Who's next? The Who are! This year is shaping up to be a big one for the rock 'n roll revolutionaries, as the band announced a 31-date tour that will team them up with local symphonies for arena dates across America. But wait, it gets better for Who fans…
The only condition Who guitarist Pete Townshend had for accepting the lucrative tour offer presented by Live Nation was this: "I said I was not going to sign any contracts unless we have new material,” Townshend told Rolling Stone. “This has nothing to do with wanting a hit album. It has nothing to do with the fact that the Who need a new album. It’s purely personal. It’s about my pride, my sense of self-worth and self-dignity as a writer.”
For his part, Daltrey is set to record vocals for the new project later this year for a 2019 release. Townshend describes the new material as a mix of, "dark ballads, heavy rock stuff, experimental electronica, sampled stuff and cliched Who-ish tunes that began with a guitar that goes yanga-dang.”
As for the tour, this won't be the first time The Who's music gets the symphonic treatment. Back in 1995, Daltrey performed with local symphonies on his Daltrey Sings Townshend Tour. The group will once again work with arranger Keith Levenson, who handled arrangement duties on Daltrey Sings Townshend Tour, on this upcoming tour.
The exact tour dates are yet to be revealed, but Townsend teased it will begin in Michigan in May and run for 14 East Coast dates and pick up again in September and October to cover the West Coast and Canada. More details are expected to be announced soon. Happy Who Year, indeed!
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Update 1/14: The Who have officially announced their 2019 North American Moving On! tour in conjunction with their first studio album in 13 years.
Commenting on what Who fans can expect on the tour, Pete Townshend stated: "The Who are touring again in 2019. Roger christened this tour Moving On! I love it. It is what both of us want to do. Move on, with new music, classic Who music, all performed in new and exciting ways. Taking risks, nothing to lose. Looking forward to seeing you all. Are you ready?"
Check out The Who's website for ticketing details.
