The Who Postpone ‘Who Hits 50’ Tour Due to Roger Daltrey Virus
The Who have postponed all remaining dates on their “Who Hits 50!” North American tour, after doctors diagnosed frontman Roger Daltrey with viral meningitis and ordered him to rest. “We are rescheduling all the shows for next spring 2016,” guitarist Pete Townshend said in a statement. “We apologize to all our fans who have supported us in the last 50 years. Once Roger is completely well we will come back stronger than ever and Roger and I will give you all a show to remember.”
Earlier this month, the band postponed four shows and canceled their September 17th spot at the iHeartRadio Music Festival after Daltrey contracted an “unspecified virus,” allowing the singer proper recovery time. The trek was scheduled to resume September 24th in Portland, Oregon. Now the band has pushed back the entire North American run, previously scheduled to end December 13th in Oakland, California.
“We are very sorry to disappoint our fans in this way,” added Daltrey. “For the last four weeks, I have been in and out of the hospital and have been diagnosed with viral meningitis. I am now on the mend and feeling a lot better, but I am going to need a considerable time to recover. The doctors tell me I will make a complete recovery, but that I should not do any touring this year.”
Tickets purchased for the original concerts will be honored at the rescheduled dates, which are expected to be announced soon.
The “Who Hits 50” tour, described by Daltrey as “the beginning of a long goodbye,” featured a setlist spanning the band’s entire 50-year history – a mix that Townshend dubbed “Hits, Picks, Mixes and Misses.”