The Who to play SSE Hydro during UK arena tour

The Who announced the release of their new album, the first in 13 years, and a UK arena tour. Picture: Getty Images

The Who will play at the SSE Hydro in March 2020 as part of a UK arena tour with full orchestra, which was announced today in the run-up to the band's first new album in 13 years, entitled 'WHO', on 22 November 2019.

Fifty-five years after making the first recordings, the Who today released the first single 'Ball and Chain'.

Covering topics ranging from the Grenfell Tower fire, spirituality and reincarnation to the power of memory and ‘an old rock star that has lost his marbles’, singer Roger Daltrey rates it amongst their strongest: “I think we’ve made our best album since Quadrophenia in 1973, Pete hasn’t lost it, he’s still a fabulous songwriter, and he’s still got that cutting edge”.

Guitarist Pete Towshend added: "Roger and I are both old men now, by any measure, so I’ve tried to stay away from romance, but also from nostalgia if I can."

The album reunited them with long-time Who drummer Zak Starkey and bassist Pino Palladino, and includes contributions from Simon Townshend, Benmont Tench, Carla Azar, Joey Waronker and Gordon Giltrap.

The eleven-track album was mainly recorded in London and Los Angeles over the last few months, and was co-produced by Pete Townshend and D. Sardy, who has worked with artists such as Noel Gallagher, Oasis and LCD Soundsystem and Dave Eringa, known for his vocal productions for Manic Street Preachers and Roger Daltrey.

Last night, the album's artwork was unveiled at the opening of the brand new eight-storey Pace contemporary art gallery in New York, where the band also performed a short acoustic set.

With a career spanning over six decades, the Who has sold over 100 million records world-wide.

The Who will be playing at the SSE Hydro on 23 March 2020. Tickets go on sale 10am 20th September.