The Boxmasters (featuring J.D. Andrew, left, and Billy Bob Thornton) and Booker T. Jones will open for The Who in Newark and Atlantic City, respectively.
The Who has announced the opening acts for its upcoming The Song Is Over North America Farewell Tour, including Billy Bob Thornton & the Boxmasters at the Aug. 19 concert at The Prudential Center in Newark; and Booker T. Jones at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, Aug. 23.
Thornton is, of course, best known as an actor, but he has also performed in rock and blues-rock bands since he was a teenager. The Boxmasters — led by Thornton on drums and vocals and J.D. Andrew on guitar and vocals — formed in 2006 and released their first album in 2008.
Keyboardist Jones is best known as the leader of the great Stax instrumental group, Booker T. & the M.G.’s.
The Who has announced the opening acts for its other tour stops as well, including ZZ Ward at The Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Aug. 21; and Feist at The Northwell at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York, Aug. 28, and at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, Aug. 30.
ZAK STARKEY
In other Who news, the band has announced that drummer Zak Starkey, who has played with them since 1996, will not be participating in this tour. The Who had previously announced that Starkey had been fired on April 16, though they reinstated just a few days later.
On May 18, Who members Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey released a joint statement on the band’s Facebook account, saying “The Who are heading for retirement, whereas Zak is 20 years younger and has a great future with his new band and other exciting projects. He needs to devote all his energy into making it all a success. We both wish him all the luck in the world.
“Scott Devours — Who fans will know him from Roger’s solo shows — will be replacing Zak. We hope all our fans will welcome him.”
Starkey’s social media response read, in part:
“I was fired two weeks after reinstatement and asked to make a statement saying I had quit the who to pursue my other musical endevours this would be a lie. I love the who and would never had quit. So I didn’t make the statement ….quitting the who would also have let down the countless amazing people who stood up for me (thank you all a million times over and more) thru the weeks of mayhem of me going ‘in an out an in an out an in an out like a bleedin squeezebox x To clarify ‘other projects’ yes I do have other projects and always have. … None of this has ever interfered with The Who and was never a problem for them. The lie is or would have been that I quit the who — i didn’t. I love the who and everyone in it.”
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