969.

"They kicked us out at 2 a.m., so we said screw it, let's leave for Toronto."

After that little tease, he practically apologized for playing songs from their new Endless Wire album, which is due out next month. The first new song, Fragments, is generic retro '70s rock. The best thing you can say about it is that at least they're quoting themselves.

That's how their 90-minute concert went, sets of much-loved favourites, interrupted briefly by half-hearted pitches of new material, including a mention of their new all-Who channel on Sirius satellite radio.

Perhaps Townshend's own anxiety performing new material tainted the show, or the audience's expectations. But when they redialled their live show back to the old stuff, what Townshend described as "the melting pot of self-obsessive lunacy" in Who Are You and Behind Blue Eyes, the results were thrilling.

The Who is, after all, the band that invented the rock anthem. And when Daltrey and Townshend let one rip, it shook you to the bones.

After their tribute to Elvis Presley, Good Looking Boy, and, again almost apologizing, they introduced Glass of Wine, or what Townshend described as a "mini-opera of six songs squashed together" as if they were test-marketing new album and really insecure about the results. Which, obviously they were. Hmmm. Better luck next time.

They don't quite stand up to My Generation, You Better You Bet, Won't Get Fooled Again or their encore Pinball Wizard, See Me Feel Me and the overture to Tommy.

Even if the show was, at times, frustratingly uneven -- when the fans weren't screaming, you could hear a pin drop -- the city hasn't seen anything -- and here I'm including The Stones, Bowie, even Springsteen -- nearly as frustratingly, wonderfully big a rock show as the one The Who put on last night.

Now THAT'' a rock show.

On a historic evening like this, you had to feel for Peeping Tom, the hipper-than-hip metal hopsters, who went to great lengths to get any sort of reaction from the house, only to find that the only thing tougher than a gangsta rapper is an old, disinterested Mod, who wants to be left alone with his favourite band.

Why, oh why, book an opening act for The Who.

Im trying to find a setlist

[cotis]

I was thinking about seeing these guys in NJ, but I'm in Vegas and they're playing at the places close to me when I'm out here!

[Pinball Wizard]

I hope the come to Brazil...I love The Who!!!! 

[stinson4ever]

IM gonna see them at the shot in columbus. its gonna be awesome.
plus the pretenders are opening

[Acquiesce]

Philly was awesome. 

[Malcolm]

Pete Townshend blows off Howard Stern

10/26/2006 4:38 PM, AP


Howard Stern's radio guests expect him to air their dirty laundry and play along. Pete Townshend isn't one of them.

The legendary Who guitarist-songwriter ducked out of his scheduled interview on Stern's Sirius Satellite Radio show on Wednesday upon hearing Stern talk about a touchy subject for him ? his 2003 arrest in London on suspicion of possessing child pornography. Townshend was cleared of the charges.

Townshend, along with girlfriend Rachel Fuller and Who bandmate Roger Daltrey, was listening to Stern's New York-based broadcast as he waited in a London studio for his interview to begin. Co-host Robin Quivers brought up the "child pornography stuff" and Townshend's claims that he was abused as a child. "Oh yeah, we could ask him about that," Stern said. Townshend stormed out, leaving Daltrey and Fuller to talk to Stern.

During that conversation, Quivers said that Townshend would have walked out of the interview even "if we didn't bring that up. He's a real testy guy."

Daltrey weighed in on Townshend's behalf, accusing Stern of "sniffing dirty underpants."

"Can you imagine you're accused of this stuff and then you're found not guilty? If you had to defend yourself through this stuff? The wounds are so deep on the man, and it's just tragic because he's got so much to offer," he said.

Stern, who jokingly referred to Fuller as "Yoko" after it was mentioned that Fuller had co-written a song on the new Who album, wound up apologizing to Townshend.

"Tell Pete I am very sorry," he said. "We would have had a great interview with him. I really wish he'd reconsider this. We adore him."

The Who is in the midst of a 15-month concert tour all around the world, its largest ever. The band's first album in 24 years, "Endless Wire," is set for release at the end of this month.

[Malcolm]

Concert Review: The Who

Air Canada Centre, Toronto - December 4, 2006

By JANE STEVENSON -- Toronto Sun


TORONTO - The Who's first major world tour in 20 years has been billed as "Uncut. Uncensored. Unrepentant."

And while singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend didn't quite live up to that supercharged billing last night at the Air Canada Centre, the seminal '60s British rock group's two surviving original members definitely had their moments over the course of two hours.

Let's not forget that Daltrey is now 62 years old and Townshend is 61 as the band moves past its fourth decade, farewell tours of the past notwithstanding.

So much for My Generation's anti-establishment refrain of "Hope I die before I get old!"

Still, both men remain powerful and passionate performers, delivering their trademark moves, whether it was Daltrey swinging his microphone around -- even if his voice wasn't always there -- or Townshend's signature windmill guitar playing and scissor kicks in the air.

"As you can probably hear I've got a bit of a cold tonight," said Daltrey, by way of explaining his weakened vocals. "Between you and me, we'll get by and we'll have a great night."

Remarkably, Daltrey summoned up a mighty scream for the set-ending Won't Get Fooled Again, which came right before a Tommy-filled encore that included Pinball Wizard and See Me, Feel Me.

Ostensibly hitting the road again in support of The Who's first studio album in 24 years -- Endless Wire -- Daltrey and Townshend have been around long enough to know it's the hits the fans come for.

Thus the lauded trio of I Can't Explain, The Seeker and Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere launched the sold-out evening while archive footage of the group, when it still included bassist JohnEntwistle, who died in 2002, and drummer Keith Moon, who passed away in 1978, played on a video screen.

And even though the band last played Toronto in 2002 as part of a mini-North American tour, shortly after Entwistle's death, there was more of a sense this time of looking back -- Baba O'Riley was the night's thrilling standout -- as much as looking forward.

Endless Wire's mini-opera was played along with other new songs like A Man In A Purple Dress, Black Widow's Eyes, Mike Post Theme and Tea & Theatre, which ended the entire show with just Daltrey and Townshend on stage playing acoustic guitar on stage.

Of the current Who backing line-up, it was Ringo Starr's son Zak Starkey on drums who stood out, particularly during some monster playing on Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere, Baba O' Riley, Black Widow's Eyes and Won't Get Fooled Again.

"Well, here we are again," said Townshend, who also demonstrated some exquisite guitar work on Who Are You, Eminence Front, My Generation, Cry If You Want To, Won't Get Fooled Again and Pinball Wizard.

"This is the probably the favourite city of mine in Canada. Partly because I love Toronto so much, partly because when I used to drink, I used to have such a good time here."

Meanwhile, enduring '80s act The Pretenders delivered a no-frills but polished opening 50-minute set with formidable frontwoman Chrissie Hynde still in top vocal form at age 55.

Decked out in a black top hat, white blazer with tails, jeans and boots, Hynde didn't let the small crowd gathered for the openers dampen her sharp performing style.

"It's a great pleasure to be back in Toronto," said Hynde, the only remaining original band member along with drummer Martin Chambers. "I've always had a soft spot for this city."

Song highlights included Night In My Veins, Message Of Love, Don't Get Me Wrong, Precious, My City Was Gone, Bob Dylan's Forever Young, and Back On The Chain Gang -- the last three tunes boasting nice guitar work from Adam Seymour, who's been in the band since 1994.

---

The Who

w/The Pretenders

Last night

Air Canada Centre

Sun Rating: 4 out of 5