By: Howie Edelson
The Who kick off their 10-date North American tour tonight (October
21st) at Michigan’s Palace of Auburn Hills. The band will donate their
entire earnings to benefit Detroit area charities. The Who have
partnered with local radio station WCSX-FM in selecting Gleaners Food
Bank and Focus: HOPE as beneficiaries of the evening’s proceeds.
Roger Daltrey says that he and Pete Townshend decided to make the
tour opener a benefit to several Detroit charities, in deference to the
many American communities being hit hard during trying economic times:
“We’re doing our first show in, the one in Detroit, for Michigan
charities. We’re a blue collar band and our audience are blue collar
and we’re just aware of how hard they’ve been hit in the last two
years. I said to Pete, ‘I just do not feel right taking money out of
this economy — even knowing that the people coming to see us will be
able afford to see us, that’s not the issue. I’m aware that this is
going to be a tough winter for an awful lot of people out there, and we
just owe it to… we can’t obviously get the whole of America for a
tough winter, but we can at least make a gesture to the people that
gave us our first support in the United States, which was the people of
Michigan.”
Daltrey says that the Who have never forgotten that if it weren’t
for Detroit, their career in America would never have become what it
was: “The Detroit radio stations picked up on ‘I Can’t Explain’as our
first single before anyone else in the States. So that was it
basically. We can’t do everything, but we can do a little bit, and if
everybody did a little bit — it would all get done (laughs).” SOUNDCUE
(:13 OC: . . . all get done (laughs))
The Who have always enjoyed strong ties to Michigan, which was the
first city to break the band in the States. Their first motor city
concert took place on November 22nd, 1967 at Southfield High School.
Earlier that year, the band played their second U.S. show in Ann Arbor,
Michigan on June 14th, 1967 at the Fifth Dimension Club.
The group’s touring ensemble is rounded out by veteran keyboardist
John “Rabbit” Bundrick, drummer Zak Starkey, bassist
Pino Palladino, Townshend’s brother Simon on rhythm guitar and vocals,
and longtime soundman Bobby Pridden, who’s been mixing the Who’s live
sound since 1967.
The Who’s North American tour dates (subject to change):
October 21 – Auburn Hills, MI – Palace of Auburn Hills
October 22 – Hamilton, ON – Copps Coliseum
October 24 – Boston, MA – TD – Banknorth Garden
October 26 – Philadelphia, PA – Wachovia Center
October 28 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
October 29 – East Rutherford, NJ – Izod Center,
October 31 – Atlantic City, NJ – The Borgata Hotel & Casino
November 3 – Washington, DC – Verizon Center
November 8, 9 – Los Angeles, CA – Nokia Theatre
Loading ...
