Pioneering British rock band The Who will make their way to venues across North America for one last time this summer. Announced today (May 8), The Song Is Over North America Farewell Tour will place a bookend on a historic career that’s spanned over six decades.
Set to begin on August 16 in Sunrise, Florida, the tour will make its way to 14 cities in the U.S. and Canada, including Philadelphia, Chicago, Toronto, New York City, Los Angeles, and Vancouver. The special run of shows will come to a close with a performance in Las Vegas on September 28.
Since their formation in 1964, The Who has influenced generations of new artists with their bold, genre-blending soundscapes. Known for trademark hits like “My Generation,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” and “Baba O’Riley,” the history-making group earned induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and has released a total of nine studio albums.
The band’s remaining founding members—lead vocalist Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend—say the choice to return to North America for one final time marks an important full-circle moment.
“Every musician’s dream in the early 60’s was to make it big in the US charts,” Daltrey shared in a statement. “For The Who, that dream came true in 1967 and our lives were changed forever. The warmth of the American audiences over the years have been inspirational to me, and reflect the feeling I remember getting after hearing the first rock records coming across the radio. Musical freedom! Rock gave us a feeling of generational rebellion.
“To me, America has always been great,” he continues. “The cultural differences had a huge impact on me, this was the land of the possible. It’s not easy to end the big part of my life that touring with The Who has been. Thanks for being there for us and look forward to seeing you one last time.”
The tour serves as a celebration of the band’s wide-ranging fanbase, who’ve kept Daltrey and Townshend returning to the stage year after year. In many ways, it’s also a musical tribute to drummer Keith Moon, who died in 1978 at just 32, and bassist John Entwistle, who performed alongside Daltrey and Townshend up until his death in 2002.
“Well, all good things must come to an end,” says Townshend. “It is a poignant time. For me, playing to American audiences and those in Canada has always been incredible. The warmth and engagement of those audiences began back in 1967 with hippies smoking dope, sitting on their blankets, and listening deeply and intensely. Music was everywhere. We all felt equal.
“Today, Roger and I still carry the banner for the late Keith Moon and John Entwistle and of course, all of our longtime Who fans,” he adds. “I must say that although the road has not always been enjoyable for me, it is usually easy: the best job I could ever have had. I keep coming back. Every time I do, I meet new fans and feel new energy. Roger and I are in a good place, despite our age, eager to throw our weight behind this fond farewell to all our faithful fans, and hopefully to new ones who might jump in to see what they have been missing for the last 57 years. This tour will be about fond memories, love, and laughter. Make sure you join in.”
Tickets for all dates of The Song Is Over Tour, listed below, will be available first through a fan club presale that begins Tuesday, May 13. A general on-sale will follow, starting Friday, May 16, at 10 a.m. local time.
The Who’s The Song Is Over Tour Dates:
Aug. 16 – Sunrise, Fla. @ Amerant Bank Arena
Aug. 19 – Newark, N.J. @ Prudential Center
Aug. 21 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ Wells Fargo Center
Aug. 23 – Atlantic City, N.J. @ Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall
Aug. 26 – Boston, Mass. @ Fenway Park
Aug. 28 – Wantagh, N.Y. @ Northwell at Jones Beach Theater
Aug. 30 – New York, N.Y. @ Madison Square Garden
Sept. 2 – Toronto, Ont. @ Budweiser Stage
Sept. 4 – Toronto, Ont. @ Budweiser Stage
Sept. 7 – Chicago, Ill. @ United Center
Sept. 17 – Los Angeles, Calif. @ Hollywood Bowl
Sept. 19 – Los Angeles, Calif. @ Hollywood Bowl
Sept. 21 – Mountain View, Calif. @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
Sept. 23 – Vancouver, B.C. @ Rogers Arena
Sept. 25 – Seattle, Wash. @ Climate Pledge Arena
Sept. 28 – Las Vegas, Nev. @ MGM Grand Garden Arena
