The Who Live In Boston DVD

I recently used a gift card that I got for Christmas to pick up The Who Live in Boston DVD. This was the final show of their 2002 summer tour in which the band played about 20 or so concerts. On the eve of the tour, bassist John Entwistle died at the age of 57. Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey made the difficult decision to go on with the tour. The DVD includes interviews with both Pete and Roger.

Daltrey explains that one of the main reasons they decided to go on with the tour was because it was completely sold out and when they began thinking about all of the people that were working on the tour, it numbered in the hundreds.

Townshend talked about his relationship with Entwistle which dated back to when they were 11 years old. He also compared and contrasted Keith Moon and Zak Starkey.

The DVD also includes some of Entwistle’s drawings of Jimi Hendrix, Mick Jagger, Elton John and others. Now onto the concert...

Pino Palladino (picture far left) was tapped to play bass. Pino had played with Townshend on many of his solo shows and also is part of the John Mayer Trio. His bass playing is good, but very different from the great Entwistle. Zak Starkey manned the drums; Pete's kid brother Simon (pictured next to Pino) played extra guitar and sung backing vocals; while John "Rabbit" Bundrick (pictured to the left of Pete) was on keyboard.

Interesting, when Keith Moon died, The Who brought in a new drummer and added a keyboardist. When "The Ox" passed, the band had to not only bring in a bass player but an extra guitar. No doubt a testament to the greatness of Moon and 'Wistle.

The band played a setlist that touched all of their albums and put on a blistering performance of "Amazing Journey/Sparks" which has to rival anything they did during their halcyon years. Daltrey also delivered an incredibly potent and emotional rendition of "Love Reign O’er Me."

This DVD reminded me of when I saw the band on that tour in August 2002 at Madison Square Garden, where incidentally I ran into Lenny Kravitz in the audience (I never realized how tall he was). I still have the t-shirt from that tour.

Anyway, I heard about this DVD on The Who’s message board and I’m glad I did. Definitely two thumbs up.

Here is the setlist:
•I Can't Explain
•Substitute
•Anyway Anyhow Anywhere
•Who Are You
•Another Tricky Day
•Relay
•Bargain
•Baba O'Riley
•Sea and Sand
•5:15
•Love Reign O'er Me
•Eminence Front
•Behind Blue Eyes
•You Better You Bet
•The Kids Are Alright
•My Generation
•Won't Get Fooled Again
•Pinball Wizard
•Amazing Journey/Sparks
•See Me Feel Me
•Listening to You

Daltrey Touring With Clapton

A few other Who items....

Roger Daltrey and Eric Clapton hit the road starting tonight in Pittsburgh for a bunch of shows. From what I gather it will be a similar format to the one used by Clapton and Jeff Beck at their recent shows. A solo set by each performer and then the two team up to close out the concert.

Daltrey told a radio station that he was interested in getting Liam Gallagher for this year's set of Teenage Cancer Trust concerts at the Royal Albert Hall but that Liam had another engagement that night. This led to a couple of media outlets to report that Gallagher snubbed The Who. So much for responsible reporting.

The annual benefit celebrates it's 10th anniversary this year and Daltrey has lined up some pretty good performers. Depeche Mode, Them Crooked Vultures, Noel Gallagher and others are slated to perform at the series of concerts which take place next month.

The Who News

Plenty going on in the world of The Who lately. First, Pete Townshend told Rolling Stone that his tinnitus has been bother him quite a bit lately and that if it keeps up they are done with touring. At the same time Roger Daltrey was asked by an interviewer what is left for him to do and Roger said he would like to revisit his blues roots and make an album with Jimmy Page. So take the two stories and the press has gone wild with speculation. Whatever. Pete Townshend clarified what the status is with his hearing on his blog:

“I am writing some more songs, testing out some studio and stage in-ear monitor systems, and wearing a Phonak hearing aid almost all the rest of the time. I feel as though I've been reborn in some ways. Not everything I hear is worth hearing, but at least I don't have to turn the TV down in order to tell everyone in the room that what they are watching is rubbish.”

Apparently Neil Young’s guitarist recommended a hearing device that Pete will test out at The Who’s Teenage Cancer Trust show on March 30. On that occasion the band will be performing Quadrophenia at the Royal Albert Hall.

Pete had more to say:

“Thanks everyone who stood by me during the Super Bowl (especially Roger as always), and to everyone who has emailed to say how much they enjoyed the half-time stint. The hat I wore, that was popular with some-but not all-of our fans, contains some ancient technology that helps me hear myself better on stage. It's called, the BRIM.”

As far as a Daltrey-Page CD, I took it as Roger just thinking out loud. But we'll see. By the way, Daltrey and Page both share the same management.

The Who Rock The Super Bowl

The Who delivered a very enjoyable performance at this past Sunday's Super Bowl. I've looked at several reviews such as Rolling Stone and MTV.com which were favorable. But the reviews that matter the most are those of the fans. TheWho.com's message board was favorable and the folks over at the Pete Townshend message board, The Shout, liked it as well. Who fans are the harshest critics of the band, but the majority of comments that I have read found the show enjoyable.

What’s different about this year is that The Who aren’t promoting anything. Past Super Bowl performers have had a new album or tour. The Who may have a tour later in the year and Pete Townshend is writing music which may or may not end up as a Who album, but that also will not be until later in the year or 2011.

I was glad to see drummer Zak Starkey get quite a bit of recognition. Incidentally, his father Ringo Starr got his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame yesterday.

Roger Daltrey was not in love with doing the Super Bowl and said it was weird to play a quick 12 minute set. Pete Townshend on the other hand said he liked it and got an appreciation for how big the Super Bowl is.

So far sales have spiked for The Who on iTunes and the like, which has been the case for past Super Bowl performers, who don't get paid to play at the event.

The Who Interviwed by Rich Eisen

After the Super Bowl press conference, The Who's Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey talked with the NFL Network's Rich Eisen. Although both admitted to not being fans of American football, Roger took the Saints, so Pete naturally took the Colts.

"Won't Get Fooled Again" Super Bowl Press Conference

Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey concluded the Super Bowl press conference with an acoustic version of "Won't Get Fooled Again."

The Who Super Bowl Press Conference "Behind Blue Eyes" and "Pinball Wizard"

Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey took some questions this past Thursday at a Super Bowl press conference and then played three songs. The above YouTube video is of Pete and Roger playing acoustic versions of "Behind Blue Eyes" and "Pinball Wizard."

Sons of Beatles

I heard this a while back but a couple of Beatle blogs are reporting that Zak Starkey (Ringo Starr's son) is busy on a new album with the Lennon half-brothers (Julian and Sean); Paul McCartney's son James and George Harrison's son Dhani.

Not a rumor is that Starkey is busy working on an album with Liam Gallagher and the other former members of Oasis, sans Noel.

Oh and Zak will most definitely be on the drums with The Who during tomorrow's halftime show.