The Who to reprise famed Leeds gigs to launch tour

The Who will kick off their 2006 world tour with a recreation of their legendary 1970 Leeds University gig which spawned one of greatest live albums of all time, it was confirmed today.

The concert 36 years ago has found its way into rock folklore and the Live At Leeds album taped on the night is still considered the definitive live recording.

Q Magazine recently voted it the best live album of all time.

Today, university vice chancellor Professor Michael Arthur and broadcaster Andy Kershaw took to the student union refectory stage to make the announcement.

Prof Arthur said the concert was the “worst kept secret in rock” after Who guitarist Pete Townshend released the details on his website last month.

He said he was very excited and treasured his copy of the legendary album.

Kershaw, who was the entertainments secretary at the university in the early 1980s, said he had the idea for the concert when the decision was taken to put up a plaque to commemorate the gig.

He said he approached the band’s manager, Bill Curbishley, to see if they would unveil it and cheekily began to ask if they would perform.

“Bill finished my sentence: ‘They’ll do it’. And so the idea of a concert began,” the DJ said.

He said the two surviving members of the original line-up – Roger Daltry and Townshend – were both looking forward to the June 17 event.

“He (Daltry) has very, very vivid memories of the original one and he’s very, very excited about doing it again,” said Mr Kershaw.

The 1970 gig came after The Who’s triumphant appearance at Woodstock and included the last complete live performance of the rock opera Tommy.

The Live At Leeds album sold millions around the world.

“It was a kind of benchmark concert," said Kershaw.

“It defined an era of big bands like The Who playing at college venues and also underpinned the importance of college venues and the live music circuit.”