Watch Pete Townshend, the Roots Perform the Who’s ‘Love Reign O’er Me’
Pete Townshend, tenor Alfie Boe and the Roots teamed to perform the Who‘s “Love Reign O’er Me” on The Tonight Show Friday.
Boe’s Tony-winning vocals fill in for Roger Daltrey on the unique rendition of the Quadrophenia closer, which features on Townshend’s symphonic LP Classic Quadrophenia, The guitarist himself handles the second verse as a small orchestra and the Roots lift “Love Reign O’er Me” to soaring heights.
Townshend’s Classic Quadrophenia, which debuted in London in 2015, reinterprets the Who‘s classic 1973 double-LP with help from the London Symphony Orchestra, Boe (singing Daltrey’s parts), Billy Idol, Quadrophenia actor Phil Daniels and more.
The piece had its U.S. debut September 2nd in Lenox, Massachusetts before Friday and Saturday shows at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House.
“Melding the contrasting sounds of Quadrophenia with a symphony has been a really unique and powerful way to reach a wide audience of classical and pop music lovers alike. I couldn’t be more excited to see it continue in the U.S.,” Townshend said of the performances.
The brief Classic Quadrophenia tour will next descend on Chicago’s Rosemont Theatre on September 13th and Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre on September 16th. Proceeds from the Classic Quadrophenia shows will benefit Teen Cancer America.
In July, Townshend and Daltrey stopped by The Tonight Show to perform a pair of Who songs, “I Can See for Miles” and “You Better You Bet.”