The Who are back with a tour to mark the 40th anniversary since the release of their historic double album, Quadrophenia.

The Who, now down to just two original members, Roger Daltrey and Peter Townshend, will be performing Quadrophenia in its entirety along with a selection of Who classics. Quadrophenia was The Who’s second rock opera and followed Tommy, which was released four years earlier, back in 1969. The critically acclaimed Tommy may have proved to be too much for The Who, but it was not the case. Though Quadrophenia did not reach Tommy’s artistic heights, it sold massively, and to date, more than 100 million albums have been sold worldwide.

Quadrophenia also helped give more space to rock as an art form. Ironically, it harped back to the mod era of the 1960s and it exemplified the four varying personalities of the band members who created this project. The album’s title is a variation of the popular usage of the medical diagonostic term schizophrenia. It also portrays teen aspirations and teen angst in the mid-1960s when The Who were formed, and very soon, flourished.  Quadrophenia spawned a Top 20 single back in autumn 1973. Entitled 5:15, it managed number 20 that October.  Cut My Hair, Love Reign o'er Me, Drowned, Sea and Sand, as well as Bell Boy are other notable songs that also featured on this album.

Quadrophenia massively influenced later musical genres, notably the mod revival that took place a few months after the advent of punk, and the music of its leading exponents, notably The Jam. This album would also influence the likes of Oasis, and British fashion for many years. It would also be released as a film, back in 1979. Its protagonists were a young Sting, Phil Daniels, Ray Winstone, Trevor Laird and Lesley Ash. John Lydon (Johnny Rotten) was screen tested for a part, but the idea was dropped when insurance became an issue!

This new concert version of Quadrophenia, personally directed by Roger Daltrey, focuses on the original album and replaces the narrative used in previous stage versions with powerful imagery projected on an array of massive screens, designed to support, complement and propel the musical content of the work by setting it in the context of the history of the band.

The Who’s line up for this tour will feature Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, plus regular tour member and Ringo Starr’s son Zak Starkey (drums), Pino Palladino (a seasoned bass player who replaced ex member John Entwistle who died in 2002), Simon Townshend (Pete’s brother on guitar/backing vocals), John Corey (keyboards), Loren Gold (keyboards/backing vocals) and Frank Simes (musical director, keyboards/backing vocals).

The Who Quadrophenia and More UK Tour will visit these venues: 

June 8th: Dublin, The O2
June 10th: Belfast, Odyssey Arena
June 12th: Glasgow, SECC
June 15rd: London, The O2
June 18th: Sheffield, Motorpoint Arena
June 20th: Newcastle, Metro Arena
June 23rd: Manchester Arena
June 25th: Cardiff, Motorpoint Arena
June 28th: Birmingham, LG Arena
June 30th: Liverpool, Echo Arena