British rockers The Who have announced the final tour of their musica career after six decades in the music business. The Another Tricky Day hitmakers – who formed in the 1960s – unveiled the dates for their The Song is Over tour during a London press conference on Thursday (May 8). Guitarist Pete Townshend and frontman Roger Daltrey joined the conference via video call where they announced that the tour will kick off in August this year.

The shows are being billed as The Who’s final runs in the United States and Canada before they call time on their global tours. Townsend, 79, said in a statement: “Well, all good things much come to an end. It’s a poignant time.

“For me, playing to American audiences and those in Canada has always been incredible. The warmth and engagement of those audiences began back in 1967 with hippies smoking dope, sitting on their blankets and listening deeply and intensely.

“Music everywhere. We all felt equal. Today, Roger and I still carry the banner for the late Keith Moon and John Entwistle, and of course, all out longtime Who fans.”

He continued: “I must say that although the road has not always been enjoyable for me, it is usually easy: the best job I could ever have had. I keep coming back. Every time I do, I meet new fans and feel new energy.

“Roger and I are in a good place, despite our age, eager to throw our weight behind this fond farewell to all our faithful fans, and hopefully to new ones who might jump in to see what they have been missing for the last 57 years.

“This tour will be about fond memories, love, and laughter. Make sure you join in.” Tickets will be available starting with a Citi presale and through The Who Fan Club, beginning on Tuesday 13 May.

Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general sale beginning on Friday 16 May at 10am local time. No UK and Europe dates have been announced, but it is expected that the band will reveal further dates over the next coming months.

The North America announcement comes after the band fired, then re0hired, their longtime drummer Zak Starkey over “communication issues”.

Focusing on the US dates, frontman Daltrey, 81, added: “Every musician’s dream in the early Sixties was to make it big in the US charts. For the Who, that dream came true in 1967 and out lives changed forever.

“The warmth of the American audiences over the years have been inspirational to me, and reflect the feeling I remember getting after hearing the first rock records coming across the radio. Musical freedom! Rock gave us a feeling of generational rebellion.

“To me, America has always been great. The cultural differences had a huge impact on me, this was the land of the possible. It’s not easy to end the big part of my life that touring with The Who has been. Thanks for being there for us and look forward to seeing you one last time.”

The band had previously alluded to the possibility of a farewell tour in the horizon, with Townshend telling The New York Times: “It feels to me like there’s one thing The Who can do, and that’s a final tour where we play every territory in the world and then crawl off to die. I don’t get much of a buzz from performing with The Who. If I’m really hones, I’ve been touring for the money.”