Last night, The Who performed two intimate sets at nightclub PRYZM in Kingston upon Thames, England. According to the media, the shows were the band’s smallest shows in over forty years. Only about 600 people were in attendance, making it easier for lead vocalist Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend to engage with the crowd. Fans sang along to the performances of their classic hits with an eagerness that almost drowned the whole venue. Roger exchanged a lot of comedic quips that made the shows more personal.
The English rock legends will be playing another gig on Valentine’s Day at the nightclub, which marks 50 years of their Live at Leeds show at the University of Leeds in 1970. This is where they took songs from their historically acclaimed Live at Leeds album, released May 23, 1970, which marked the band’s first live album.
They opened the shows with “Substitute,” a pure classic from their 1971 Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy release. They followed up with oldies such as “Squeeze Box,” “Pinball Wizard” and “The Kids Are Alright.” The 8-song setlist also featured two highlights from their fifth studio album, Who’s Next, “Behind Blue Eyes” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” In the late show, “Won’t Get Fooled Again” was stripped down to only one vocalist, Roger, and one guitarist, Pete. This added a sweet touch to the intimacy of the set and was absolutely unlike what fans have seen before.
The most exciting highlight of the night, however, was when The Who live debuted two songs from their 2019 release Who, which was the band’s first new album in thirteen years. The performances included “Break the News” and an acoustic version of “She Rocked My World,” which catered to a much softer sound.
Check out the setlist from last night’s performances!
The Who will be venturing on a string of UK 2020 tour dates before going off to the United States in mid-April and making appearances in cities such as Dallas, Houston, Denver, Las Vegas, and New Orleans. Check out their website for more information on when you can catch them on stage next!
The Who UK Tour Dates 2020
02/14 – Kingston upon Thames, England @ PRYZM
03/16 – Manchester, England @ Manchester Arena
03/18 – Dublin, Ireland @ 3Arena
03/21 – Newcastle upon Tyne, England @ Utilita Arena
03/23 – Glasgow, Scotland @ The SSE Hydro
03/25 – Leeds, England @ First Direct Arena
03/30 – Cardiff, Wales @ Motorpoint Arena
04/01 – Birmingham, England @ Resorts World Arena
04/03 – Nottingham, England @ Motorpoint Arena
04/06 – Liverpool, England @ M&S Bank Arena
04/08 – London, England @ The SSE Arena, Wembley
US Tour Dates 2020
04/21 – Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live
04/23 – Highland Heights, KY @ BB&T Arena
04/25 – New Orleans, LA @ New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
04/27 – Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
04/30 – Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
05/02 – Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center
05/05-05/16 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
