A long out-of-print trove of Pete Townshend live shows is coming back into print in one deluxe box set.

Live in Concert 1985-2001, available July 26, brings together more than 15 years' worth of shows from the legendary songwriter/guitarist for The Who. These sets, recorded in America and England and arranged chronologically, were all originally released in the early years of the millennium on Townshend's short-lived Eel Pie label. For this set, available as a 14CD set or a digital product, they've been remastered by Jon Astley.

Longtime Townshend collaborator Richard Evans has designed the outer box, keeping it consistent with the design of the original seven covers. (Looking at the packshot, each 2CD set appears to be encased in a rigid cardboard digisleeve wallet.) The box will also include a hardback book offering a new interview with the guitarist, liner notes by band archivist Matt Kent, and rare photos and memorabilia.

The box travels through Townshend's career in and out of The Who, which had effectively broken up in 1983 but would reunite sporadically throughout the '80s and '90s for various gigs and tours before releasing new abums in 2006 and 2019. The first set in the box is actually the only one released elsewhere than the Eel Pie label: taken from two nights at Brixton Academy in 1985, the unique sets for Townshend's Double O charity were referred to as Pete Townshend's Deep End when an album of highlights was issued in 1986. With a line-up that included David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick, Colombian bassist Chucho Merchan and stalwart drummer Simon Phillips (The Who's touring drummer on their infamous 1989 reunion tour), the Deep End sets mixed Who classics ("Won't Get Fooled Again," "Behind Blue Eyes," "Pinball Wizard") with an eclectic array of covers (Big Boy Crudup's "That's Alright Mama," Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put a Spell on You," The (English) Beat's "Save It for Later").

Next is a full performance of 1993's Psychoderelict, a conceptual rock opera conceived as a quirky roman a clef by Townshend, inspired in part by his music devoted to Meher Baba and portions of The Who's unreleased Lifehouse project (including the immortal "Baba O'Riley," released on 1971's Who's Next). The dramatic collection was fully cast with actors when it played at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and featured another crack backing band featuring returning collaborators Bundrick, Phillips and harmonica player Peter Hope Evans as well as journeyman guitarist Andy Fairweather Low and bassist Pino Palladino (who would also join The Who's touring lineup after the death of John Entwistle). The BAM set is further augmented by a set of solo Townshend hits and others from The Who.

Most of the rest of the sets are rare solo performances from Townshend featuring hits and fan favorites, including a 1996 date at The Fillmore in San Francisco, a 1998 date at Shepherd's Bush Empire in London, and two from San Diego's La Jolla Playhouse in 2001 (the same location a stage adaptation of The Who's Tommy was first staged in 1992). A collection taken from two nights at Sadler's Wells Theatre in London in 2000, however, did mark one of the only times Townshend took audiences through songs from the unfinished Lifehouse. (Some of the tracks were only ever performed at those shows.)

Live in Concert 1985-2001 looks primed to appeal to the Who superfan in your life, showcasing a rare side of one of British rock's most notable craftsmen. It's out July 26 and can be pre-ordered below. (As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.)

Live in Concert 1985-2001 (UMe, 2024) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Discs 1-2: Live: Brixton Academy '85 (released as Eel Pie EPR-020, 2004)

1. Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand
2. Won't Get Fooled Again
3. A Little is Enough
4. Secondhand Love
5. That's Alright Mama
6. Behind Blue Eyes
7. The Shout
8. Harlem Shuffle
9. Barefootin'
10. After the Fire
11. Love on the Air
12. Midnight Lover
13. Blue Light
14. I Put a Spell on You
15. I'm One

1. Driftin'
2. Magic Bus
3. Save It for Later
4. Eyesight to the Blind
5. Walkin'
6. Stop Hurting People
7. The Sea Refuses No River
8. Boogie Stop Shuffle
9. Face the Face
10. Pinball Wizard
11. Give Blood
12. Night Train

All tracks recorded live at Brixton Academy, London, England - 11/1 and 11/2/1985. Disc 1, Tracks 3, 6, 9-10 and 14-15 and Disc 2, Tracks 3-4, 6 and 10 originally released as Deep End Live! - ATCO 90553, 1986

Discs 3-4: Live: BAM 1993 (released as Eel Pie EPR-017, 2003)

1. Intro
2. English Boy
3. Meher Baba M3
4. Let's Get Pretentious
5. Meher Baba M4
6. Early Morning Dreams
7. I Want That Thing
8. Intro: Outlive the Dinosaur
9. Outlive the Dinosaur
10. Gridlife 1
11. Flame (demo)
12. Now and Then
13. I Am Afraid
14. Gridlife 2
15. Don't Try to Make Me Real
16. Intro: Predictable
17. Predictable
18. Flame
19. Meher Baba M5 (Vivaldi)
20. Fake It
21. Intro: Now and Then (Reprise)
22. Now and Then (Reprise)
23. Baba O'Riley (Demo)
24. English Boy (Reprise)

1. Pinball Wizard/See Me Feel Me/Listening to You
2. Let My Love Open the Door
3. Rough Boys
4. Behind Blue Eyes
5. The Kids Are Alright
6. Keep Me Turning
7. Eminence Front
8. A Little is Enough
9. You Better You Bet
10. Face the Face
11. Won't Get Fooled Again/Let's See Action
12. Magic Bus

All tracks recorded live at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn, NY - 8/7/1993

Discs 5-6: Live: The Fillmore 1996 (released as Eel Pie EPR-010, 2000)

1. Let My Love Open the Door
2. English Boy
3. Drowned
4. The Shout
5. I Put a Spell on You
6. Cut My Hair
7. Sheraton Gibson
8. I'm One
9. Heart to Hang Onto
10. Parvardigar
11. A Legal Matter

1. A Friend is a Friend
2. I Am An Animal
3. All Shall Be Well
4. Slit Skirts
5. Eyesight to the Blind
6. Driftin' Blues
7. Now and Then
8. Rough Boys
9. I'm a Boy
10. Magic Bus

All tracks recorded live at The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA - 4/30/1996

Discs 7-8: Live: The Empire 1998 (released as Eel Pie EPR-009, 2000)

1. On the Road Again
2. A Little is Enough
3. Pinball Wizard
4. Drowned
5. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
6. You Better You Bet
7. Behind Blue Eyes
8. Baby Don't You Do It
9. English Boy
10. Three Steps to Heaven
11. Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand
12. Sheraton Gibson
13. Substitute
14. I Am an Animal
15. North Country Girl

1. (She's a) Sensation
2. A Friend is a Friend
3. Now and Then
4. Let My Love Open the Door
5. Who Are You
6. The Kids Are Alright
7. Acid Queen
8. Won't Get Fooled Again
9. Magic Bus
10. I'm One

All tracks recorded live at Shepherd's Bush Empire, London, England - 11/9/1998

Discs 9-10: Live: Sadler's Wells 2000 (released as Eel Pie EPR-008, 2000)

1. One Note
2. Purcell (Quick Movement)
3. Teenage Wasteland
4. Time is Passing
5. Love Ain't for Keeping
6. Goin' Mobile
7. Greyhound Girl
8. Tragedy
9. Mary
10. I Don't Even Know Myself
11. Bargain
12. Gettin' in Tune
13. Pure and Easy

1. Baba O'Riley (Orchestral)
2. Baba O'Riley
3. Hinterland Rag
4. Behind Blue Eyes
5. Let's See Action
6. Sister Disco
7. Relay
8. Who Are You
9. Join Together
10. Won't Get Fooled Again
11. Tragedy Explained
12. The Song is Over
13. Can You Help the One You Really Love?

All tracks recorded live at Sadler's Wells Theatre, London, England - 2/25 and 2/26/2000

Discs 11-12: Live: La Jolla Playhouse 22/06/01 (released as Eel Pie EPR-014, 2001)

1. Pinball Wizard
2. Let My Love Open the Door
3. Heart to Hang Onto
4. Cut My Hair
5. Slit Skirts
6. Drowned
7. Greyhound Girl
8. Tattoo
9. The Sea Refuses No River

1. Saint James Infirmary
2. Eminence Front
3. Won't Get Fooled Again
4. Behind Blue Eyes
5. Won't Get Fooled Again (Electric)

All tracks recorded live at La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego, CA - 6/22/2001

Discs 13-14: Live: La Jolla Playhouse 23/06/01 (released as Eel Pie EPR-015, 2001)

1. Pinball Wizard
2. Let My Love Open the Door
3. Heart to Hang Onto
4. Cut My Hair
5. Slit Skirts
6. Drowned
7. Greyhound Girl
8. Tattoo
9. Collings
10. Eminence Front

1. Sheraton Gibson
2. Won't Get Fooled Again
3. I'm One
4. Behind Blue Eyes
5. Driftin' Blues
6. Eyesight to the Blind
7. Won't Get Fooled Again (Electric)

All tracks recorded live at La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego, CA - 6/23/2001