Rick Diamond/Getty Images for The WhoThe Who‘s Pete Townshend has joined the lineup of a U.K. charity event called Symfunny No. 2, which raises money for the Parkinson’s UK organization.
The show, which will take place April 19 at London’s Royal Albert Hall, will feature a mix of music and comedy performances while raising awareness of and money to aid the battle against Parkinson’s disease.
Symfunny No. 2 is the second installment of an event that premiered in 2014, and is the brainchild of British conductor and composer James Morgan, who was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s in 2012. Morgan collaborated with Townshend on the Who legend’s Classic Quadrophenia album, and the two are planning to perform “Love Reign O’er Me” at the show.
Townshend has a personal connection to fundraiser, since his late father-in-law Edwin “Ted” Astley died in 1998 from a Parkinson’s-related illness. Astley was a composer whom Pete credits with helping him “break into orchestral arrangements for some of my songs in the ’80s.” “Street in the City,” a song on the album Rough Mix — Pete’s collaboration with the late Ronnie Lane — features arrangements by Astley.
Townshend adds that Astley co-wrote a number of pieces with him, including “a very silly fugue” called “Football Fugue” that he will perform at the charity event.
Tickets for Symfunny No. 2 are available at RoyalAlbertHall.com.
As previously reported, Townshend also will be performing at the Royal Albert Hall on March 30 and April 1 with The Who as part of the Teenage Cancer Trust’s 2017 series of benefit concerts. The band will be playing acoustic shows that will include a full performance of the 1969 rock opera Tommy.
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