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Pete Townshend joins The Fratellis at SXSW

Pete Townshend and The Fratellis at sxsw 2007

Pete Townshend and The Fratellis at sxsw 2007

The Who guitarist makes surprise appearance

Pete Townshend made a surprise appearance this afternoon (March 16) at South by SouthWest.

The legendary guitarist joined The Fratellis on stage during their 1:30 pm set and took the audience completely off guard.

Dressed in a dark suit and dark glasses under an overcast sky, Townshend appeared to be enjoying himself immensely on the stage of Stubb's Barbeque during Spin Magazine's party.

The Glaswegian newcomers were equally chuffed, and buzzed through their high-energy, guitar-driven numbers with even more enthusiasm than usual.

The audience, who had been scattered across the large venue, rushed to the front of the stage as soon as Townshend took the stage.

This appearance was probably not a coincidence, as Townshend and The Fratellis are no strangers. The band previously recorded in Townshend's studio for his partner's on-line music programme, 'In The Attic'.

For all the latest blogs, gossip and news live from SXSW, check out NME.COM/newmusic.

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