The Who announce massive UK tour - tickets, dates and venues revealed

30 January 2023, 14:29

Pete Townshend speaks to Gold

By Mayer Nissim

The Who take their greatest hits on the road with a full orchestra backing them up.

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The Who have announced a massive UK tour for 2023.

The band – which still features surviving original members Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend – will play a series of arena and outdoor shows in July 2023 with the backing of a full orchestra.

The dates follow the band's one-off acoustic show last spring for the Teenage Cancer Trust and similar Who Hits Back shows in the US.

Support on all dates apart from London and Edinburgh comes from UB40 featuring Ali Campbell.

Tickets for The Who Hits Back tour go on sale this Friday, February 3 at 10am, though a Fan Club pre-sale starts on Wednesday, February 1 at 10am.

The Who Hits Back! Tour 2022: Rehearsals, April 18, 2022

The full tour dates are as follows:

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

"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 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," said Who frontman Roger Daltrey.

"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."

The Who with violinist Katie Jacoby on The Who Hits Back! tour. Picture: Getty Images

Guitarist Pete Townshend added: "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."

As well as Daltrey and Townshend, The Who's touring lineup for this year's shows includes guitarist/backup singer Simon Townshend, keyboardist Loren Gold, second keyboardist Emily Marshall, bassist Jon Button, drummer Zak Starkey and backing vocals by Billy Nicholls.

The orchestra is conducted by Keith Levenson and features lead violinist Katie Jacoby and lead cellist Audrey Snyder.

The Who - Baba O'Riley (Shepperton Studios / 1978)

To coincide with the new dates, The Who have also announced a special live album release of The Who With Orchestra Live At Wembley.

The live album documents the band's July 2019 show, which was their first at Wembley Stadium in 40 years.

It will be released in a variety of formats, including limited edition yellow, orange and red 3-LP set, triple black vinyl, 2CD / Blu-Ray set Dolby Atmos/5.1 mixes and a 1CD edition.