Review by Shawn Perry
Some people have hobbies. One of mine is going to see the Who. It’s not like I’ve ever been one of those eccentric fan boys who plasters images of pop stars on my bedroom wall, follows them around, camps outside their hotel room, and takes in a dozen or so shows every tour. That takes time, money and dedication. I’ve witnessed enough Who concerts over the past 50 years — nearly every phase of the band’s existence, from Tommy forward — to call it a hobby of sorts. Or maybe I just want to see how much longer Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey can carry on. From what I saw In Memphis, it doesn’t look like they intend to call it a day any time soon.
It had been 42 years — July 10, 1980, to be precise — since the Who last played a concert in Memphis, so you’d think there’d be something extra special in the air. However, aside from the sweet and savory aroma of BBQ blustering in from nearby Beale Street, there was little indication of anything out of the ordinary. Once inside, a mad dash for merch, food, drink and last-minute touchups ensued before we wandered over to our section. We ambled down to the stairs to stage left (if you’re onstage, looking out), and I immediately noticed the terrace level of the 18,000-seat venue was shrouded in black, leaving the plaza level and the second “Pinnacle” level for seating. So there were maybe 10,000 in attendance, give or take a thousand or two.
We caught the tail end of the opening act, a gentleman with an acoustic, name-checking Ringo Starr and George Harrison during his final number. It was coming up on 8:30 when members of the orchestra suddenly appeared, and then, of course, the Who and their band of supporting musicians joined them as the lights came down. Instead of opening with a punchy little ditty from the group’s early days, like “Can’t Explain” or “My Generation,” the ensemble launched right into a huge slice of Tommy. Having the orchestra allowed a full realization of “Overture,” “1921,” and “Amazing Journey.” The crowd’s enthusiasm intensified as Townshend strummed the familiar chords of “Pinball Wizard” and Daltrey asserted those unforgettable words: “Ever since I was a young boy, I’ve played the silver ball…” A medley of Tommy wouldn’t be complete without “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and its famous refrain — “See me, feel me…” And so it went.
The players took a long breath as Townshend addressed the audience, commenting on the Tommy medley and adding how glad he was to be here. The guitarist, turning 77 just days after tonight, has become more humble about his station in life in recent years. Later, he would express gratitude to everyone, acknowledging the time off the road because of the pandemic, and empathizing with the audience regarding the effort and expense it takes to attend concerts these days. As much as he’s groused about dying before getting old, Pete Townshend appears to be aging with grace and dignity.
Somewhere in the mix of “Who Are You,” “Eminence Front” and “Join Together,” they worked in “Ball And Chain,” from the group’s most recent studio album, 2019’s WHO. That was as much “new” music as the audience would hear. When the orchestra took a break, they stuck with the tried and true, offering up two non-album singles, 1970’s “The Seeker” and 1972’s “Relay,” as well as the Who’s last Top 20 hit, 1981’s “You Better You Bet.”
There was a time that when a Who show came around to “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” it was the beginning of the end. Not so tonight as the song was slotted in as the last before the orchestra rejoined the band for the long, pleasant drive home. But it was on “Won’t Get Fooled Again” where Roger Daltrey really came into his own. He certainly doesn’t have the youth, power and strut he had in the 70s. Yet, in his 70s, he still commands the stage, albeit with a little less lassoing. The singer’s had vocal issues in the past few years, so there’s more restraint and control in his delivery. For the big scream that followed an equally controlled, non-Keith-Moon-like drum break from Zak Starkey, Daltrey appeared to hit all the right notes. So well that some believe it’s all pre-recorded. Accounts from those who sat up front dispute the theory, however, insisting that the 78-year-old frontman can still cough up vocally challenging lines when the air is clean and the mood is right. On that account, he could do no wrong in Memphis.
If you were hoping to hear “Can’t Explain,” “My Generation,” “Substitute,” “Magic Bus,” or anything else the Who did from the mid to late 60s, you were at the wrong concert. Tommy took up the first third; various singles, favorites (mostly from 1971’s Who’s Next), and a couple “odds and sods” filled another; and five pieces from 1973’s epic Quadrophenia finished it off. That left little time for the nostalgia of the swinging 1960s.
As they had done with Tommy, the Who used the orchestra to great effect on the selections from Quadrophenia. A run through the instrumental “The Rock” certainly felt as warm and inviting as the album version. Townshend barked out the words to “I’m The One” with sincere, forlorn passion. Jon Button, the band’s bassist since 2017, confidently tackled the low-end John Entwistle strokes on “The Real Me,” while keyboardist Loren Gold, with the Who since 2012, placated the vibe with a few elegant piano lines before the whole group fell into “Love Reign o’er Me.” Daltrey, once again, seized the moment and gave it his all. There was nary a dry eye in the arena afterwards.
For the energetic “Baba O’Riley,” violinist Katie Jacoby joined Townshend and Daltrey up front to jam on the song’s sizzling outro. And, in a flash, it was over. No encores, no farewell speeches. Just the anticipation of more. That disappeared the minute the house lights snapped on.
But more is to come. I’ve given up on the idea of the Who ending. The deaths of Keith Moon and John Entwistle didn’t deter their ongoing existence. Farewell tours in the 80s, followed by anniversary tours in the years since have kept the Who on the road, with occasional visits to the studio. The 2022 North American Tour sports a much simpler theme: Hits Back! What happens next is anyone’s guess. I can only surmise that my hobby of going to see the Who is far from over.
