GLENS FALLS, N.Y. (AP) — Rock behemoths the Who, going out on the road for the first time since their “farewell tour” in 1982, are returning to the stage far from big-city footlights.

The rock veterans will open their 36-date summer stadium tour June 21 in a relatively small 8,000-seat arena in this city on the edge of the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York.

Tickets went on sale June 14 and were completely snapped up in 82 minutes, officials said.

But the big question on the collective minds of the rock world is why Glens Falls and not New York, Los Angeles or Chicago?

Because that’s where the Who is spending more than a week rehearsing, getting its mammoth stage and show ready to hit the big time. The band’s organization wanted a “dress rehearsal” before the first stadium show in Toronto, said publicist Sean Mahoney.

“It’s something we’ll be proud to talk about for decades to come,” said David Covey, station manager of WWSC-FM. “The No. 1 thing on everybody’s mind is ‘how can I get tickets?’”

Original members Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey and John Entwistle are reuniting to mark the Who’s 25th anniversary. They’re planning three-hour shows at stadiums across the country, plus full performances of the rock opera “Tommy” in New York as a benefit and in Los Angeles.

But first, they’ll have to make it in Glens Falls.

“It’s going to be a shot in the arm for us,” said Glens Falls Mayor Frank O’Keefe. “They’ve rented the civic center for an extended period of time. They’re going to bring a lot of activity to the city and we’re glad to have them.

“I never heard of Who, but my two teen-agers told me about them,” O’Keefe said. “The younger society — not that I’m old — are getting awfully excited about it.”

For Glens Falls, it’s a payoff for the civic center’s growing reputation as a place where many big names of the entertainment industry go — to rehearse, if not necessarily to perform.

With its out-of-the-way location and one of the country’s most popular outdoor entertainment venues just a half hour south in Saratoga Springs, the Glens Falls Civic Center is empty for much of the summer.

To make ends meet, arena management began asking entertainers five or six years ago if they wanted to rent out the place to rehearse. Artists such as Billy Joel, Def Leppard and Judas Priest have said yes.

When he heard the Who were reforming several months ago, Kelley said he began making overtures to the band and kept his fingers crossed.

“This is a very funny business and people do change their minds very quickly,” said Kelley, a former general manager of the Hartford Whalers hockey team.

Most of the time, bands that rent out the civic center look to lower their costs by agreeing to a public performance there, he said. That’s what happened with the Who.

Despite security guards ringing the civic center during the Who’s rehearsal time, most of what goes on inside isn’t particularly exciting. Stage managers and roadies spend a lot of time putting the stage, sound equipment and lights together and make sure they can be disassembled quickly.

Townshend, Daltrey and crew will actually be on stage only briefly in the empty arena to practice songs such as “My Generation” and “Baba O’Riley,” Kelley said.

On the tour itinerary, the Glens Falls date is pointedly listed as a “warm-up show.” The Who may need the extra time to get used to all its new personnel. Drummer Simon Phillips has replaced Kenney Jones for this tour. John Bundrick will play keyboards and Steve Bolton will play guitar.

Townshend, who reportedly has severe ear problems brought on by years of power chords on his electric guitar, will stick to an acoustic guitar for the shows.

The band will also cart around a horn section, a percussion section and three back-up singers.

Although the Who doesn’t have a new album and has no plans for one, the band is expected to play cuts from Townshend’s solo album, “The Iron Man,” due out at the end of this month.

The huge stage built for outdoor shows dwarfs Glens Falls’ tiny arena. To fit all of the equipment, the civic center will only be able to use roughly 5,000 of its 8,000 seats.

Even before tickets went on sale, Kelley said he was already sick of all the tickets pleas he has received from friends and acquaintances.