Credit: Samir HusseinThe Who‘s Moving On! orchestral tour kicks off tonight, May 7, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and prior to its launch, the band’s official blogger, Brian Kehew, has penned an update about the trek’s preparations.
Kehew reports that the Florida-based Craig Turley Orchestras will provide accompaniment for The Who’s first show, and discusses how rehearsals — which took place recently in West Palm Beach, Florida — went with the orchestra, minus the group.
Brian says that Oscar-winning conductor/arranger David Campbell — who is also alt-rocker Beck‘s father — has arranged some of the songs The Who will play on the trek. He notes that Campbell “has been working specifically to get the orchestra to play like powerful rock musicians.”
Kehew adds that Campbell is “working the sections to get the horns or the strings to function like an electric guitar would — bolder notes, longer, bigger gestures.”
A video posted on The Who’s YouTube channel shows the orchestra running through a few songs, including the “Listening to You” portion of “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” as well as “Love Reign O’er Me” and “Baba O’Riley.”
Kehew maintains that “the orchestra is a challenge…It’s a monster to grapple with, yet it is coming together and promising.” Apparently, when The Who and the full orchestra rehearsed together, “It was better than either one on its own, despite the rough bits of timing, following and learning.” He says some highlights included “Eminence Front” and the Quadrophenia instrumental “The Rock.”
In addition, Kehew says that, as per frontman Roger Daltrey‘s instructions, there will be simpler stage setup focusing on the band “as players, as singers/musicians,” and video screens will give the audience “views of the musicians from all over.”
Kehew notes that some songs will be played without the orchestra.
Here’s The Who’s full list of North American tour dates:
First leg:
5/7 — Grand Rapids, MI, Van Andel Arena (Special Guest: Dirty Honey)
5/9 — Buffalo, NY, KeyBank Center (Special Guest: Arkells)
5/11 — Bristow, VA, Jiffy Lube Live (Special Guest: Peter Wolf)
5/13 — New York, NY, Madison Square Garden (Special Guest: Leslie Mendelson)
5/16 — Nashville, TN, Bridgestone Arena (Special Guest: Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real)
5/18 — Noblesville, IN, Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center (Special Guest: Reignwolf)
5/21 — Tinley Park, IL, Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre (Special Guest: Reignwolf)
5/23 — Maryland Heights, MO, Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre St. Louis (Special Guest: The HillBenders)
5/25 — Philadelphia, PA, Citizens Bank Park (Special Guest: Peter Wolf)
5/28 — Detroit, MI, Little Caesars Arena (Special Guest: Arkells)
5/30 — Pittsburgh, PA, PPG Paints Arena (Special Guest: Reignwolf)
6/1 — Toronto, ON, Canada, Scotiabank Arena (Special Guest: MOON VS SUN [Raine Maida and Chantal Kreviazuk])
Second leg:
9/6 — St. Paul, MN, Xcel Energy Center
9/8 — Elkhorn, WI, Alpine Valley Music Theatre
9/10 — Cuyahoga Falls, OH, Blossom Music Center
9/13 — Boston, MA, Fenway Park
9/15 — Wantagh, NY, Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
9/18 — Atlanta, GA, State Farm Arena
9/20 — Sunrise, FL, BB&T Center
9/22 — Tampa, FL, Amalie Arena
9/25 — Houston, TX, Toyota Center
9/27 — Dallas, TX, American Airlines Center
9/29 — Denver, CO, Pepsi Center
10/9 — San Francisco, CA, Chase Center
10/11 — Los Angeles, CA, Hollywood Bowl
10/13 — Los Angeles, CA, Hollywood Bowl
10/16 — San Diego, CA, Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl – San Diego State University
10/19 — Seattle, WA, T-Mobile Park
10/21 — Vancouver, BC, Canada, Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena
10/23 — Edmonton, AB, Canada, Rogers Place
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