THE WHO PUNCHES IN – AND THEY HOPE THEY DIE BEFORE … OOPS, TOO LATE!
The Who at the Delta Center, Salt Lake City
Nov. 13, 2006
THE DOTTED LINE: ••••
SALT LAKE CITY – The Who – pretty much down to Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey these days, thanks to death, drugs and rock and roll – have been banged and battered about, taken to task by the critics who think they’re just cashing in on another farewell tour or victory lap.
And I’ll be the first to admit I was a bit of a cynic going in – especially reading Townshend’s recent interviews or the reviews of the band’s new “Endless Wire” CD.
But then I saw The Who play live, on a Monday night – which should say something right there; Mondays aren't exactly rock and roll time here in little ol' Utah – at The Delta Center. It wasn’t a capacity crowd, but the people who were there were passionate, right down to the smell of pot drifting from the stands and all the old hipsters working the scene.
And Daltrey and Townshend – dressed rather simply in variations of black T-shirts and jeans – seemed every bit as passionate about putting on a good show as they might have back in “the late ‘70s,” as Townshend noted, or the last time The Who visited Salt Lake City.
So there the two Who were, working the scene with their opening number, “I Can’t Explain,” which sounded a bit more ragged and raspy live but which added to its charm. Same with “Substitute” (the second song on the set list) and “Who Are You?” and “My Generation” and “Pinball Wizard.”
While they didn’t seem to be exactly sharing love notes – Townshend and Daltrey were somewhat prickly to each other on stage, where Townshend is the unequivocal leader (on our night, Roger, who was supposedly nursing his voice, didn’t say a non-singing word until the end and sipped what appeared to be tea throughout the evening) – the duo’s undeniable chemistry sparked the band throughout the night, putting The Who right up there with performances I’ve seen by similar rock legends like The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and U2 as the best of all time.
And unlike the by-rote performances I’ve seen far-lesser artists punch in with, Townshend and Daltrey seemed absolutely committed to making the evening memorable for the 12,000 or so fans in attendance. Townshend, in particular, was dedicated to giving the audience the full nine yards: His peerless muscianship was evident as he played a number of different guitars and his characteristic spinning windmill style was an ongoing highlight of this quiet night in Salt Lake City, when The Who’s leader showed us how to rock.
Pete also plays a bigger part in the band's vocals than those of us who've never seen them live might suspect; it's his high harmonies (supported to great measure by his brother, Simon, who also plays and supplies backing vocals for the band) that supplement Daltrey's bluesy growl and give The Who its signature sound. This was especially apparent during one undeniable highlight: The generation-spanning singalong of "You Better You Bet" (which I remember being the "new" Who song), a classic album song reinvented by the band's live energy and the urgent mix of vocals – Daltrey, the Townshends and every fan in the building.
The Who did a few numbers – introduced to great fanfare for those of us who’d like to swoop up for another or three beers – from the new “Endless Wire” CD; they all sounded OK (I bought the CD for further examination the next day); but my personal favorite was the quick “We Got A Hit.”
In the end, they could do no wrong. For The Who came, with no excuses. Damn the fact that they are in their mid-‘60s, essentially my parents’ age. Pete and Roger were rocking throughout the night, generating the sweat and the love and the respect that only The Who could inspire every time Daltrey found another rigorous high note (twirling and dancing with his long microphone cord; truly a throwback move of his from the '60s) or Townshend windmilled across that guitar for another hit.
When it comes to The Who? Won’t get fooled again, indeed.
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ON THE DOT: Now back in business (with a modified rating system) the “John Youngren Dot Com” blog (once known as “Pop Stew”) should be updated regularly. And remember, as always, this is just an exhibition; it is not a competition – so please, no wagering. To contact John, e-mail johnyoungren@mac.com
