| 12th December 2006 06:18 PM |
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
The Who prove themselves rock ’n’ roll troopers
Voice problems fail to keep Daltrey from performing
By Aaron Beck
The Columbus Dispatch
Tuesday, December 12, 2006 1:16 AM
The sound wasn’t pretty, but Who vocalist Roger Daltrey gave it his all last night in Value City Arena despite battling a severe cold.
Even with a nasty chest cold most of us can drag ourselves through a work day.
Then again most of us don't have jobs that include singing familiar anthems heard 'round the clock on "classic-rock" radio.
But rather than call in sick last night, Who vocalist Roger Daltrey went ahead with his work — belting out several Who standards and a chunk of new tunes before 11,000 fans in Value City Arena.
From the start of the concert, the band's final show of a seven-week jaunt until picking up again Feb. 23 in Reno, Nev., Daltrey's voice sounded rough — Joe Cocker rough.
His 61-year-old voice on Endless Wire, the Who's first album since 1982, is deep and coarse and, naturally, without the range of 24 years ago.
But last night he sounded as if he'd gargled pea gravel backstage during the Pretenders' opening set.
Having made their way through the first four tunes (I Can't Explain, The Seeker, Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere and the new Fragments), the Who allowed the rapt audience a respite.
"I have really bad bronchitis," Daltrey croaked. "But it was either we cancel the show or we play. But it doesn't (expletive) matter. It's rock 'n' roll, right?"
With that, Daltrey and 61-year-old cohort Pete Townshend and their rock-solid employees — drummer Zak Starkey, bassist Pino Palladino and guitarist Simon Townshend (Pete's 46-year-old brother) — launched into a thunderous Who Are You.
The Who tempered their power chord-laden classics with several new songs, including those comprising Townshend's tedious, mid-tempo mini opera Wire and Glass.
After mixing Baba O'Riley and Eminence Front among a handful of new tunes, Townshend thanked the crowd for "being patient" with the unfamiliar songs and for "buying the new CD."
The guitarist, who wind milled at his guitar and performed many a patented leaping stomp, was gregarious from the time he walked on stage and cracked a Michigan-Ohio joke.
He had a lot on his mind, from Buckeye state sexcapades — "I've never had sex in Ohio," he said before the band played Song No. 1 to reasons for hitting the road with the Who several times since the band's 1982 "farewell tour."
Midway through the concert he said, "We do love to play the old stuff but it's quite weird for us to be out, you know. We've done a few of these comeback tours, mainly to keep (the late bassist) John Entwistle out of debtors' prison and so he could keep up his rock-star lifestyle — the rock-star lifestyle that eventually led to his death."
"Anyway, thank you. Now we're going to play a large chunk of old stuff."
He laughed for a moment and said, "We'll start off with this cheesy thing" and then the band played the cheesy You Better You Bet.
Through them all Daltrey hung in there, and when the time came in Won't Get Fooled Again for the bantam singer to let fly the climactic banshee wail Daltrey let fly. And from then on his voice sounded positively shredded.
Lesser millionaire rock singers might have called it day but Daltrey returned, tea in hand, to sing some more.
Before playing 20 minutes of encores, including a jamming Pinball Wizard, Daltrey said, "You've all been great. Thanks for bearing with me. Rock 'n' roll — it is about strugglin' and diggin' in and getting' to the finish line, isn't it?"
The Pretenders opened with a tight set of muscular jingle-jangle that included Brass in Pocket, Back on the Chain Gang, My City Was Gone, Middle of the Road, Night in My Veins and other exquisite rock songs.
Chrissie Hynde, a 55-year-old Akron native, silkily strutted across the stage as if she owned it and seemed to genuinely enjoy herself. Her voice sounded as it did during the late '70s when she started the band — like one of the strongest, most expressive instruments in rock.
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| 12th December 2006 06:26 PM |
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| Joey |
quote:
Ten Thousand Motels wrote:
The Who prove themselves rock ’n’ roll troopers
Voice problems fail to keep Daltrey from performing
By Aaron Beck
The Columbus Dispatch
Tuesday, December 12, 2006 1:16 AM
The sound wasn’t pretty, but Who vocalist Roger Daltrey gave it his all last night in Value City Arena despite battling a severe cold.
Even with a nasty chest cold most of us can drag ourselves through a work day.
Then again most of us don't have jobs that include singing familiar anthems heard 'round the clock on "classic-rock" radio.
But rather than call in sick last night, Who vocalist Roger Daltrey went ahead with his work — belting out several Who standards and a chunk of new tunes before 11,000 fans in Value City Arena.
From the start of the concert, the band's final show of a seven-week jaunt until picking up again Feb. 23 in Reno, Nev., Daltrey's voice sounded rough — Joe Cocker rough.
His 61-year-old voice on Endless Wire, the Who's first album since 1982, is deep and coarse and, naturally, without the range of 24 years ago.
But last night he sounded as if he'd gargled pea gravel backstage during the Pretenders' opening set.
Having made their way through the first four tunes (I Can't Explain, The Seeker, Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere and the new Fragments), the Who allowed the rapt audience a respite.
"I have really bad bronchitis," Daltrey croaked. "But it was either we cancel the show or we play. But it doesn't (expletive) matter. It's rock 'n' roll, right?"
With that, Daltrey and 61-year-old cohort Pete Townshend and their rock-solid employees — drummer Zak Starkey, bassist Pino Palladino and guitarist Simon Townshend (Pete's 46-year-old brother) — launched into a thunderous Who Are You.
The Who tempered their power chord-laden classics with several new songs, including those comprising Townshend's tedious, mid-tempo mini opera Wire and Glass.
After mixing Baba O'Riley and Eminence Front among a handful of new tunes, Townshend thanked the crowd for "being patient" with the unfamiliar songs and for "buying the new CD."
The guitarist, who wind milled at his guitar and performed many a patented leaping stomp, was gregarious from the time he walked on stage and cracked a Michigan-Ohio joke.
He had a lot on his mind, from Buckeye state sexcapades — "I've never had sex in Ohio," he said before the band played Song No. 1 to reasons for hitting the road with the Who several times since the band's 1982 "farewell tour."
Midway through the concert he said, "We do love to play the old stuff but it's quite weird for us to be out, you know. We've done a few of these comeback tours, mainly to keep (the late bassist) John Entwistle out of debtors' prison and so he could keep up his rock-star lifestyle — the rock-star lifestyle that eventually led to his death."
"Anyway, thank you. Now we're going to play a large chunk of old stuff."
He laughed for a moment and said, "We'll start off with this cheesy thing" and then the band played the cheesy You Better You Bet.
Through them all Daltrey hung in there, and when the time came in Won't Get Fooled Again for the bantam singer to let fly the climactic banshee wail Daltrey let fly. And from then on his voice sounded positively shredded.
Lesser millionaire rock singers might have called it day but Daltrey returned, tea in hand, to sing some more.
Before playing 20 minutes of encores, including a jamming Pinball Wizard, Daltrey said, "You've all been great. Thanks for bearing with me. Rock 'n' roll — it is about strugglin' and diggin' in and getting' to the finish line, isn't it?"
The Pretenders opened with a tight set of muscular jingle-jangle that included Brass in Pocket, Back on the Chain Gang, My City Was Gone, Middle of the Road, Night in My Veins and other exquisite rock songs.
Chrissie Hynde, a 55-year-old Akron native, silkily strutted across the stage as if she owned it and seemed to genuinely enjoy herself. Her voice sounded as it did during the late '70s when she started the band — like one of the strongest, most expressive instruments in rock.
Nice Article --- Thanks Ten Thousand Motels .
I am glad that Roger had two days off in order to ' rest ' his voice for the gig . In St. Paul , he could not come back for the encore --- Pete & Roger promised to retun to the city in the spring so " Who knows ?!?! " ... They may just return to Omaha , NE too .......... Developing ....................
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| 12th December 2006 06:41 PM |
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| nanatod |
Joey, you must read this review of the Martyr's show from the Chicago Sun-Times:
http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/music/poprock/167632,CST-FTR-pete11.article
And here is the picture from Rachel Fuller's blog of the Minneapolis show a couple of days before the Chicago show at Martyrs:
[Edited by nanatod] |
| 12th December 2006 06:48 PM |
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| Dan |
quote:
Joey wrote:
Nice Article --- Thanks Ten Thousand Motels .
I am glad that Roger had two days off in order to ' rest ' his voice for the gig . In St. Paul , he could not come back for the encore --- Pete & Roger promised to retun to the city in the spring so " Who knows ?!?! " ... They may just return to Omaha , NE too .......... Developing ....................
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V
www.QWESTCENTER.com
Did they play the encore without Roger? I have a show from 1989 where they do the encore without Pete because he impaled his hand on the whammy bar. |
| 12th December 2006 06:55 PM |
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| PartyDoll MEG |
Joey...his voice sounded like shit..sorry to say. To me it is debatable whether or not it was just his cold. Thank God for Petey and the band..
At one point when he was doing Tommy, I had to sing loud enough(and I can't carry a tune) to drown him out... "See me.. Hear me," being screeched is not a pleasing sound. |
| 12th December 2006 07:11 PM |
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| mojoman |
quote:
Dan wrote:
Did they play the encore without Roger? I have a show from 1989 where they do the encore without Pete because he impaled his hand on the whammy bar.
they shouldn't have done any encores in 89. the show i saw was a disgrace. any who show without petey playing lead guitar is lacking. |
| 12th December 2006 09:04 PM |
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| lotsajizz |
quote:
PartyDoll MEG wrote:
Joey...his voice sounded like shit..sorry to say. To me it is debatable whether or not it was just his cold.
Having seen him just ten days ago I can assure you that it is the bronchitis....see how good you sing during bronchitis....Mick would've cancelled!!!
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| 12th December 2006 09:15 PM |
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| PartyDoll MEG |
quote:
lotsajizz wrote:
Having seen him just ten days ago I can assure you that it is the bronchitis....see how good you sing during bronchitis....Mick would've cancelled!!!
Glad to hear that, Jizzy!! Yes, Mick would have cancelled..I have mixed feelings about that. I give him credit for stickin it out. The music was still good..but I do think I would much rather have heard a Roger in "good" voice in a makeup concert than heard the painful sounds coming from his vocal chords. |
| 12th December 2006 09:23 PM |
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| Dan |
If the singer can actually make it through the show I would rather they sing poorly than cancel or postpone. So many more people travel and plan around concerts than the pre-internet days. Personally I don't take concerts all that seriously and would appreciate the effort even if it's not up to the usual standards. He sounded good at the Bowl! |
| 12th December 2006 11:24 PM |
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| Brainbell Jangler |
quote:
Dan wrote:
Did they play the encore without Roger? I have a show from 1989 where they do the encore without Pete because he impaled his hand on the whammy bar.
I was at that show in the third row in front of Pete. Tacoma 08-16-89. Full moon, full lunar eclipse exactly at showtime (8 pm) and 20 years to the day from their performance at Woodstock. A side note: No opening act, but Stones tunes (exclusively) over the PA until showtime.
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| 13th December 2006 05:13 AM |
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| Jumping Jack |
A very large party is being planned for their last US show in Tampa on March 13. Anyone here ready for a SPRING BREAK blow out? This could carry you over until the Stones Euro shows/festivities.
Tampa tickets are still available. |
| 13th December 2006 10:14 AM |
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| Joey |
" If the singer can actually make it through the show I would rather they sing poorly than cancel or postpone. So many more people travel and plan around concerts than the pre-internet days. "
Amen !!!!
Pete & Roger UNDERSTAND this situation . |
| 13th December 2006 10:16 AM |
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| Joey |
quote:
Dan wrote:
Did they play the encore without Roger? I have a show from 1989 where they do the encore without Pete because he impaled his hand on the whammy bar.
I have that tape too .........tough to watch when you know what is about to happen --- Thankfully the accident occurred towards the end of the concert .
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| 13th December 2006 10:23 AM |
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| Joey |
quote:
nanatod wrote:
Joey, you must read this review of the Martyr's show from the Chicago Sun-Times:
http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/music/poprock/167632,CST-FTR-pete11.article
And here is the picture from Rachel Fuller's blog of the Minneapolis show a couple of days before the Chicago show at Martyrs:
[Edited by nanatod]
You are much loved ....Enjoy ! :
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| 13th December 2006 10:25 AM |
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| Joey |
" Pete Townshend has been looking for clues since he turned 30 and began to wonder who stole the rebellion from rock music. In a 1975 interview with New Music Express he called out rock stars as "pretenders" and worried about rock's emerging narcissism. On Saturday night the journey took the Who legend to Martyrs' on North Lincoln Avenue, where he performed acoustically for 200 people.
Townshend dueted on the Everly Brothers hit "Bye, Bye Love," he sang the tender "God Speaks of Marty Robbins" from "Endless Wire," the latest Who album, and he cocked his guitar toward the sky like Woody Guthrie. Taking a break from the current Who tour, Townshend was part of the Internet show "In the Attic," produced by his girlfriend, British singer-songwriter Rachel Fuller.
During the two-hour revue of young singer-songwriters that included his younger brother Simon, Townshend enjoyed revisiting the expanse of music. He played guitar and sang behind Joe Purdy, an ragged Arkansas-born singer and former dockworker who sang "The City" with a soulful melody. (Purdy's songs have been featured on the TV series "Grey's Anatomy" and "Lost.")
Rick was there, Chrissie was not
Between songs Townshend spoke of growing up and having music "coming at me from all different areas," ranging from skiffle to the Scottish folk of Ewan MacColl. He went back to 1967's "Who Sell Out" to cover the ethereal "Sunrise," as pianist Fuller sang Roger Daltrey's part. But the evening's highlight was a tense version of "Drowned" (from 1973's "Quadrophenia") where Townshend delivered tough honky-tonk tones as he slapped his guitar -- without smashing it.
Audience members paid between $50 and $300 to attend the "In the Attic" taping. The top ticket allowed fans to meet Townshend before the show. Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen was an early arrival, but Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders was a last minute no-show -- and Martyrs' had a vegetarian menu in her honor.
At times Townshend was the curmudgeon we have come to love. He once told the audience he "would prefer if you didn't clap along" and introduced the Who's "In the Ether" by saying, "We [the Who] don't do it onstage, because I sing it." Townshend then sat on a stool and virtually read the lyrics of "In The Ether" as a one-act play, accompanied by Fuller on piano. It didn't work. A couple months ago I saw the Rolling Stones go through the motions on "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," and Townshend's stripped-down experimentation was more satisfying.
Cleaning house with no clothes on
Fuller is 33, and her sense of adventure is a good match for Townshend. Her vocals echoed Joni Mitchell in the way she captured every note and set them free throughout the room. Fuller sang the breezy "Cigarettes and Housework," the title track from her 2005 debut album and the first folk song I've heard about doing household chores naked.
Townshend told equally revealing stories. He recalled how he first met Bob Dylan in 1996. Townshend had one question for Dylan: "What is a folk singer?" Still the idealist, Townshend believed a folk singer was someone who could write a song about anything. Dylan told him a folk singer was "a man with a good memory." Saturday's show was sweet, unique and memorable. Townshend said he always wanted to write a song about country singer/NASCAR driver Marty Robbins. Who can forget that sense of wonder? "
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| 13th December 2006 11:03 AM |
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| TampabayStone |
quote:
Jumping Jack wrote:
A very large party is being planned for their last US show in Tampa on March 13. Anyone here ready for a SPRING BREAK blow out? This could carry you over until the Stones Euro shows/festivities.
Tampa tickets are still available.
Yes come to Tampa all.
Note that pic was actual taken at a beach in Tulum, but you get the idea. |
| 13th December 2006 11:17 AM |
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| Joey |
quote:
TampabayStone wrote:
Here's a pic of me kindly trying to persuade a younger neighbor to slow it down while riding his motorcycle in the hood. Needless to say, my hood thinks I'm nuts and I don't have a problem with it.
" Needless to say, my hood thinks I'm nuts and I don't have a problem with it. "
Not Just Funny ....... but FRIGGIN Funny !
Tampa ...... you make Joey giggle
Kins . |
| 13th December 2006 11:24 AM |
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| TampabayStone |
quote:
Joey wrote:
" Needless to say, my hood thinks I'm nuts and I don't have a problem with it. "
Not Just Funny ....... but FRIGGIN Funny !
Tampa ...... you make Joey giggle
Kins .
I love you too! |
| 13th December 2006 02:46 PM |
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| Jumping Jack |
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| 13th December 2006 02:51 PM |
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| TampabayStone |
Great pics JJ! That one with the Skyway Bridge, we often park in that exact spot and let the dog go wild. |
| 13th December 2006 03:06 PM |
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| Jumping Jack |
There will be more than dogs going wild on March 13!!! We are trying to get the Who-ligans to play the pre-party.
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| 13th December 2006 03:10 PM |
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| Joey |
quote:
Jumping Jack wrote:
I wish I could make the final show in Tampa but perhaps they will add a few more MidWestern Dates --- Frig , why Not ?!
BEST WHO YET !!!!
BEST STONES YET !!!!!! |
| 13th December 2006 03:14 PM |
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| TampabayStone |
quote:
Jumping Jack wrote:
There will be more than dogs going wild on March 13!!! We are trying to get the Who-ligans to play the pre-party.
Sweet!! Saw those guys several years ago--damn good! Seems like they might be getting a little old to be doing the white jump suit Pete years, but that was a while ago. |
| 13th December 2006 03:15 PM |
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| Steamboat Bill, Jr. |
I was at the show and I greatly enjoyed it and thought Roger performed tremendously under the circumstances. I was also at the Chicago show when Roger's voice crapped out during "You Better You Bet" and Pete had to sing "My Generation." Very much looking forward to their show in my town of Indy in March. |
| 13th December 2006 04:10 PM |
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| Joey |
quote:
Steamboat Bill, Jr. wrote:
I was at the show and I greatly enjoyed it and thought Roger performed tremendously under the circumstances. I was also at the Chicago show when Roger's voice crapped out during "You Better You Bet" and Pete had to sing "My Generation." Very much looking forward to their show in my town of Indy in March.
You simply MUST order the Omaha , NE DVD/CD combo and thank your young Joeykins later .
Kins |
| 13th December 2006 05:57 PM |
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| Bitch |
The Who were great, and Daltry sounded really good opening night in Philly.
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