The Song Is Over: The Who Reveal Special Guests For North America Farewell Tour
by Best Classic Bands Staff
Pete Townshend (in person) and Roger Daltrey (remotely) at The Who’s press conference announcing “The Song Is Over: North America Farewell Tour,” May 8, 2025.
The Who have announced the special guests their final tour of the U.S. and Canada that represents a grand finale of their illustrious six-decade career. The news of the tour was revealed by Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey on May 8 during a press conference at the Iconic Images gallery in Piccadilly, London. The 2025 series of dates, aptly titled “The Song Is Over North America Farewell Tour,” is named after the band’s 1971 classic song from Who’s Next. The tour’s name “was Roger’s idea,” said Townshend, “and it’s brilliant.”
Special guests for the concerts include the Joe Perry Project, Billy Idol, Booker T. Jones, Tom Cochrane, and others. (See the complete list below.) A second date has been announced in Chicago “due to overwhelming demand. Tickets for these August and September shows are available here.
“Pete’s still playing great guitar,” said Daltrey via a remote link. “And the music still has such vitality. We’re not going to please the [entire] audience. [But] they’ve met their wives and husbands [at our concerts] and are now taking their grandchildren.”
Townshend, who turned 80 on May 19, acknowledged that he had done hypnosis to help him cope with the rigors of touring. “Being on the road is not a great way to live,” he said, adding, “When we look at artists like the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, the joy is from… the link between the creative stuff and the performing. There’s that sense of closing a circle. Some of the songs from Who’s Next paved the way for stadium rock [concerts].”
The pair were asked whether they would do a U.K. farewell. “Let’s see if we survive this one,” said Daltrey, who admitted frustration that his native country “has decided to make it as difficult as possible to get from A to B. I’m not confident to say there will be [a U.K. leg].”
Pete Townshend at the press conference.
Townshend agreed, adding, “We could do a week at the O2 or a week at the Royal Albert Hall.”
In a prepared statement, Daltrey, who turned 81 on March 1, said: “Every musician’s dream in the early 60’s was to make it big in the U.S. charts. For the Who, that dream came true in 1967 and our lives were changed forever. The warmth of the American audiences over the years have been inspirational to me, and reflect the feeling I remember getting after hearing the first rock records coming across the radio. Musical freedom! Rock gave us a feeling of generational rebellion. 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.”
Also in that prepared statement, Townshend said: “Well, all good things must come to an end. It is a poignant time. 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 and John Entwistle and of course, all of our longtime 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. 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, and hopefully to new ones who might jump in to see what they have been missing for the last 57 years. This tour will be about fond memories, love and laughter. Make sure you join in.”
The North American itinerary features many days off. Daltrey noted that his doctors have told him that he can’t do back-to-back dates, due to lingering throat issues.
The Who The Song Is Over 2025 North America Tour (Tickets are available here)
Aug 16 – Sunrise, FL – Amerant Bank Arena =
Aug 19 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center =
Aug 21 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center ^
Aug 23 – Atlantic City, NJ – Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall +
Aug 26 – Boston, MA – Fenway Park ~
Aug 28 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell at Jones Beach Theater $
Aug 30 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden $
Sep 02 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage >
Sep 04 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage >
Sep 07 – Chicago, IL – United Center <
Sep 09 – Chicago, IL – United Center*
Sep 17 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl ~
Sep 19 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
Sep 21 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre #
Sep 23 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena #
Sep 25 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena #
Sep 28 – Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena !
=with Billy Bob Thornton and the Boxmasters
^with ZZ Ward
+with Booker T. Jones
~with The Joe Perry Project
$with Feist
>with Tom Cochrane
< with Joe Bonamassa
# with Candlebox
! with Billy Idol
* Added on May 19
Related: Listings for 100s of classic rock tours
A lavish, multi-format Super Deluxe Edition of 1971’s Who’s Next, which evolved from Townshend’s visionary Life House project, arrived in 2023, as a 10-CD + Blu-ray set, Who’s Next/Life House, on UMR. It’s available to order in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here. There’s also a limited edition 4-LP set, featuring the first-ever complete release of the band’s legendary San Francisco concert from that year.
5 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationThe Who and The Dead have the right idea.
Put it ALL out.
Yes, “All good things must come to an end.” Sadly, it’s time for the Who to call it (yet again). A much-deserved retirement. I’ve seen them many times, but the ‘Who’s Next’ tour show I saw in Cleveland in August of 1971 is still, by far, the best rock show I’ve ever witnessed. Nothing has ever really come close–it was a life changer. Enjoy the goodbyes, boys, and thanks for all the great music and memories.
I also saw them in 1971, but at the Forum in Los Angeles. I was only 12 years old, and already a full-fledged fan because of my older brother. What a show! They had to stop it temporarily because the unified stomping was causing the cement tiers to move, and I could see them moving above me. At first it was cool and then it was Oh *hit, we’ve got to get out of here. Order was restored and the show continued. It was also recorded in Rolling Stone as the loudest live show up to that time. A night I will never forget.
Sorry, I will have to miss it this time. To make up for that I promise I will be there for at least the next 3 Farewell Tours.
Too funny I saw their farewell to 1982 in Chicago. I remember after the show I had no way to get back to where I lived in Madison Wisconsin. I had to hitchhike I remember getting on a guy’s motorcycle that was pretty cool. Long live the Who…the 70-75 version