The Who postpones concert on farewell tour due to illness

A legendary rock band’s farewell tour has already hit a bump in the road.

The Who’s concert scheduled for Thursday night in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was “postponed due to illness,” the Xfinity Mobile Arena (formerly Wells Fargo Center) announced hours before the show was set to begin. Fans are urged to “hang on to your tickets as we work quickly to schedule a new date.”

Philly was set to be the third stop on The Who’s “The Song Is Over North America Farewell Tour” dates, which began Aug. 16 in Florida. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group, featuring original singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend, is currently scheduled to next play Saturday in Atlantic City, N.J., followed by shows in Boston, New York City and Toronto.

The band did not specify who was ill or any other details. The touring lineup also includes drummer Scott Devours, who replaced longtime member Zak Starkey, the son of The Beatles legend Ringo Starr, after a messy split.

Daltrey, 81, and Townshend, 80, are best known for their work on The Who with hits like “My Generation,” “Baba O’Riley,” “Behind Blue Eyes” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” They performed at the original Woodstock festival in 1969 and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.

The British rock band was also in Syracuse’s history books history with the largest concert crowd ever at the former Carrier Dome in 1982 — until Metallica broke the record in April. That 1982 concert, by the way, was part of what The Who claimed was its farewell tour at the time.

“Well, all good things must come to an end. It is a poignant time,” Townshend said in May. “I must say that although the road has not always been enjoyable for me, it is usually easy: the best job I could ever have had. I keep coming back. Every time I do, I meet new fans and feel new energy.”

Daltrey made headlines earlier in the week when he appropriately changed the lyrics to The Who’s “The Song is Over” at a Newark concert.

“The song is over / Thanks for all the years / I’ll always remember / Even if I live for a million years,” he sang.

The band also set high expectations for fans to be ready for anything after Florida’s tour kickoff concert featured The Who’s first-ever live performance of 1971’s “Going Mobile.” The U.S. trek is scheduled to wrap Sept. 28 in Las Vegas.