The Who Announce Summer UK Tour Including Two Nights At Edinburgh Castle
The shows will feature music from the band’s near-60-year career, with sections devoted to their classic ‘Tommy’ and ‘Quadrophenia’ albums.
The Who have announced a nine-date UK tour for July, on which they will perform with a full orchestra each night. The shows, which are under the banner of The Who Hits Back! of their recent two-legged North American tours, include their first appearances in Edinburgh for more than 40 years, in two nights at Edinburgh Castle, and a London concert at The O2.
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The band’s special guests at all dates apart from in Edinburgh and London will be UB40 featuring Ali Campbell. The shows will feature music from The Who’s near-60-year career, with sections devoted to their classic Tommy and Quadrophenia albums, and material from their much-acclaimed 2019 album WHO.
As well as their return to Edinburgh, the band’s July 14 show at the Incora County Ground in Derby will mark their first there since 1966. Tickets go on general sale on February 3 at 10am UK time. The shows will follow those in Barcelona, Berlin, and Paris in June, which were announced last month.
The tour will be preceded by the March 31 release of The Who With Orchestra Live At Wembley, recorded at their July 2019 show at Wembley Stadium, itself their first appearance there in 40 years. Full details will be released this afternoon of the album, which features a 50-plus-piece orchestra, and will be released as a limited edition yellow, orange & red 3LP set, in triple black vinyl, and a 2CD/Blu-Ray edition which features the audio remixed in Dolby Atmos and 1CD edition.
The summer 2023 shows will see Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey accompanied by their full live band of guitarist/backup singer Simon Townshend, keyboardist Loren Gold, second keyboardist Emily Marshall, bassist Jon Button, drummer Zak Starkey, and backing vocalist Billy Nicholls, and the orchestra conducted by Keith Levenson, featuring lead violinist Katie Jacoby and lead cellist Audrey Snyder.
Says Daltrey: “Having not toured the UK for six years, it’s great that at this time of our careers we have the chance to go to places that are not on the usual touring map [like] Edinburgh Castle and Derby, as well as the other cities across the country that we haven’t been to for decades, will make this very special for me. This opportunity will give our UK Who fans the chance to hear our current show, which, with the addition of an orchestra, takes our music to new heights.”
Adds Townshend: “Roger initially christened this tour with an orchestra ‘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. I’m really looking forward to bringing this show to the UK.”
The Who are asking fans to add an optional £1 donation to their ticket price at point of sale in support of Teenage Cancer Trust, the charity of which the rock figureheads are longstanding supporters.
The full UK tour dates are as follows (* denotes shows with UB40 featuring Ali Campbell)
6th July – Sewell Group Craven Park, Hull*
8th July – Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh
9th July – Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh
12th July – The O2, London
14th July – The Incora County Ground, Derby*
16th July – Badminton Estate, Bristol*
19th July – Seat Unique Riverside, Durham*
21st July – Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens*
23rd July – The 1st Central County Ground, Brighton*
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