“Although the road has not always been enjoyable for me, it is usually easy. The best job I could ever have had”: Pete Townshend looks back at life on the road as The Who announce farewell North American tour
The legendary band will bid farewell in a country where Townshend has always appreciated the “incredible” crowds

The Who have announced they will be touring North America one last time, with a 15-date 'The Song Is Over' farewell tour set to kick off in August.
Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, and co. will start their farewell run at the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, FL, on August 16, with the final date taking them to Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 28.
The news comes after Pete Townshend, on the promo campaign for the brand-new Quadrophenia ballet, admitted that playing live “doesn’t fill my soul” anymore.
Lone-working, he recently said, is where he gets his kicks these days, though his short-lived collaboration with David Gilmour proved to be an exception to the rule. Announcing the tour, however, Townshend speaks fondly of the band’s US reception over the years and looks forward to one last hurrah.
“Well, all good things must come to an end. It is a poignant time,” Townshend says (via Louder). “For me, playing to American audiences and those in Canada has always been incredible.
“The warmth and engagement of those audiences began back in 1967 with hippies smoking dope, sitting on their blankets, and listening deeply and intensely. Music was everywhere. We all felt equal.
“Today, Roger and I still carry the banner for the late Keith Moon, John Entwistle and of course, all of our long-time Who fans. 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. Every time I do, I meet new fans and feel new energy.
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“Roger and I are in a good place, despite our age, eager to throw our weight behind this fond farewell to all our faithful fans,” he continues. “This tour will be about fond memories, love, and laughter. Make sure you join in.”
“Every musician's dream in the early ’60s was to make it big in the US charts,” adds Daltrey. “For the Who, that dream came true in 1967 and our lives were changed forever.
“Rock gave us a feeling of generational rebellion,” he reflects. “To me, America has always been great. The cultural differences had a huge impact on me, this was the land of the possible. It's not easy to end the big part of my life that touring with The Who has been. Thanks for being there for us and look forward to seeing you one last time.”
Last summer, Townshend had said he “can’t really see the point of making a big deal” of the Who's swan song, but it seems sentimentality has since crept in.
Townshend has also hit out at fans desperate for him to play Who songs during his solo shows, and has threatened to turn to AI if the trend continues.
Fans can join the Whooligan Fan Club to access ticket presales.
The Who: The Song Is Over Tour 2025
Aug 19: Newark Prudential Center, NJ
Aug 21: Philadelphia Wells Fargo Center, PA
Aug 23: Atlantic City Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall, NJ
Aug 26: Boston Fenway Park, MA
Aug 28: Wantagh Northwell at Jones Beach Theater, NY
Aug 30: New York Madison Square Garden, NY
Sep 02: Toronto Budweiser Stage, ON
Sep 04: Toronto Budweiser Stage, ON
Sep 07: Chicago United Center, IL
Sep 17: Los Angeles Hollywood Bowl, CA
Sep 19: Los Angeles Hollywood Bowl, CA
Sep 21: Mountain View Shoreline Amphitheatre, CA
Sep 23: Vancouver Rogers Arena, BC
Sep 25: Seattle Climate Pledge Arena, WA
Sep 28: Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena, NV
A freelance writer with a penchant for music that gets weird, Phil is a regular contributor to Prog, Guitar World, and Total Guitar magazines and is especially keen on shining a light on unknown artists. Outside of the journalism realm, you can find him writing angular riffs in progressive metal band, Prognosis, in which he slings an 8-string Strandberg Boden Original, churning that low string through a variety of tunings. He's also a published author and is currently penning his debut novel which chucks fantasy, mythology and humanity into a great big melting pot.
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