Review by Shawn Perry
The song is over. Or is it?
The Who may hold the record for most announced farewell tours. There was the first one in the early 1980s. Then a couple in the 1990s. After John Entwistle unexpectedly passed away on the eve of The Who’s 2002 North American tour, speculation ran high that spelled the end of the band.
It didn’t and they persevered, with each subsequent tour dangling on the precipice of finality. Guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshend and singer Roger Daltrey dug in their heels, releasing the only two studio Who albums of the century and relentlessly carrying on.
It wasn’t until 2025 that both musicians, now in their 80s, came to realization that The Who’s expiration date is coming due. And with that, the tagline behind The Song Is Over North America Farewell Tour is seemingly holding. Unless, as Townshend revealed during the band’s first of two nights at the Hollywood Bowl, it’s “for charity.”
The packed Hollywood Bowl was buzzing the minute the gates opened. While The Who have played the famous outdoor venue multiple times time, it was the first time for the opener, The Joe Perry Project. For tonight, the guitarist rounded up his Aerosmith bandmate, guitarist Brad Whitford, along with Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson, Stone Temple Pilots bassist Robert DeLeo, drummer Jason Sutter, and backing vocalist Mackenzie Adams, for swashbuckling 11-song set.
Even though they tackled The Black Crowes’ “Twice As Hard” and Stone Temple Pilot’s “Vasoline,” most of the material played was drawn from the Aerosmith catalog. Robinson applied his unique vocal spin effectively throughout, nailing songs like “Last Child” and “Chip Away The Stone” with glee and a bit of glamour. Meanwhile, Perry played some scorching slide guitar, especially on the opening “Let The Music Do The Talking,” the only song of the night actually recorded and released under the Joe Perry Project banner.
What seemed like a mild-mannered set of classic songs soon turned into a party with special guests. First up was Slash, who exchanged fiery riffs with Perry on Aerosmith’s “Mama Kin.” That alone would have made the appearance a memorable experience. Then Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler showed up and turned it into a major headline.
Fans of The Who were getting an unexpected bonus: a mini Aerosmith reunion. Tyler won’t tour because of a vocal cord injury, but that hasn’t stopped him from popping up on the world’s stages. He even sat in with one of the support acts at Black Sabbath’s final concert in Birmingham, England. He also recently connected with British singer Yungblud and the two, along with Perry, collaborated on a new song called “My Only Angel.” The Aerosmith singer mentioned the single was coming out soon.
Tonight, he and Perry, practically joined at the hip, went right into one of their most beloved numbers, the timeless “Walk This Way.” Robinson, Adams, and thousands in the audience, mostly on their feet, joined in on the chorus. Cell phones clamored for space, capturing the historic moment for bragging rights. They finished up with a loose and hunky “The Train Kept A-Rollin’” and probably could have played for another hour. Everyone knew The Who were saying farewell; everyone else speculated that Tyler and Perry may have similar plans, with one final Aerosmith show planned to properly say their own goodbye.
It was just before 9:00 when The Who (Daltrey and Townshend) and their six-piece backing band took to the Hollywood Bowl stage to begin their nearly two-hour performance. They came out swinging with “Can’t Explain” and “Substitute,” a couple of early, spunky numbers to slap the roughly 17,000 spectators awake with. Daltrey, sounding vocally strong, even lassoed his microphone for the first minute or two, though, if you blinked, you probably missed it.
It was no surprise that the setlist was filled with Who hits and favorites. Songs from the most recent studio albums — 2006’s Endless Wire and 2019’s WHO — are mostly forgotten, and to most casual fans, non-existent. So, instead, after a salty “We always have a great time here” intro from Townshend, it was onto more familiar territory with “Who Are You?”
It was nice to hear a lively, existential guitar solo from Townshend to break the “who, who, who, who” chant echoing throughout the Hollywood hills. Not to be outdone, Daltrey threw in a few hiccups on the chorus. They would fare much better on a slower, yet spirit leap through “Long Live Rock,” featuring a touch of cowbell from percussionist Jody Linscott, prompting Townshend to exclaim at the song’s end: “More cowbell!”
Simon Townshend, Pete’s younger brother and part of the Who’s touring band since the 90s, stepped up to strum the sweeping acoustic intro for “Pinball Wizard” and the place erupted with excitement. Of course, Pete windmilled the song’s punctuating riff and you’d have thought some Who fans had died and gone to Who heaven. Or hell.
For longtime Who fans, myself included, it was a special treat to hear a few deep tracks — “Love Ain’t For Keeping,” “Goin’ Mobile” (with Simon Townshend singing the lead vocal as well as his brother at his peak) and “The Song Is Over” — from Who’s Next. If you include staples like “Behind Blue Eyes,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” and “Baba O’Riley,” which were all played, it’s fair to say the album remains a highwater mark and must-play in concert.
Much of the video projected on the side and backdrop screens during the show were colorful montages of the original Who, even during “You Better, You Bet.” Apparently, drummer Kenney Jones, who played on the original recording, has been eliminated from Who history.
It’s hard to say if any of the other players will figure into the Who story, but there’s no question they each brought their A-game to the table. Bassist Jon Button delivered a snapping little solo during “My Generation.” Keyboardist Loren Gold earned his chops with wings when his fingers danced and tinkled the familiar piano chords that begin “Love, Reign o’er Me.”
Drummer Scott Devours — perhaps the most scrutinized musician on the stage due to the fact that he unceremoniously replaced longtime drummer Zak Starkey just before the toru kicked off — was a true force who stylishly drove the beat, executed the right fills, and totally reintroduced a hardwood bottom end long missing from live Who shows in recent years. He even killed it during the Keith Moon epic roundhouse solo climax of “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”
At one point, Townshend guffawed, “How ya doin!” then added, “I think we’re doing OK,” as if to suggest a slight doubt on his part. The guitarist usually comes clean and is known for being self-critical and, at one time, bitter about his past accomplishments. Tonight, he was seeking approval, and the pay-out was big. Daltrey, his partner in crime, seems to call most of the shots these days. His singing, for the most part, explains why. At 81, he still can belt it out with the best of them.
As the night wore on, the singer’s voice showed slight signs of deterioration. But that’s what comes with a live situation. And age. Aside from a few pre-recorded synth parts, The Who was about being in the moment for their final turn at the Hollywood Bowl. When Daltrey and Townshend, left alone with a solemn reading of “Tea & Theatre,” gracefully embraced and cracked a few jokes to close the show, it really felt like the song is over for The Who.
