The Department of Community, Culture and Leisure is delighted to announce that rock legend and the iconic lead singer of The Who, Roger Daltrey is to perform The Who’s legendary rock opera Tommy at the Villa Marina in Douglas on July 28. Daltrey will perform Tommy from start to finish, something The Who never did live. After the hugely popular premiere at the Royal Albert Hall in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust on 25 March, Daltrey is now taking the show on the road. As well as the majesty of Tommy, each night music fans will also be treated to a variety of Who Classics and more. Hon David Cretney MHK, Minister for Community, Culture and Leisure, said: ‘Roger Daltrey is rock royalty and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see him perform the complete Tommy in the Villa’s Royal Hall. These are songs that people of all ages will know and enjoy. I am sure it will be a great night.’ Tickets for Roger Daltrey at the Villa cost ?46.50 and are available now. Call the ticket hotline on 600555, visit www.villagaiety.com or the Welcome Centre in the Sea Terminal, Douglas. VIP packages are available – see the website for details. Tour Information Every show will be an unforgettable concert experience for lifelong fans and newcomers alike. Tommy is not only one of the most acclaimed and defining works of the rock era, it is an enduring album that resonates on radio to this day where it has found multi-generational appeal. Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998, the 20million-selling double album also spawned a successful 1975 film of the same name, with Daltrey playing the title role, which reaffirmed its place in the cultural firmament. Rock And Roll Hall of Fame inductee Daltrey is pulling out all the stops with a full backing band that will bring the rock opera’s wide-ranging sounds and textures to life vibrantly on stage every evening. Joining Daltrey will be Frank Simes (guitar), Scott Deavours (drums), Jon Button (Bass), Loren Gold (Keyboards) and also on guitar will be Simon Townshend, younger brother of The Who’s guitarist Pete Townshend. Pete Townshend, commenting on the tour, said: ‘Great to see Roger performing Tommy with his band in 2011. I will be there in spirit, and Roger has my complete and most loving support. Roger is touring his unique concert version of Tommy using his faithful presentation of the original work as the backbone for a set of wider material. It is wonderful to hear the way Roger and his new band re-interpret the old Who songs.’ Throughout this tour, songs such as “Pinball Wizard,” “The Acid Queen,” “I’m Free,” “See Me, Feel Me” and “We’re Not Gonna Take It” promise to transport attendees into the world of this classic album. A 1989 tour by The Who saw them reprise Tommy live; the upcoming Daltrey tour will differ in that all of the album’s songs will be played . Tommy, an album that tells a story about a “deaf, dumb, and blind boy” who becomes the leader of a messianic movement, will always be a turning point for the band, according to Daltrey. He recalls: ‘Within Tommy, I found the new voice of The Who and the band found its stride in making that music, adjusting it, using all that knowledge that we had from jazz and the blues into making it work in a rock way.’ ENDS