Jeff Wayne in Stockton-on-Tees

Jeff Wayne is an American composer, musician and producer, born in New York in 1943. He is best known for the 1978 concept album Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, a rock opera based on H. G. Wells’s novel and featuring “The Eve of the War” and “Forever Autumn.” In 2006, Jeff Wayne brought the work to British arenas for its first concert tour. The New Generation production followed in 2012 and incorporated Liam Neeson’s filmed performance as the Journalist, while the 40th Anniversary Tour returned the score to arenas in 2018. The concert is performed by the Black Smoke Band and the ULLAdubULLA Strings, conducted by Jeff Wayne, while guest singers take the story’s character roles. Its recurring theatrical elements include a Martian Fighting Machine and, in earlier productions, Richard Burton’s recorded narration. The United Kingdom has been the production’s main touring market, and Jeff Wayne has also mounted arena runs in Australia.