The Who Kick Off Quadrophenia Tour

By: Staff

 “…Daltrey’s voice soared on the signature ‘Love Reign O’er Me’ and Townshend added slashing guitar…”
–Orlando Sentinel 

The Who, one of rock’s legendary and defining bands, kicked off their “Quadrophenia And More” tour last week in Sunrise, Florida, unveiling a dynamic new stage set and fast-paced video footage to accompany their iconic 1973 double album, Quadrophenia, which is being performed in its entirety along with a selection of WHO classics.

The Who are performing on a sleek, stripped-down stage with 10 musicians on board, a sophisticated lighting rig and multiple screens that provide footage of world events from World War II to the present day, concentrating on popular culture and  the history of the band, including live footage from throughout their storied career.

The visuals tie in closely to the Quadrophenia album and movie, particularly the themes of disillusionment, teen angst and rebellion, plus social issues—both from the ’60s and now—as well as the beach and ocean that are pivotal in Quadrophenia.

The Broward-Palm Beach New Times (11/1/12) described the visuals as “denoting the new millennium, complete with visual references to Columbine, 9-11 and the Iraqi invasion.”

The review of the opening night’s show goes on to say, “Townshend treated the audience to several of his patented windmill gestures, while Daltrey occasionally lassoed his mic in his rock god ways of old…by the time the ‘Quadrophenia’ portion of the program wound its way to a conclusion, today’s Who were in full throttle…when they concluded with the stirring ‘Love Reign O’er Me,’ any doubts about whether the band was up to their task at hand quickly dissipated.”

Meanwhile, the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel (11/2) said the first show was “a well-executed resurrection of the Who’s 1973 rock opera Quadrophenia…Daltrey and Townshend stripped the years away and reminded fans why, on the cusp of the album’s 40th anniversary, Quadrophenia deserved to be dusted off and taken back out on the road…the show offered a near-perfect balance of spectacle and artistry.”

This past weekend, the tour went on to Orlando, FL, where the Orlando Sentinel (11/3) said “…frontman Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend–tackled the ambitious 1973 concept album Quadrophenia with impressive gusto…Daltrey’s voice soared on the signature ‘Love Reign O’er Me’ and Townshend added slashing guitar…”

On the “Quadrophenia And More” tour the band–including founding members Roger Daltrey and Pete — are being joined on tour by Zak Starkey (drums), Pino Palladino (bass), Simon Townshend (guitar/backing vocals), John Corey (keyboards/backing vocals), Frank Simes (musical director, keyboards/backing vocals) and Loren Gold (keyboards). They’ll embark on a second leg January 28, 2013 in Anaheim, CA.

The AEG Live-promoted 37-date tour, the band’s first North American tour in four years, kicked off November 1 in Sunrise, FL with an initial six-week run. Tickets for the tour are available at www.aeglive.com