The Who extends tour, including first Cincinnati concert since 1979 tragedy that killed 11
Forty years after a stampede left 11 people dead at a Who concert in Cincinnati, the iconic band announced its return to the city as part of an extension of its "Moving On!" tour.
"So what I want to say is that we'll be there," Pete Townshend said in a documentary on Cincinnati TV station WCPO. "And having said that, now, we'll just have to come."
Rumors of the band's return have circulated in recent weeks leading up to Tuesday's documentary. WCPO anchor Tanya O'Rourke drew from her own memory of that night when interviewing Townshend, Bill Curbishley and others for the special.
"We need to go back to Cincinnati, you know, we do. As soon as we can," Townshend said toward the end of the documentary. "It would be such a joyous occasion for us, and such a healing thing."
Curbishley said he would go back to the city, but not back to that same venue.
The documentary also shined a light on the PEM Memorial Scholarship Fund, which honors the three Finneytown High School students who died at the concert: Stephan Preston, Jackie Eckerle and Karen Morrison.
The Cincinnati Enquirer, part of the USA TODAY Network, covered The Who concert tragedy 40 years ago after fans broke the gate to the arena and a crowd of thousands stampeded toward the stage. Eleven people were killed and eight were seriously injured in the rush.
The band left the next day to continue their tour in Buffalo, New York.
During a recent interview with the Associated Press, Townshend admitted that he regrets not staying to mourn with Cincinnati after the tragedy.
"I'm not forgiving us," Townshend told the Associated Press. "We should have stayed."
Check out the rest of the "Moving On!" tour additions:
April 21: Hard Rock Live – Hollywood, Florida
April 23: BB&T Arena Northern Kentucky University – Highland Heights, Kentucky (Greater Cincinnati)
April 27: American Airlines Center – Dallas (Rescheduled)
April 30: Toyota Center – Houston (Rescheduled)
May 2: Pepsi Center – Denver (Rescheduled)
May 5: The Colosseum at Caesars Palace – Las Vegas
May 7: The Colosseum at Caesars Palace – Las Vegas
May 9: The Colosseum at Caesars Palace – Las Vegas
May 12: The Colosseum at Caesars Palace – Las Vegas
May 14: The Colosseum at Caesars Palace – Las Vegas
May 16: The Colosseum at Caesars Palace – Las Vegas
Contributing: Jennifer McClellan, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: The Who announces first Cincinnati concert 40 years after tragedy
