MILWAUKEE – They were originally called the Detours. Therefore, it was somewhat fitting that it took a detour of sorts to bring them to Milwaukee.

British rockers the Who, currently on a farewell tour of North America, hit Brewertown on Tuesday. It’s not surprising that this group, having earned top-of-the-heap status worldwide, managed to fill the 11,500 seats of the Milwaukee Arena. Nor is it startling that after almost two decades in the business, the Who is giving up touring.

The unusual part is what it took to get the band to come to Wisconsin’s largest city.

Milwaukee wasn’t on the Who’s itinerary this time around. Fans would have to travel to Minnesota or Chicago in order to bid farewell to the band.

But Milwaukee rock station 93QFM, and late-night jock Tim the Rock ‘N’ Roll Animal in particular, weren’t willing to settle for that. A petition drive was initiated to convince the Who to play Milwaukee. To further demonstrate his commitment to the effort, Tim spent almost two weeks on a ledge outside the QFM studio.

It worked.

Lead singer Roger Daltrey finally called the station and confirmed that his band would re-route the tour to visit Milwaukee.

Judging from the crowd’s reaction at the concert and the spirit the band put into the show, had Tim spent six months out on that ledge, it would have been worth it.

The Who performed over two dozen songs that amounted to a “greatest hits” catalog. Opening with early hits “My Generation” and “Can’t Explain,” the band whipped the audience into a frenzy from the start and never let up. Newer tunes like “It’s Hard” and “Eminence Front” were followed by “Behind Blue Eyes” and “Dr. Jimmy” from the rock opera “Tommy.”

Characteristically almost motionless throughout the show, bassist John Entwistle stepped forward to offer the classic gem “Boris The Spider.” Daltrey then reclaimed the spotlight with “Who Are You?”

Guitarist Pete Townshend’s trademarked leaps, bounds and windmill strumming style, along with Daltrey’s microphone tosses, drew repeated cheers. Between songs, the crowd chanted the band’s name until the next chord was struck.

For two solid hours, new drummer Kenney Jones kept the pace steady and heavy. Townshend poured his best licks into “5:15” and the audience, which began arriving for the show as early as 4:00 in the afternoon, gave its best and loudest response to “Love, Reign O’er Me.”

Predictably, “Long Live Rock” was received with boundless enthusiasm that turned into an extended shout-along. By the time the band wound up with “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” the only people still in their chairs had wheels on them.

Rock fans numbering in the hundreds of thousands are sad to see the Who call it quits. But none are happier than the lucky ones who said goodbye to the group in Milwaukee.