The Who's American tour mentions Tampa concert

By Staff, wire reports

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 19, 2000

Legendary British rock band The Who starts its American tour June 25 in Chicago, and it looks like Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle and company may come to Tampa in September.

The Who's official Web site (www.thewholive.com) lists a Sept. 26 date at the Ice Palace, though neither the Ice Palace nor promoter SFX Entertainment would confirm the event on Tuesday. The other unconfirmed Florida date is Sept. 24 in Miami.

Joining the band on drums for the tour is Zak Starkey, son of Beatles drummer Ringo.

Ticket prices for the second leg of the tour (which would include Florida) have not been set, but dates on the first leg range from about $30 to $150, on a par with other recent arena tours.

At a news conference Monday in New York, the band announced a deal with Musicmaker.com to release an Internet-only live album, The Blues to the Bush, recorded in Chicago and London in 1999.

"We don't have a steady record deal right now," Townshend said, quoted on the Wall of Sound Web site. "Nothing is going to get me into the studio with a bullying producer. I've written more than 850 pieces of music -- not songs. I don't write songs anymore. I don't have that desire to wrap it all up for you. Maybe I'm not too interested . . . anymore."