THE WHO have announced a 12-date arena tour of the UK and Europe. They will perform their iconic 1973 double album Quadrophenia in its entirety, along with a selection of Who classics. The UK tour follows hot off the heels of their hugely successful North American, tour.

Quadrophenia was The Who’s second rock opera (after Tommy), raising the bar for rock albums as an art form. It hit #2 on the UK album chart and massively influenced the future of UK style, fashion and culture – from Paul Weller to Bradley Wiggins, from Paul Smith to Noel Gallagher. The album’s title is a variation on the popular usage of the medical diagnostic term schizophrenia and exemplifies the four varying personalities of the original band members. Quadrophenia features such classic Who songs as 'The Real Me', '5:15' and 'Love Reign o’er Me'.

The movie of Quadrophenia (1979) has become a cult classic, starring a young Sting, Phil Daniels, Ray Winstone, Trevor Laird and Lesley Ash. John Lydon (Rotten) was screen tested for a part, but the idea was dropped when insurance became an issue! Quadrophenia became one of the key influential, independent British movies, alongside other gritty real life films (known as ‘angry young man films’), like Scum, The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner and Look Back In Anger.

This new concert version of Quadrophenia, personally directed by Roger Daltrey, focuses on the original album and replaces the narrative used in previous stage versions with powerful imagery projected on an array of massive screens, designed to support, complement and propel the musical content of the work by setting it in the context of the history of the band. This is achieved to startling effect.

The Who’s 12-date tour in the UK (including Belfast) and in Dublin, Paris and Amsterdam features founding members ROGER DALTREY and PETE TOWNSHEND, who will be joined by Zak Starkey (drums), Pino Palladino (bass), Simon Townshend (guitar/backing vocals), John Corey (keyboards), Loren Gold (keyboards/backing vocals) and Frank Simes (musical director, keyboards/backing vocals).

Dates include:

June

8 - Dublin, Ireland - The O2
10 - Belfast, Ireland - Odyssey
12 - Glasgow, Scotland - SECC
15 - London, England - The O2
18 - Sheffield, England - Motorpoint Arena
20 - Newcastle, England - Metro Arena
23 - Manchester, England - Arena
25 - Cardiff, England - Motorpoint Arena
28 - Birmingham, England - LG Arena
30 - Liverpool, England - Echo Arena

July

3 - Paris, France - Bercy
5 - Amsterdam, Holland - Ziggo Dome

A special fan pre-sale runs from 9 AM, GMT today, January 29th for the UK gigs, from 10 AM, CET, for Paris and January 30th for Amsterdam.

Click here for details and more information.