Tuesday, 6 June 2006
Leedsgig to launch The Who tour
Rock band The Who are to kick off their 2006 world tour by recreating their legendary Leeds University gig.
The band's Live At Leeds album was taped on the night of the concert in 1970 and is still considered one of the best-ever live albums.
Singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend, the two surviving members of the original line-up, will take to the stage at Leeds University on 17 June.
Other venues on their tour include gigs in Germany, France, Spain and Austria.
'Vivid memories'
The 1970 gig came after The Who's triumphant appearance at Woodstock and included the last complete live performance of the rock opera Tommy.
The idea to recreate the gig came about after broadcaster Andy Kershaw - who was the entertainments secretary at the university in the early 1980s - approached the band's manager, Bill Curbishley.
Kershaw wanted to know if the band would unveil a plaque at the university commemorating the 1970 gig, and asked if they would also consider performing.
"Bill finished my sentence: 'They'll do it'. And so the idea of a concert began," he said.
Announcing the gig at Leeds University with university vice chancellor Professor Michael Arthur, Kershaw said: "[Daltrey] has very, very vivid memories of the original one and he's very, very excited about doing it again."
He added: "It was a kind of benchmark concert.
"It defined an era of big bands like The Who playing at college venues and also underpinned the importance of college venues and the live music circuit."
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