You Am I Announce National Tour Performing The Who’s ‘Tommy’ with Guests Hayley Mary & Sarah McLeod

April 18, 2023

You Am I will circle the country playing The Who’s iconic rock opera record Tommy later this year. The tour will get under way in Caloundra in Queensland on Wednesday, 26 July, before moving through regional centres and capital cities, finishing up at the Astor Theatre in Perth on Friday, 18th August.

Tim Rogers and co. won’t be going it alone either: they’ll be joined on tour by The Jezabels’ frontwoman and now solo artist Hayley Mary, and songwriter-guitarist Sarah McLeod. Check out all the dates and details below.

The Who: ‘Pinball Wizard’

A rock opera largely composed by guitarist Pete Townshend, The Who’s Tommy is one of the most acclaimed rock albums of all time. Released in 1969, it follows the story of Tommy Walker, who endures a life of struggle and abuse that begins with him seeing the murder of his father. In the early ’90s the album was adapted into a Broadway musical by Townshend.

“A preposterous proposition of pomp power n pithiness to be performed by our pop group with pals,” Tim Rogers said of the upcoming tour. “We promise to plunder deep and perform in full plumage with no panache, just passions. Prost!”

“Tommy is like A Clockwork Orange meets Almost Famous in album form,” Hayley Mary shared in a statement. “A dark eccentric and cutting critique of fatherlessness and fame and that rings truer now than ever. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into the disturbing themes and help bring some of these colourful characters to life across the country.”

You Am I, Mary, and McLeod will perform the album in full, as well as some other select tracks from across The Who’s catalogue. Tim Rogers is also gearing up to tour with The Hard-Ons for their upcoming album, Ripper ’23.