'All good things must come to an end': The Who announce North America
farewell tour dates
[May 09, 2025]
By PAN PYLAS
LONDON (AP) — British rock band The Who are to say their final goodbye
to North America this summer.
Singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend confirmed Thursday
that they will perform hits from six-decade career during "The Song Is
Over North America Farewell Tour," named after the band’s 1971 hit.
The band, which by the 1970s had become one of the world’s biggest
touring bands, easily filling the largest U.S. stadiums, will play their
first gig in Florida on Aug. 16, with further dates in cities including
New York, Toronto, Los Angeles and Vancouver, before a final date in Las
Vegas on Sept. 28.
“Every musician’s dream in the early '60s was to make it big in the U.S.
charts," Daltrey said. “For The Who, that dream came true in 1967 and
our lives were changed forever.”
The band went from performing club shows to headlining the Woodstock
festival in the U.S. and becoming one of the biggest box-office draw in
the world. The band were inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall Of Fame in
1990.
Daltrey, 81, and Townshend, two years his junior, have been one of
rock's most prolific double acts, surviving the deaths of drummer Keith
Moon in 1978 and bass guitarist John Entwistle in 2002.
“Today, Roger and I still carry the banner for the late Keith Moon and
John Entwistle, and, of course, all of our long-time Who fans,"
Townshend said. “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.”
Though Daltrey didn’t write songs, he was able to channel Townsend’s
many and complicated moods — defiance and rage, vulnerability and
desperation.
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Roger Daltrey, left, Pete Townshend and Claire Sturgess during the
announcement of ' The Who: The Song Is Over, The North American
Farewell Tour' on Thursday, May 9, 2025, in London. (Photo by Scott
A Garfitt/Invision/AP)
 Together, they forged some of rock’s
most defining sounds: the stuttering, sneering delivery of “My
Generation,” the anguished cry of “They’re all wasted!” from “Baba
O’Reilly,” and the all-time scream from “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”
Two albums — “Tommy” and “Quadrophenia” — were also adapted into
successful films in 1975 and 1979, respectively.
Ticket pre-sales will run from May 13 ahead of the general sale
beginning May 16.
“Well, all good things must come to an end. It is a poignant time,"
Townshend said. “For me, playing to American audiences and those in
Canada has always been incredible.”
Daltrey, who said a throat specialist has told him he should have a
“day off” after every gig he performs, and Townshend also revealed
there are no plans at the moment for a farewell tour of the U.K.
“Let’s see if we survive this one,” Daltrey said. “I don’t want to
say that there won’t be (a U.K. farewell tour), but equally I’m not
confident in saying there will be.”
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