The Who Tour 2006-2007

The Who Tour 2006-2007 is The Who's first worldwide concert tour in several years.

History

In December 2005, "Rolling Stone" magazine announced that The Who would be touring in the summer of 2006, visiting Australia, Canada, Japan, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

In advance of their new "Endless Wire" album release, and later to support it, The Who did a 24-date European tour followed by their first world tour.Townshend, P.: [http://www.petetownshend.co.uk/projects/thewho/main/diary/display.cfm?id=312&zone=news http://www.petetownshend.co.uk/projects/thewho/main/diary/display.cfm?id=312&zone=news] ] These are their first shows since their 2004 world tour and brief performance at Live 8 in 2005. They played a number of music festivals around the UK, including headlining T in the Park in Scotland on July 9. They also played Oxegen in Ireland on July 8. They also closed the second day of Hyde Park Calling, a concert to celebrate the twenty year anniversary of the Hard Rock Cafe, on July 2.

Members of the Who's 2002 lineup remain, being Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend but also including keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick (due to the illness of his wife, replaced on 25 shows over two legs of the tour by his keyboard tech, Brian Kehew), bassist Pino Palladino, drummer Zak Starkey and guitarist/backup vocalist/mandolinist Simon Townshend. Opening acts to be featured on the worldwide tour include The Casbah Club, Peeping Tom, moe., Inward Eye, Rose Hill Drive, The Pretenders, and The Tragically Hip.

It was announced at short notice that the opening gig of the tour would be at Leeds University Refectory on June 17th, the same venue at which they recorded the "Live at Leeds" album. Tickets to this particular show were sold in person only from the Leeds University Union, with sales limited to two tickets per person.University of Leeds: [http://reporter.leeds.ac.uk/press_releases/current/live_at_leeds.htm Live at Leeds - again] ] Before the concert Roger and Pete unveiled a blue plaque to commemorate the recording of "Live at Leeds" at the same venue 36 years before. This show was so greatly anticipated that the BBC covered the story, both on the day of the concert and the day after, including interviews with audience members as they were leaving the gig. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5052960.stm Leeds gig to launch The Who tour] , BBC News] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5086954.stm The Who recreate 1970 Leeds gig] , BBC News]

When The Who performed at Hyde Park Calling, the presenters of the BBC TV program "Top Gear" joined the band as roadies to test vans. The episode was broadcast on July 30, 2006.

The Who took a break from touring the US and appeared at the BBC's Electric Proms and on the Parkinson show on the BBC before returning to the USA. [Townshend, P: [http://www.petetownshend.co.uk/projects/thewho/main/diary/display.cfm?id=312&zone=news http://www.petetownshend.co.uk/projects/thewho/main/diary/display.cfm?id=312&zone=news] ] [http://tickets.thewhotour.com Ticketsale] ] Pete Townshend said that he hoped to finish The Who tour with a gig at Glastonbury Festival 2007. [Townshend, P: [http://www.petetownshend.co.uk/diary/display.cfm?id=308&zone=diary http://www.petetownshend.co.uk/diary/display.cfm?id=308&zone=diary] ]

The Who opened the North American leg of the tour in Philadelphia at the Wachovia Center. The North American leg of the tour has been marked by positive concert reviews and the band's first-ever performance at Denver, Colorado's Pepsi Center on November 14th, 2006.

Shows from the entire European tour were broadcast online at [http://www.thewholive.tv thewholive.tv] . Video streaming company [http://www.streamingtank.com Streaming Tank] have been placed in charge of broadcasting the concerts, headed up by the technical team for the "Lord of the Rings" film trilogy. This is the first attempt by any band to broadcast entire shows via the Internet since the [http://www.petetownshend.co.uk/projects/thewho/main/diary/display.cfm?id=180&zone=news Pixelon.com "Vegas Job"] in October 1999, their first attempt at live broadcasting over the internet.Fact|date=February 2007 Most of the European shows were preceded in the broadcast by an episode of the web TV program, In The Attic, presented by Rachel Fuller and Michael Cuthbert. At festivals such as the O2 Festival in Leeds, the opening artists for The Who appeared as guests on the show once they came off stage.

Every performance was recorded on both CD and DVD, and (except for the Leeds concert) is available as part of the "Encore Series 2006" (and 2007) scheme of releases.

The tour was financially successful and well-received by fans and critics alike, with only a couple of minor setbacks. One such incident was on December 8, 2006 in St. Paul, Minnesota, when Roger Daltrey's voice gave out near the end of a performance. Daltrey had apologized to the audience earlier in the concert, saying that he was suffering from bronchitis.Official tour site news: [http://www.thewhotour.com/news/news.php?uid=243 12.12.06 The Who wrap up 2nd American leg] ] On March 13, 2007 the band came on stage as usual in Tampa, Florida but abruptly ended the show moments after it began when Daltrey was unable to sing due to what was later diagnosed as a serious upper respiratory infection. Pete Townshend apologized, saying they wanted to at least "give it a go" despite Daltrey's illness. The show was rescheduled and successfully performed on March 25, 2007. Dates in Mexico City and San Antonio, Texas were also postponed, but the band ultimately chose to cancel them instead, due to their commitment to the Teenage Cancer Trust benefit concerts in London only five days after the final scheduled US show in Hollywood, Florida.Official tour site news: [http://www.thewhotour.com/news/news.php?uid=290 14.03.07 The Who Tampa show rescheduled for March 25th] ]

American set list

Although the songs played at the concerts vary, they are relatively the same, due to technical reasons (such as pre-rigged lighting and video). The following set list is for the concert at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas from November 17, 2006.

#I Can't Explain
#The Seeker
#Substitute
#Fragments
#Who Are You
#Behind Blue Eyes
#Real Good Looking Boy
#Sound Round*
#Pick Up the Peace*
#Endless Wire*
#We Got a Hit*
#They Made My Dream Come True*
#Mirror Door*
#Baba O'Riley
#Eminence Front
#A Man in a Purple Dress
#Mike Post Theme +
#You Better You Bet
#My Generation/Cry If You Want
#Won't Get Fooled Again

Encore:
#Pinball Wizard
#Amazing Journey / Sparks
#See Me, Feel Me
#Tea & Theatre

* "Wire & Glass" mini-opera; deleted from some of the 2007 U.S. shows, replaced by "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" and "The Kids are Alright." The song "Substitute" is occasionally moved to this spot in the set list as well.

+Sometimes interchanged with "Black Widow's Eyes."

Alternate American sets

The following set list is from Alltel Arena in North Little Rock, Arkansas from March 22, 2007

#I Can't Explain
#The Seeker
#Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
#Fragments
#Who Are You
#Behind Blue Eyes
#Real Good Looking Boy
#Sound Round
#Pick Up the Peace
#Endless Wire
#We Got a Hit
#They Made my Dream Come True
#Mirror Door
#Baba O'Riley
#Eminence Front
#Man in a Purple Dress
#Black Widow's Eyes
#You Better You Bet
#My Generation/Cry If You Want
#Won't Get Fooled Again

Encore:
#Pinball Wizard
#Amazing Journey / Sparks
#See Me, Feel Me
#Tea & Theatre

European Set List

With the European leg of the tour came the appearance of songs from Quadrophenia, not done since the 2002 tour. This Set List is from the concert at Fulda, Messe Galerie on June 9, 2007.

#I Can't Explain
#The Seeker
#Substitute
#Fragments
#Who Are You
#Behind Blue Eyes
#Real Good Looking Boy
#Sound Round
#Pick Up the Peace
#Endless Wire
#We Got a Hit
#They Made My Dream Come True
#Mirror Door
#Baba O'Riley
#Relay
#Drowned
#A Man In a Purple Dress
#The Real Me
#You Better You Bet
#My Generation/Cry If You Want
#Won't Get Fooled Again

Encore:
#Pinball Wizard
#Amazing Journey/Sparks
#See Me, Feel Me/Listening to You
#Tea & Theatre

References

External links

* [http://www.thewhotour.com/ Official tour site]
* [http://www.themusic.com/encore/thewho2006/ Recorded shows store]