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Some Guy wrote:
Now that's nostalgia!

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Gazza wrote:
Just got home.

In short - One of the best shows I've ever seen. Fantastic. Will post more later


[Edited by Gazza]

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Martha wrote:
Look forward to hearing all about it Gary!

I'm so jealous, yet so happy for you!
:-)

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Gazza wrote:
It's odd but although the Who have always been one of my favourite three or four bands, prior to last night I'd only ever seen them once - and that was the all-star "Quadrophenia" performance at Hyde Park in '96 for the Princes Trust, on a bill that also included Clapton and Dylan.

Since then, they've always seemed to tour at the wrong time for me, or I hadn't know about it - plus for some as yet inexcusable reason the last time they played a show in Ireland was around 1966. They've threatened to come over here a few times since, but it's never happened. Oh, I forgot. I went to a taping of a Chieftains TV special a few years back in Belfast simply because Daltrey and Charlie Watts were billed to appear. In the end, Charlie didnt (still dont know why) but Roger did and sang a gorgeous version of "Behind Blue Eyes".

So, thats the background and why I was REALLY looking forward to this one. I've been a bit unsure in the last couple of years about whether Roger's voice is still up to the job, but going by the performances from the recent London & US shows that theyve made available on their official site, I figured it was worth the risk.

Didnt get great seats, so was hoping for either getting an upgrade off a ticket tout at a reasonable price and/or there being video screens inside the vast 13,000 seater venue. I've never bought black market tickets in my life and there werent too many guys selling them either but I got offered a pair in the 7th row for face value an hour before showtime. Threw in my existing pair and they were mine for �50. I thought, fuck it, if I'm coming all this way I may as well get good seats. So all told it worked out as �60 for a 7th row seat, near the centre and on Pete's side. excellent. Just as well. Unlike the recent US shows, they didnt use any video screens.

After a set by the opening act Kasabian, the lights went down at 8.40 and on they came. No fanfare, no fuss. Pete, looking cool as fuck in jeans, white t-shirt and wraparound shades raises the right arm and down it comes again like a whiplash - Bam! Bam - bam! Bam ! Bam-bam! - and they're off and running into "I Cant Explain". It's wonderful. Roger's voice sounds fine to me, Pete is playin' like a man possessed and the whole band sounds great..And its LOUD, just the way you always imagine a Who concert should be.

The four guys onstage with them dont get in the way and all contribute well. Townshend's brother looks like Moby, from where I'm sitting. Zak Starkey is still as excellent as ever. Pino has a hard act to follow - as Townshend acknowledges during the band intros - but he's solid as a rock and the ovation he gets show that the crowd appreciate it.

After a great triple punch for openers of really early stuff, Roger puts on an acoustic and they swing into "Who are You".

the first notes of "Baba O'Riley" - probably my favourite Who song of all, and this will be for me the first real test of Roger's voice. He nails it. He's singing in a vocal range that suits him but it works just fine.

Three follow from "Quadrophenia". Punk and The Godfather is plain nasty and dangerous. I've never cared for "5.15" live as I think the horns make the song, but they did it pretty well before Pete goes off and plays this amazing guitar solo. When I hear Rabbit tinkle the opening notes of another personal fave of mine, "Love reign o'er me", I think to myself "Fuck, Roger MUST really fancy it tonight if hes prepared to give his voice a crack at this one". Its marvellous and his screaming over the last chorus has the crowd, who have been standing anyway for the whole show, giving him a great ovation.

A few witicisms from Pete about the plot of "Quadrophenia". He says he's still waiting for a 'proper' ending to come to him. Maybe he'll rewrite someday with "Jimmy" getting on a train at the end like he does on "5.15". Roger pipes up with a dig at Britain's transport system by pointing out that if he tried THAT idea 30 years on, he'd be waiting forever on a train.

Pete's solo acoustic "Drowned" was very good and then Roger comes back for a duet of "Naked eye" (Roger on acoustic, Pete on electric). Pete precedes "Real Good Lookin Boy" with a moving speech thanking everyone - and especially Roger - for their support with all his problems last year when he said he was finding it difficult to face each coming day.

"My Generation" is played at 100 miles an hour and Pete goes off into another breathtaking solo which is only broken by a few bars of "Old Red Wine". "Wont get Fooled Again" defies description. I've never heard it played better and the words spat out with more venom and THAT scream at the end was as powerful as ever.

Back they come for a half hour encore of songs from "Tommy". I personally think its a strange choice as an encore, especially the fact that so much of it is instrumental, but it probably produces what is the best guitar soloing of the night. The old bastard is showing off like mad, all "look at me" poses and whirling arms. When they go off after "See me feel me/Listening to you" you can see Pete make a gesture to Roger as if to say "yeah, theyve earned another one.." and after a few minutes with the crowd JUST starting to get up to go, they come back for a singalong of "Magic Bus".

All in all, a wonderful show. They played for 130 minutes, the band was as tight as a gnat's arse and it was great to see and hear Roger back on top form. If thats a "shot" voice,I'll have two like it, please.

As for Pete....what can I say....he has the energy of a 20 year old, and his playing just had to be seen and heard to be believed. The greatest rock guitarist alive? On this form - you better, you bet.


[Edited by Gazza]

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jb wrote:
Let's not go overboard....

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MRD8 wrote:
Gazza,
Yourgreat review inspired me to hunt up the Quad CD's and listen to them for the first time in a while...great to hear them again! I've got a DVD comming of the March 29th show at RAH...apparently they synced the video with the soundboard from the Encore series...I'll send you a copy as soon as it gets here. They are doing the same thing with the recent MSG DVD...

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justinkurian wrote:
JB,

Do you like the Who? Or do you have a hatred for them like the Beatles?

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jb wrote:
LOVE THE WHO, BUT LETS NOT LOSE PERSPECTIVE-THEY'RE NO ROLLING STONES

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jb wrote:
I love the beginning to "Rain on me"....

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