The Who

Arguably THE greatest live band ever, The Who will make an explosive return to New Zealand for the first time in 40 years to perform a one-off concert in March 2009. This is the news Who fans have been waiting for since the band's last visit in 1968!

The Who have sold over 100 million albums and been an inspiration to everyone from The Clash to The Ramones to Pearl Jam and have been honoured with every prestigious award going. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame by Bono in 1990 in the very first year they were eligible, the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005, the first annual Freddie Mercury Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006, a Lifetime Achievement award from the British Phonographic Industry in 1988 and from the Grammy Foundation in 2001. Their music still forms the backdrop to 21st century life featuring in television shows such as the hit TV series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and in many movies.

Their charitable work is legendary with millions of dollars being raised over the years for a variety of causes and this work being recognised by the award of a CBE to Roger Daltrey in 2005. In an honour many bands would crave, The Who also is recognized in the Guinness Book of Records as the World's Loudest Band!

In spite of the loss of original members Keith Moon (in 1978) and John Entwistle (in 2002), The Who remain the standard-bearer for great live rock and roll and are still one of the most in-demand live acts in the business. Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, Simon Townshend (guitars), Zak Starkey (drums), Pino Palladino (bass) and John 'Rabbit' Bundrick (keys) are currently performing in the US to rave reviews and are keen to continue on the road next year.

The 21st century has sparked resurgence in the creative collaboration between Townshend and Daltrey. The 2004 greatest hits collection Then and Now featured tracks Real Good Looking Boy and Old Red Wine and the band also released Endless Wire, their first new studio album since 1982, in October 2006. The album debuted at #7 on the US Billboard chart and #9 on the UK albums chart, won a rave four-star review in Rolling Stone and was well received by both fans and media.

The band then embarked on a year-long tour to support it, and is now continuing the trek with shows in Japan, Australia and New Zealand in early 2009.

"We don't want to stop now," Roger Daltrey told Billboard Magazine. "We don't want those long hiatuses that we used to have. We feel at this time of our lives it's too precious a thing to take liberties with time. When you're young, you've got that time. When you're old, you haven't." Over their extraordinary career, the band's live performances have been matched by no other, with reviewers continuing to rave: "Clapped out, over the hill, past it, out of touch, devoid of energy, a bunch of wrinkly has-beens? Not The Who. They may be well into late middle age, but for a couple of hours they delivered a masterclass in mind-crushingly intense, but also wonderfully subtle power rock," said London's Telegraph.

"It's not exactly a disadvantage to be able to draw on a back catalogue that includes classic songs such as My Generation, Who Are You and Pinball Wizard. But to deliver them with an urgent intensity, rather than as some dinosaur-rock self-parodying tribute band was something special." Promoter Andrew McManus is thrilled to have secured the rock legends for this very special one-off concert.

"I had the opportunity of watching The Who headline the 02 Festival in Ireland last year and was blown away by not only Roger Daltrey's vocals but also the sheer magic coming off stage collectively from Pete Townshend and the rest of the band. This is a real coup for New Zealand and the band can't wait to visit again. Forty years has been too long!"

Special guest support act will be Counting Crows, in their very first visit to New Zealand.

Tickets will be available from Monday 17 November from Ticketmaster in New Zealand on 0800 111 999 and from www.ticketmaster.co.nz.