A broken fingernail from doing windmills, and allergic reactions to pot, both happening at separate shows at Madison Square Garden, this year alone, can’t stop these old guys from rocking.
Ever since Keith Moon’s death in 1978, every tour by The Who has been dubbed as their farewell one. Flash forward 40 years: Surviving members Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey are in the midst of their extravagant, orchestral Moving On! tour, announced earlier this year. Also, the word on the street is that a new Who studio album is in production right now. Actually, it’s not really a rumor- WHO has already been set for a November 22 release.
Before the Hall Of Famers graced Tampa for the first time in four years, the jam-packed arena, with fans from before and after Keith Moon’s death, got to rock out to Canadian indie group Reignwolf. “We’re breaking stuff up here!” lead singer Jordan Cook confirmed during a slight technical issue. “Pete [Townshend] taught us how to do that.” They sounded pretty solid, too. Their new album Hear Me Out was being promoted. A song called Alligator was low-key dedicated to the fact that Reignwolf were rocking Florida, for the first time, too. “I think we’re in the right place!” Cook said after introducing the song.
Once the new group’s half-hour set came to a close, it took nearly another half hour for the crew to set up for Pete, Rog, and The Who circa 2019. The audience was kept entertained, though. Photos of the band’s two fallen members, along with the two still living, as well as a tribute to a fallen friend of the band’s, and a humble warning from Rog to not smoke any pot (he’s allergic) scrolled across the side screens. There weren’t any big screens or what-have-you behind the band either. It was a white curtain, with a background that changed colors throughout the show, that also had the fancy lights built into them. Those side screens were only there for magnification for people all the way back.
At 8:25, following a brief video promotion of the guys’ Teen Cancer America Foundation, the lights flicked off and all at once, the band walked out. “When we walk out, I can hear it getting louder.” Pete remarked.
The orchestra, some members having sat onstage since Reignwolf finished their set, launched into the Overture from Tommy, followed by 1921, and Amazing Journey. There was to be an entire set of selections from Tommy. Pinball Wizard sounded far more extravagant with the strings and horns similar to the ones it received in the London Symphony Orchestra recording back in 1972, as did We’re Not Gonna Take It, in its entirety.
Eminence Front was one of the best-received tunes of the evening, and immediately after the electrifying smash hit was wrapped up, Pete Townshend went right into deep cut mode. Imagine A Man, off of The Who By Numbers, has never been played on tour until this year, and though it was transposed, the die-hards out there were certainly pleased.
“I thought we were gonna play Desert Trip and South America, and that would be the end,” Pete admitted. But he wasn’t quite ready to stop the windmills from blowing, and writing new music is what kept him motivated. And so, this year, after spending 2018 on honeymoon with his new wife, Pete called Rog into the studio, and they laid down some tracks, which will be the first new album of Who material since 2006’s Endless Wire.
Hero Ground Zero, which had a similar riff to many post-Moon tunes, was their first preview at the new album. If the album recording resembles the live performance, with the orchestra and everything, it’s going to be probably The Who’s most extravagant album since Quadrophenia. Later on came Ball And Chain, which is already available to stream. Pete even gave a totally unnecessary apology before ripping into the latter. “I know, it’s weird, hearing all these songs you’ve never heard before. I’m not sure if anybody gives a fuck.” I did, anyway.
Roger expressed many a time how hard the nearly 50-piece symphony orchestra backing everyone up works to make everything sound ideal. They even got a break to “get their massages,” Pete later joked. An electric set, featuring a few earlier hits, such as Substitute (“This has got the best line in rock, ever: ‘I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth!‘” Roger recalled) and an acoustic, original-members-only Won’t Get Fooled Again. Unfortunately, there was no sign of Roger doing any sort of legendary screech at the end of the intimate affair.
Then the orchestra came back on, and everyone present did a best-of-Quadrophenia set, closing with Love Reign O’er Me. He took a shot of water, spit it out, and we got the screech we wanted. “Looooooooove!” he howled. And it was just as powerful as it sounded some 45 years ago. As was their obligatory finale of Baba O’Riley.
Screw what the guv’nor says about the next five years, his voice may not be youthful as it once was, but it’s here to stay.
Josh Bradley Live 