Videos on the main stage screen provided some history before the show began, noting that The Who first played Boston in 1967, and last night was their 20th Boston concert. This concert was re-scheduled from last October, as The Who tour had been sidelined for a few weeks when singer Roger Daltrey came down with viral meningitis.
While The Who began in 1964, meaning their 50th anniversary was a couple years back, that is the name of their recent compilation set (highly recommended), and also became the name of what was generally perceived as their final tour. In conjunction with all that, every Who album, along with the new compilation set, has also been re-issued in vinyl.
Since The Who were always more about the passion and fire of rock ‘n' roll, and not so much the musical precision found in some other bands, their music can often be underrated. Last night, even as the advancing years have robbed them of some of the wild abandon that endeared them to a generation or three, the quality of the music shone through.
Daltrey, who turned 72 on March 1, couldn't come close to the high-pitched wail that used to characterize “Love, Reign O'er Me,” for instance, but if that otherworldy howl wasn't there, he replaced it with a gritty growl that was just as effective. The piano introduction to that song from John Corey was exquisite, and the melody's surging power is as potent as it ever was. When Daltrey ended it with an exaggerated basso snarl–almost as if channeling Barry White–it was as if he was admitting he can't hit the high notes any more, but has adjusted with something new.
Longtime fans will carp that this is basically half-a-Who, since Daltrey and guitarist Peter Townshend (who turns 71 on May 19) are the only surviving members, since original drummer/wildman Keith Moon died in 1978, and bassist John Entwistle passed away in 2002. But drummer Zak Starkey has been playing with the band since 1996, and is a powerhouse in the Moon tradition. Moreover, he has a real connection since Moon was his godfather. The story is that his father never wanted to encourage him towards a career in the dicey music business, so Starkey got his first drum kit, at age five, not from daddy Ringo Starr, but from Moon. (One stunning note on that video history was that Ringo's kid is now 50!).
In a similar vein, bassist Pino Palladino has been in the band since Entwistle's death, and is as capable and close to the man he replaced as any musician ever will be. The touring band also includes brother Simon Townshend on guitar and mandolin, and John Corey and Loren Gold on keyboards and backup vocals, with Frank Sines leading the band and playing keyboards, banjo, accordion, and other instruments as needed. It's a group that provides plenty of dynamics, although there were places you might have missed the old guitar fire, which can get a bit lost under all the keyboards. But the rhythm section is killer, Starkey's cascading drum figures driving the music, as Palladino's adventurous bass lines add layers to the surging melodies.
The Who opened with “Who Are You,” and while the guitars and keyboards forged some infectious dynamic flow off that familiar tune, something about it sounded just a bit off. That problem was gone by the time they launched “The Seeker,” one of their older songs with more primal rock bite, and following that up with the rowdy pull of “The Kids Are Alright” really got the Garden jumping.
The guitar thunder of “My Generation” was riveting, and Daltrey seemed to be improvising lines for added interest. The old nugget “The Real Me” reminded fans why the band used to bill themselves as “maximum r&b,” with its raw power enhanced by Daltrey doing some of his patented microphone spins, twirling the mic around as if it were a lariat.
The singer pointed out the irony of the next 1960s “pure and simple pop” hit leading to “the BBC playing a song about masturbation,” and “Pictures of Lily” was giddy fun. Daltrey's lack of a high end was a concern on “Behind Blue Eyes,” but the power and thrust of “Bargain,” “Join Together,” and “You Better You Bet” worked wonderfully. Possibly the instrumental highlight of the night was Townshend's “The Rock,” from the Quadrophenia rock opera, a compelling eight-to-ten minute epic of dual guitars, really showcasing both Townshend brothers.
Boston got an unforgettable take on “Pinball Wizard,” morphing into “See Me, Feel Me,/Listening to You.” Baba O'Riely” kicked up the tempo, as Daltrey added wailing harmonica. By the time the night ended in “Won't Get Fooled Again” it was a massive 17,000-strong celebration of a band that rocked like no other.
Bassist/singer Tal Wilkenfeld opened with her quartet, and her music resembled 1960′s psychedelic rock, perhaps reminiscent of the acoustic side of Led Zeppelin. Wilkenfeld is a massive talent, who will headline Brighton Music Hall on March 18.
Link : http://wayland.wickedlocal.com/article/20160308/ENTERTAINMENT/303089995
No comments:
Post a Comment