The Who Hits Japan

The autumn concert season in Japan is shaping up and as usual a number of big foreign tours are on the calendar.

Certainly the biggest is The Who, which in its 43-year career has never toured the country before, though Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey did play the Rock Odyssey festival in 2004.

The Who will perform at Osaka Castle Hall November 13, Yokohama Arena November 14, Saitama Super Arena November 16 and Budokan November 17.

The Who tour is being carried out by veteran promoter Udo Artists, which is also presenting Billy Joel at the Tokyo Dome November 18.

Udo will also present Sting performing his classical album, Songs From the Labyrinth, at Orchard Hall, one of Tokyo’s premiere venues for opera and ballet performances, December 16-18.

Sheryl Crow will play three auditorium shows in Tokyo in mid-December for Udo, which will also host an arena tour by Judas Priest in September as well as the Japan leg of the world tour by Def Leppard and Whitesnake.

On a less classic rock note, Udo rivals Creativeman Productions also have several big tours coming up in the fall, including an eight-city, 11-show arena/stadium tour in September by Avril Lavigne, highlighted by a concert at Tokyo Dome where Puffy AmiYumi will open.

Creativeman also has Weezer Festival, which takes place September 13 in Osaka and September 15 in Tokyo, where the American rockers will play host to at least two of Japan’s biggest punk acts, Asian Kung-Fu Generation and Going Under Ground.

The company is also handling Lenny Kravitz’s long-awaited return to Japan, with five concerts in as many cities in late September, and Radiohead, whose early October tour sold out a long time ago.

Not to be outdone, H.I.P. is helping Cyndi Lauper fulfill the promise she made to fans earlier this summer and promoting a three-city tour that includes a stop at Budokan September 24.