I've got a boot of the '96 tour that I like quite a bit, despite the presence of Gary Glitter. How does this compare to the recent Quadrophenia tour in terms of quality? Of course, living out in the sticks, I didn't get a chance to see the new tour but I received a couple rave reviews from friends. The boys are quite a bit older now and the Ox is no longer on board, but the band sure played shit-hot on that concert for Hurricane Sandy victims.
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart
The best concert I attended in 2012. I went to quite a few.
What can this strange device be? When I touch it, it brings forth a sound (2112)
I saw several from both tours. Both tours were great. Current doesn't include guest stars or any narration. It's all about the music. Few extra jams too from what I recall. The Who never fail to deliver.
I missed the Quadrophenia tours in 1996 and 2012-13. I did, however, see The Who during the original Quadrophenia tour in 1973. There are some advantages to geezerdom. It was fantastic, by the way.
We're trying to build a monument to show that we were here
It won't be visible through the air
And there won't be any shade to cool the monument to prove that we were here. - Gene Parsons, 1973
I saw the 1996 tour at MSG with the guest artists (Gary Glitter, Billy Idol). I thought it was great at the time but the 2012 tour blew that shit to pieces. One of the best shows I've ever seen. If Daltrey and Townshend want to retire The Who and go out on top, now would be the time.
What really makes the current (and '96) Quad shows killer are the horns. The horns are fucking awesome. Now before any geezers tell me "well, if you had seen the REAL Quad shows in the 70's...blah blah", ...well I'm sure those shows were awesome too.
I thought the show I saw in 96 was fantastic, though it kinda bugged me that Pete's freeloading brother played most of the guitar work. I've heard that later in that tour, Pete played more electric, but the show I saw, I think he played electric on about two songs, with him playing acoustic for the rest of the show. At least Simon tried to play like Pete (unlike Steve Bolton, the second guitarist on the 89 tour, who sounded more like a Gilmour type of guitarist whenever he soloed)
And I thought Billy Idol did a great job as Ace The Face (though I kinda wish they could have brought over Adrian Edmonson who played the role during the show they did it in Hyde Park a couple months before the US tour...and yeah, I'm really just saying that because Ade played Vyvyan on The Young Ones). Gary Glitter did a good job, too, as The Godfather.
And I agree, having a horn section onstage, to me, works better than having it on tape. I think it's been said that was one of the reasons they had so many problems with the 73-74 tour, was because most of the songs required them to play along to tapes, either of the horns, or keyboards or whatever. And while they had already been doing that for Baba O'Riley and Won't Get Fooled Again (and would later do it with Who Are You and Eminence Front), there's a big difference between using tapes three or four songs in a show, and using them for most of the show, particularly when your drummer happens to be named Keith Moon.
That performance of Bell Boy they did at the Hurricane Sandy benefit concert was awesome, I loved the way the integrated the recording of Keith into the performance. I especially loved the way Roger turns toward the video screen and held up his mic (when they did the song in concert with Keith, Roger would literally had his mic to Keith to for his parts of the song, and sing the "Bell Boy!" bits with John, then Keith would hand the mic back to Roger when his bit was over).
So my question for the current Who (or any recent Who show): are they finally pushing the bass back up in the mix? It's not The Who without "it's too loud" bass. If you can replace the drummer AND the bassist, you can surely pump the bass up in the mix like it's supposed to be.
Why do you say that? The "freeloading" thing, I mean.Originally Posted by GuitarGeek
Is it possible to see the Sandy performance on DVD, or did you have to be at the concert in New York to see it? I have heard the album, 121212 The Concert For Sandy Relief, but Bell Boy isn't on the album, so I have missed some of the show, I guess.
We're trying to build a monument to show that we were here
It won't be visible through the air
And there won't be any shade to cool the monument to prove that we were here. - Gene Parsons, 1973
Simon's been in the band basically since the mid 70's.
Really? What did he do with the band during the 70's and 80's?
It was shown live on like 12 different TV channels. Did you check Youtube?
And here's what the song sounded/looked like when they did it in 74:
his credits go back to the Tommy movie Soundtrack.
Yes, I know he sang a couple songs on the Tommy soundtrack. But what else he did with them before 1996? Wikipedia mentioned he did some backing vocals on the original version of Tommy (when he was only 9). But other than those two things, I don't think he did anything with The Who prior to 1996.
Though I saw them do Tommy in 69 and 70, I missed the 73 tour. The tour this year is fantastic! One of the best concerts I've seen in a long while. Overpriced, yes.
Happy I went, very happy. Great having Pete playing electric guitar! Reading his autobiography, a great read.
This is a fascinating documentary about the making of the album. Pete was ready to pack it in after completion of the album and subsequent tour. It was a tortuous process, a rough time for the band, he said the band did not even play any Quadraphenia cuts on their next European tour. Pete states the band has never truly made a great album since then.
It just occurred to me, it's too bad they never redid A Quick One with a string section. I mean, the "cello cello cello" bit is charming but it would have been cool to hear it the way Pete heard it in his head.
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart
That 1974 clip is beautiful. Keith's singing on the track has that mix of crazy and vulnerable that for me encapsulates everything I have loved about The Who since I "discovered" them in 1975.
Does it matter that this waste of time is what makes a life for you?
i saw the Who back in the late 70's and early 80's and never saw Simon Townsend on stage with them - unless he was hidden back stage.
Please tell me Glitter did not play Cousin Kevin. Please?
High Vibration Go On - R.I.P. Chris Squire
Wrong album. Gary Glitter played The Godfather when they did Quadrophenia in 96.
He didn't tour with them before 96, at which time he was merely a backup musician. He wasn't actually "in" the band until 2002.
Thanks for posting those videos, Chris. The '74 one brought back memories. The second time I saw The Who was at Bill Graham's 'A Day On The Green' on the Ox's birthday in 1976. The Grateful Dead opened.
We're trying to build a monument to show that we were here
It won't be visible through the air
And there won't be any shade to cool the monument to prove that we were here. - Gene Parsons, 1973
Oh, I bet that was a good show. That clip of Bell Boy from 74 is on the 30 Years Of Maximum R&B DVD, along with a couple other songs from that show. Good DVD, if you can find it (I believe it's out of print).
That was the first time I saw them -- and, obviously, the only time with Moon. They played a selection from "Tommy" where Moonie got to sing "Uncle Ernie." Good times.
Scalpers were selling tickets for two bucks outside the show, because it was just a horrible mismatch: Who fans mostly weren't Dead fans, and vice versa (though I liked both).
Cobra handling and cocaine use are a bad mix.
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