that was fun...let's do it again!

The Who with Orchestra: Roger Daltrey couldn’t even read the setlist – but with music this magnificent, who cares?



As Daltrey prepares to step down from the Teenage Cancer Trust, there’s not only life in the old dogs yet but also power, purpose and vision

Neil McCormick
19 March 2024


Ian West/PA Wire

“I didn’t know we were going to be playing Tommy, it wasn’t on the list,” griped Pete Townshend, after a sustained 40-minute highlights rendition of his hugely ambitious and complex rock opera, which the 78-year-old guitarist had apparently negotiated with sheer muscle memory and virtuosity.

“I’ve got a list here,” shot back 80-year-old frontman Roger Daltrey, squinting through thick glasses. “But it means f--- all, cos I can’t read it.”

In the most venerable venue in London, two old men squabbled amiably onstage, joked about their fading hearing, eyesight and memories, and played the hits of their youth for charity. “I’m trying to remember when I wrote all this s---,” pondered Townshend, making the band wait while he ran through a chord sequence. “It’s gotta be 50 years ago.”

“They’re old ’uns, but good ’uns,” chuckled Daltrey.

Who are The Who? They were once the fiercest, wildest live band of their generation, who sang “I hope I die before I get old” and played like they might not even make it to the end of a concert alive, delivering their genius guitarist’s expansive songs with fast and furious flair, pulling material to bits and reassembling it by the seat of their pants, then ending in a blaze of autodestruction.

Utterly thrilling as that was, perhaps it really wasn’t a sustainable model for rock performance. Two members did indeed die before they got old, and the surviving twosome have matured into something else entirely, veteran road warriors, backed by a five-piece band capable of exactly replicating their most ambitious recordings, and here augmented by a full orchestra adding brass, string and timpani force to Townshend’s distorted guitar power chords amid a miasmic web of synthesizers, nimble bass and tom-tom-heavy drums from Zak Starkey (son of Ringo, taught to play by The Who’s late, great Keith Moon).

It was utterly magnificent. The sound was fantastic, filling the Royal Albert Hall with a glorious richness, doubling up the punchy drive of The Who’s earth-shaking rock with cinematic lushness. The songs were as bold, strange and potent as ever, from the searing blaze of Who Are You and Won’t Get Fooled Again to the skyscraping emotion of Love Reign O’er Me. Townshend’s apparently under-rehearsed playing was gutsy, crunchy and exciting. I think he is always at his most interesting when he is forced to engage intensely with his instrument. And what can we say about Daltrey, an octogenarian who still sings at the top of his range with lung-busting power as if he wants to punch his way out of the song and woe betide anyone who gets in front of him.

I have to say that sweat poured out of him all night, and when he briefly attempted his trademark microphone lasso swing he looked like he might do himself an injury. The Who have been doing farewell tours for over a decade now, but I have heard mutterings that this really might be at least the beginning of the end. Daltrey has not ceded to retirement but, after 24 years, he is stepping down from his role curating the Teenage Cancer Trust concerts that have raised more than £32 million. But on this evidence, there is not just life in the old dogs yet, there is energy, purpose, soul and vision. Like the man said, they’re old ’uns, but they’re good ’uns.

[www.telegraph.co.uk]

For what it's worth, my little story about tomorrow evening..

I grew up in Dartford and went to the same school as Jagger (a fair few years later mind!) but it was only really during Covid, as a young adult, I fell in love with the Stones and could really appreciate what they have achieved. I have consumed almost every record, book and documentary about them since, travelled around Europe watching them during SIXTY and even experienced them releasing new material.

One thing it also made me appreciate was the history of rock n' roll and music in general, especially in and around London. I haven't even scratched the surface yet, but have already enjoyed so much footage and literature on the decades before me, as well as a fair few gigs of those still going.

Something that stood out to me was a story my dad told about The Who. He happened to go to Leeds University and was there, in person, for the famous Live at Leeds gig in 1970! Just about the coolest thing he's ever done, other than produce moi.

So tomorrow, I will create long lasting memories and take pleasure in seeing a band that my dad saw 54 years on.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024-03-19 22:52 by cole.

Quote
cole
For what it's worth, my little story about tomorrow evening..

I grew up in Dartford and went to the same school as Jagger (a fair few years later mind!) but it was only really during Covid, as a young adult, I fell in love with the Stones and could really appreciate what they have achieved. I have consumed almost every record, book and documentary about them since, travelled around Europe watching them during SIXTY and even experienced them releasing new material.

One thing it also made me appreciate was the history of rock n' roll and music in general, especially in and around London. I haven't even scratched the surface yet, but have already enjoyed so much footage and literature on the decades before me, as well as a fair few gigs of those still going.

Something that stood out to me was a story my dad told about The Who. He happened to go to Leeds University and was there, in person, for the famous Live at Leeds gig in 1970! Just about the coolest thing he's ever done, other than produce moi.

So tomorrow, I will create long lasting memories and take pleasure in seeing a band that my dad saw 54 years on.

Nice. Enjoy the show.

Ha, great review, and nice b*tch slap delivered at the end...

This is Daltrey’s final year of curating the Teenage Cancer Trust events, and on this showing – to borrow a phrase from some peers he’d blow off any stage – he couldn’t be going out with a bigger bang.

Couldn’t agree more with the reviews - Monday was an incredible show. So lucky to have been there. Some bits are emerging on YouTube, hoping for more. Still shaking my head in admiration! Many thanks, B!

Eddie Vedder guests on "The Punk And The Godfather" - Royal Albert Hall, March 20

Quote
bye bye johnny
“I didn’t know we were going to be playing Tommy, it wasn’t on the list,” griped Pete Townshend, after a sustained 40-minute highlights rendition of his hugely ambitious and complex rock opera, which the 78-year-old guitarist had apparently negotiated with sheer muscle memory and virtuosity.

“I’ve got a list here,” shot back 80-year-old frontman Roger Daltrey, squinting through thick glasses. “But it means f--- all, cos I can’t read it.”

In the most venerable venue in London, two old men squabbled amiably onstage, joked about their fading hearing, eyesight and memories, and played the hits of their youth for charity. “I’m trying to remember when I wrote all this s---,” pondered Townshend, making the band wait while he ran through a chord sequence. “It’s gotta be 50 years ago.”

Not to pull the curtain back, and maybe its all just shtick which is fine, but I don't really get this. They played almost exactly the same set they played last year, so what is Pete talking about when he needs to remember anything or not knowing they were playing Tommy? I'm sure they sound good, but its not like they're wildly changing the setlist each night, its pretty set in stone.

My review of the two RAH gigs written for Record Collector magazine here

[onlyrockandroll.london]

With ‘Tommy’ Revival, Pete Townshend Is Talking to a New Generation

He’s also still working through his childhood trauma. Considering his musical’s legacy, he sees a story about how “we prevail ultimately, by turning toward the light.”

By Rob Tannenbaum
March 23, 2024


Erik Tanner for The New York Times

[www.nytimes.com]

[archive.ph]

Quote
johnnythunders
that was fun...let's do it again!

These two shows were utterly magnificent !!

What a joy and a privilege to have been there .....

[ I want to shout, but I can hardly speak ]

Pete on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon", March 26

Pete talks with Tracy Smith on "CBS Sunday Morning", March 31

That Tommy Melody was pretty horrible. Second guitarist doing a lot of PT's heavy lifting on the acoustic.

Quote
peoplewitheyes
That Tommy Melody was pretty horrible. Second guitarist doing a lot of PT's heavy lifting on the acoustic.

I guess youre just deaf, dumb and blind

Quote
More Hot Rocks

Quote
peoplewitheyes
That Tommy Melody was pretty horrible. Second guitarist doing a lot of PT's heavy lifting on the acoustic.

I guess youre just deaf, dumb and blind

He plays a mean pinball, though.

Pete compliments Keith in recent interview..sort of...

"And it's turned out, surprise, surprise, that rock'n'roll is really good at dealing with the difficulties of aging. Watching Keith Richards onstage, trying to do what he used to do – it’s disturbing, heart-rending, but also delightful."

By Fraser Lewry
( Classic Rock )
published 25 March 2024

Quote
tommycharles
The ‘14-‘17 tour was talked about as being the end. They got a second wind with the orchestra shows in ‘19-‘23. I expect these RAH shows to be actually it.

Pete Townshend Now Says There Will Not Be a Who Farewell Tour: ‘I Was Being Sarcastic’

[variety.com]

“I don’t get much of a buzz from performing with the Who. If I’m really honest, I’ve been touring for the money. My idea of an ‘ordinary lifestyle’ is pretty elevated.”

Sounds like a fun guy

Pete Townshend did indeed tell Alan Light & Mark Goodman that there won't be a Farewell Tour He referenced the fact that they'd already done that - in 1982.

Asked directly by Goodman if The Who will tour again, Pete's response was "Why not? I think the only thing that would stop us would be old age."

The full "Sound Up!" podcast is a good listen - [open.spotify.com]