Roger Daltrey once told me of his vocal durability: “I haven’t got a secret. I just work hard, and I try to keep a passion for what I do. I love to sing, and through that, I get a reward that money can’t buy.”
That was backstage, just ahead of a 2018 solo show at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel. We thought then that Daltrey might be ready to close out his singing career. But the 82-year-old rock legend is still on the road of rewards, headlining for the first time at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas, a three-show run that kicks off Aug. 26.
The trifecta of performances are part of Daltrey’s nobly titled “A Great Night Out” tour, which extends through the end of September. The Who frontman is playing more dates solo this year than he did during the group’s entire “farewell” tour.
Daltrey is set to play selections from The Who, solo favorites and a few covers. He will be backed by the same musicians who played his most recent “Summer Semi Acoustic Tour” in 2024: Simon Townshend, the younger brother of Who great Pete Townshend, on guitar; Billy Nicholls on mandolin, Jody Linscott on percussion, Doug Boyle on guitar, John Hogg on bass, Katie Jacoby on violin, Steve Weston on harmonica, Geraint Watkins on keys and accordion and Scott Devours on drums.
That’s a lot of musicianship, beyond the “semi” acoustic format. Knighted in December, Daltrey is blending anecdotes from his 60-plus year career into his touring shows. “Candid banter and direct rapport” are promised from AEG Presents, which books the theater.
We have had some rapport and anecdotes, from Daltrey, and The Who, over the years:
— During our time at the old Hard Rock (Virgin Hotels Las Vegas today), Daltrey drew a light to Teen Cancer America, the charity he and Townshend co-founded in 2012. The organization covers the age gap between children and adults who suffer from cancer. He said he wants to address the “teenage wasteland” referenced in “Baba O’Reilly.” “Let’s put it this way: There’s an awful lot you can do for cancer that isn’t research that can make an incredible difference in cancer survival,” Daltrey said. “You take care of the mental health, you take care of the psychological health, and for the group we deal with, that’s the most important help of all. It’s that age when they’re ready to fly the nest and change.”
— The Who played an orchestral series at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in 2017, after a one-off in 2016. “The stage was a hard-work stage for me, because the band was so far away,” Daltrey said. “I’m not a solo singer, so to be so far back there with the band is where I’d like to be, because we’re brothers.”
— After one of the ’17 shows we linked up with then-drummer Zak Starkey and his then-girlfriend, and now wife, the rocker Sshh (real name, Sharna Liguz), for a rowdy post-show performance at the Sand Dollar Lounge. Starkey and Sshh were in an animated conversation in the Escalade on the way to the show. The percussion-playing son of Beatles great Ringo Starr reminded his girlfriend to tone it down, mentioning Daltrey’s powerful vocals and Townshend’s searing guitar: “Will you stop (expletive) shouting now? I just got off stage with The Who!” A couple of years later, I mentioned this experience to (more name-drop action) Starr in an interview at Planet Hollywood. Ringo smiled and said, “He is his father’s son.”
— The Who’s first and last performances in Las Vegas were at the MGM Grand. The first was an October 29, 1999, private show at the launch event for now-defunct internet company Pixelon.com. In the movie about that show, “The Who 20th Anniversary Reunion Concert, A One-Night-Only Performance,” the expenses for the lavish party were held up as a reason why the company suffered financially. The Who played what was billed as their last show here in September at the Grand Garden Arena.
— The Who also played two nights at Dolby Live at Park MGM, in November 2022. Daltrey sounded great, but Townshend was not happy with the then-new Dolby Atmos sound system: “It sounds dreadful up here. I don’t know what it sounds like out there.” He posed the question to the crowd, which included the late hoops and broadcast legend Bill Walton, seated coincidentally alongside Smith Center President Myron Martin, asking: “Does it sound OK out there?”
The crowd shouted back, “Yes!” The guitarist answered, “As long as you’re all happy, we’re happy.”
Just this month, Daltrey told Rolling Stone, “I just go out there and have a good time. And I feel if I’m having a good time, hopefully the crowd will have a good time.”
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
‘A Great Night Out’
who: Roger Daltrey
where: Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas
when: Aug. 26, 28 and 29
tickets: Starting at $95.61, including fees
information: Ticketmaster.com