The Who have kicked off their farewell tour ‘The Song Is Over’ in Italy with their new drummer, marking their first show since the departure of longtime time-keeper Zak Starkey.
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The rock icons announced the tour last May and kicked it off on Monday night (July 21) at the Anfiteatro Camerini in Piazzola sul Brenta. They will also perform at the Parco Della Musica in Milan Tuesday night (July 22), before frontman Roger Daltrey plays a run of solo shows in the U.K. early next month.
At the Anfiteatro Camerini, The Who performed a 20-song set, which included hits such as “Baba O’Riley,” “Pinball Wizard,” “My Generation,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and “I Can’t Explain”. Watch footage here.
Notably, this is The Who’s first tour without longtime drummer Zak Starkey, who was fired earlier this year. A public and protracted dispute between Starkey – the son of Beatles legend Ringo Starr – and the band began in April, following a charity show for the Teenage Cancer Trust at London’s Royal Albert Hall. The longstanding member, who joined the band in 1996, was initially fired before being rehired, and eventually fired again within a matter of weeks.
Starkey’s exit became more complicated when he claimed he was asked to say he’d quit the band due to other musical projects, writing on Instagram: “I was fired two weeks after reinstatement and asked to make a statement saying I had quit The Who to pursue my other musical endeavors this would be a lie.”
Now, Scott Devours has taken over drumming duties, having previously performed in Daltrey’s solo band. “Yesterday, with a short, simple Instagram post, Pete and Roger, once again, changed my life forever,” he said in a statement posted to social media back in May.
“I understand and accept the reality that there are many lifelong Who fans who are absolutely gutted by the news that Zak is no longer on the throne behind The Who,” it continued. “As a huge fan myself, there is a part of me that’s processing this loss with a heavy heart too.”
‘The Song Is Over’ tour will resume in North America on Aug. 16 in Florida. The series of shows will continue through the fall, including two dates at the iconic Hollywood Bowl (Sept. 17 & 19), as well as a night at Madison Square Garden in New York on Aug. 30.
