The Who MSG 2016
The Who
Madison Square Garden, NYC, NY
03 March 2016
By Bob O’Donnell
“The Geezers Have Still Got It!”
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Since I heard that this March 3rd, 2016 show by The Who at Madison Square Garden might be their last one there, I made it over there to get a ticket at the last minute on the street. Nevermind that I saw my first Who Farewell Tour show in 1982 in Gainesville, Florida, over 30 years ago! Joan Jett opened the night’s proceedings. I was late and missed it, but heard from a number of people that Joan just killed it!
Check out Jack O’Handley’s review of the Who in Ohio May 2015 here.
The Who opened their show with the anthemic ‘Who Are You?’, followed by one of my all time favorites ‘The Seeker’:
They call me The Seeker
I’ve been searching low and high
I won’t get to get what I’m after
Till the day I die
I asked Bobby Dylan
I asked The Beatles
I asked Timothy Leary
But he couldn’t help me either
Roger may not hit those high notes like he used to, but he still has a great Rock & Roll screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeam! He bellowed several of them throughout the evening and he managed to stay in voice for the duration. Roger has a great stage presence and unbridled enthusiasm for the songs, and Pete still crushes it with his guitar leads, windmilling in his trademark style. The band of fabulous keyboard and vocal sidemen complimented the superb rhythm section of Pino Palladino (bass) and Zak Starkey (drums), who have impossibly big shoes to fill with the missing Keith Moon & John Entwistle, who made many appearances on the big screen graphics.
Beginning with ‘The Seeker’ The Who dug deep into their earlier work, with these old chestnuts: ‘The Seeker’, ‘The Kids Are Alright’, ‘I Can See For Miles’, ‘My Generation’, ‘The Real Me’ & ‘Pictures of Lilly’. ‘Join together’ had the entire Big Room at Madison Square Garden singing along, just as Roger and the song exhorts them to.
After the ever-catchy ‘You Better You Bet’, Pete & Roger dipped into the Quadrophenia catalogue. The light show was glorious all night long, but really got interesting with the intense, stinging ‘Eminence Front’ though the ‘Tommy’ medley, and the obligatory high-octane closers from “Who’s Next”. ‘Baba O’Reilly’ and ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’, a perfectly appropriate closer for this hotly contested U.S. Presidential debate season:
I’ll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I’ll get on my knees and pray
We don’t get fooled again
Don’t get fooled again
No, no! Yeah!
Meet the new boss Same as the old boss
Lineup:
Roger Daltry – Vocals & Guitar, Harmonica
Pete Townshend – Guitar & Vocals
Zak Starkey – drums, percussion
Simon Townshend – guitar, backing vocals
Pino Palladino – bass guitar
John Corey – keyboards, backing vocals
Loren Gold – keyboards, backing vocals
Frank Simes – keyboards, backing vocals, musical director
01-Who Are You
02-The Seeker
03-The Kids Are Alright
04-I Can See For Miles
05-My Generation
06-The Real Me
07-Pictures of Lilly
08-Behind Blue Eyes
09-Bargain
10-Join Together
11-You Better You Bet
12-I’m One
13-The Rock
14-Love, Reign O’er Me
15-Eminence Front
16-Amazing Journey-Sparks
17-Pinball Wizard
18-See Me Feel Me
19-Baba O’Riley
20-Won’t Get Fooled Again
21-Band Intros
Bob O’Donnell is one of a three man team that Produces the “Morning Dew” Radio Show on WBAI-FM, which Airs Sundays 1:00 – 3:00 AM (EST) on 99.5 FM in New York .
To Submit a review or story for consideration hit us at [email protected]
Check out the Live Music News and Review.com Facebook page for updates and announcements.
Check out Jack O’Handley’s review of the Who in Ohio May 2015 here.