The Who
Wed, 08 November 2006:
San Jose, CA, HP Pavilion
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Support Act: Rose Hill DriveSetlist
Lineup
|
Roger Daltrey |
Vocals, Harmonica, Guitar |
 |
Pete Townshend |
Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals |
|
Pino Palladino |
Bass |
|
Zak Starkey |
Drums |
|
Simon Townshend |
Guitar, Backing Vocal |
|
J.J. Blair |
Keyboards |
Rating
This show has been rated
(3.1 out of 5 with 365 vote(s) total)
Newspaper Review
The Who delivers uneven show in San Jose
The Mercury News, 09-11-2006
For Halloween, the two remaining original members of the Who -- vocalist Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend -- masqueraded as real recording artists and released their first new studio set since 1982's "It's Hard."
"Endless Wire" is a pretty fine effort, especially coming from a band that took a 25-year hiatus between albums, and these Englanders are justifiably proud of it.
That pride, however, led these rock legends to put on a show Wednesday night at the HP Pavilion in San Jose that wasn't nearly as enjoyable as the ones at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View back in 2002 and 2004.
Let's face facts here for a minute. What are Who fans looking for from the band in 2006? They want the hits. They want to scream along at the top of their lungs to "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" and "Baba O'Riley." Most significantly, they are looking for a show with momentum that keeps them up on their feet and dancing from the opener to the closing number. That's exactly what they got during those two Shoreline dates.
In contrast, the Who was determined to force-feed the crowd new material in San Jose and, really, fans weren't biting. There was a dramatic drop-off in enthusiasm from the audience whenever the Who played new songs and that really derailed much of the show.
Kicking off in fine fashion with "I Can't Explain," the band initially had the crowd eating out of its palm as it followed that traditional opener with rocking renditions of "The Seeker" and "Substitute." That early momentum was enough to carry the group, and the crowd, through the first offering from the new album, "Fragments."
The band sounded great -- especially Ringo Starr's kid, Zak Starkey, on drums -- as it rolled through a forceful rendition of the classic "Who Are You." The tune sounded nearly as powerful as when it first came out in the late '70s, although, thanks to hip-hop, dropping the f-bomb doesn't carry the same weight it once did.
After a lukewarm take on "Behind Blue Eyes," the band played the entire six-track mini-opera from this year's "Wire and Glass" EP (which was also included as part of "Endless Wire"). It was a gutsy move, but one that didn't pay off. Many of the fans, most of whom were obviously unfamiliar with the material, sat down and simply waited politely for the segment to finish.
Just to be clear, a polite response from the crowd isn't usually what occurs at a Who show.
Folks were back on their feet for the always-enjoyable "Baba O'Riley," which once again hit with the force of a wrecking ball, and the too-slick "Eminence Front." Daltrey, moving a bit slower than usual on this night, rose to the occasion with "Baba O'Riley" and Townshend was definitely on his game for "Eminence Front."
Yet, the good times wouldn't last as the band reopened the book on "Endless Wire" and bored the crowd with a triple-shot of "A Man in a Purple Dress," "Black Widow's Eyes" and "Mike Post Theme."
The group did its best to get back on track with "You Better You Bet" and the anthem "My Generation," during which Pino Palladino masterfully recreated the memorable work of original Who bassist John Entwistle (who died of a cocaine-induced heart attack in 2002).
The main set came to a close with the fan-favorite "Won't Get Fooled Again." That song was a showcase for the entire band -- from Starkey's beat-happy runs to the fine rhythm-guitar work of Pete Townshend's brother Simon -- but it was mostly an opportunity for Daltrey to shine. He did just that as he summoned up the will necessary for the Shark Tank-shaking howl that came near the song's conclusion.
The band filled its encore with tracks from its most famous rock opera, 1969's "Tommy," and the result couldn't have been much more different than what it achieved with "Wire and Glass." Led by Townshend's most passionate playing of the evening, the Who knocked the crowd for a loop with stellar takes on "Pinball Wizard," "Amazing Journey" and "Sparks."
The Who was moving with the momentum of a freight train by the time it hit the "See Me" and "Listening to You" segments of "We're Not Gonna Take It!" Too bad the rest of the show wasn't nearly as good.
It's hard to knock a band for wanting to play new material, just like it's difficult to rag on a fan base that wants to hear old hits. It's just the situation that the Who finds itself in after waiting 25 years between albums.
Jim Harrington, Medianews
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Who caught between forging ahead, debts to past
San Francisco Chronicle, 09-11-2006
(11-09) 12:23 PST -- With half the original members dead and a two-hour show based substantially on the band's first new album in 24 years, the Who can be forgiven for not getting the stage up on casters and move it around the floor Wednesday at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, as the Rolling Stones did Monday in Oakland.
But by the time the group brought the performance to a close with a still-rousing "Won't Get Fooled Again" and a 20-minute "Tommy" medley encore, the capacity crowd was on its feet yelling for more. Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey and company responded with "Tea and Theatre," a quiet little etude from the new album.
With high-tech giant widescreen video projection behind the band, the hired hands stationed at the back on risers and a keyboard player hidden behind amplifiers, the surviving members of the British rock landmark, ageless vocalist Daltrey and gutsy guitarist Townshend held down center stage by themselves: Who II.
The Who, at its best, was always a delicate mix of combustible elements. Even before drummer Keith Moon died in 1978, the original quartet could never count on all of these volatile parts running in sync. Anyone who attended the band's 1973 performance at the Cow Palace -- where Moon passed out twice and the band finished the set with a volunteer drummer who climbed out of the crowd -- knows that.
But at its best, none was ever better. Anyone who was at the 1969 Fillmore West performance of "Tommy" or the 1971 San Francisco Civic Auditorium show after "Who's Next" knows that.
More than four years after the death of bassist John Entwistle on the eve of a U.S. tour, the Who return with "Endless Wire," a new record that is dense and oblique. Although they sprinkled Who concert staples through the show, the program concentrated on material from the new album that kept the audience in their seats.
The songs from "Endless Wire" were so listless and obscure they made something like "You Better You Bet" sound like a classic. Since when was "Eminence Front" a towering peak in the Who repertoire?
Drummer Zak Starkey made it possible at all. The son of Ringo Starr was hand-trained by Moon, who gave young Starkey a replica of his own drum kit for the kid's first set. Starkey, who also plays with '90s Brit rock phenoms Oasis, gave the signature Who sound the crashing, rolling, detonating rhythmic explosions it needs.
Bassist Pino Palladino handled Entwistle's bass parts admirably. Starkey and Palladino first played the songbook in the backup band on a 1994 "Daltrey Sings Townshend" solo tour, during the long Who hiatus. Townshend's much younger brother, Simon Townshend, sang Entwistle's high harmonies and added some rhythm guitar. J.J. Blair filled in for keyboardist John Bundrick, whose wife was gravely ill in England.
The flashy video screen ran conceptual videos that commented on the songs -- all those shots of young Moon and Entwistle behind the inevitable opener, "I Can't Explain," did lend the proceedings a certain somber tone at the start. The broad lighting scheme democratized the band, and spotlights bounced, irritatingly, into the eyes of the audience all night, making it difficult to watch the stage.
The band played the new album's six-song "mini-rock opera," "Wire and Glass," whose story is so complex that Townshend has posted the novella on which it is based on his Web page (the Who is very Web conscious -- live recordings from every show on the current tour will be sold for charity on the band's site). In concert, the songs just zipped by, inconsequential, harmless and obscure.
Some of the other songs from "Endless Wire" -- the pseudo-folkie "A Man in a Purple Dress" or "Black Widow's Eyes" -- have some heft, but they are instant trivialities in the Who's distinguished catalog. The dud album is no embarrassment, just strangely without character. But Townshend's solo writing has been spotty at best over the years since the Who, and the burden of trying to resurrect that heavy Who aura must have weighed on him.
With the Who, Townshend is mired in music he made as a youth in the spirit of collaboration with three very disparate accomplices. The combination made some great rock music -- as great as it gets. But now as a tribal elder, he appears caught between his desire to forge ahead and his debt to the past. He refuses to be simply an oldies act, reliving past glories, but his latest work is remote from the body of great work he created in those magic years with the Who.
Joel Selvin, Chronicle Senior Pop Music Critic
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Fanreport
Chaz Guitar
What a fantastic show from The Who - their first concert in Northern California since Shoreline in 2004 and coming just a week after the release of their amazing new album "Endless Wire". The band came out to stupendous cheers and Pete noted that we are "still here"! We're always "here and now", Pete! Perhaps he meant we're still here after one of the most hideous awful horrible opening acts I've ever seen open for the Who.
I don't know who they were or why anyone allowed them to play but they were even more hideous than that lousy band "Unamerican" in 2000. Let's NOT have any opening bands, guys! How about using that time to play some nice rarities from the archives! Naked Eye? Magic Bus? Anything like that? OK, end of rant...
The band hit the stage rockin'! I Can't Explain sounded perfect! Very Rockin'! The Seeker is a real treat to have back in rotation. My big complaint is that they cut out a large chunk out of the song. At the bridge, it's all going along very well as Roger sings "People tend to hate me because I never smile. As I ransack their homes they wanna shake my hand." The next line is supposed to be "Focus in on Nowhere Investigating Miles, I'm a Seeker, I'm a really desperate man!" perhaps my favourite line of the song, so, of course, I notice that they're skipping it and skimping on it! That line leads right into the GUITAR SOLO, one of Pete's best, wouldn't it be nice to hear the freaking solo? Simon could do some jangly textures. Please do the whole song! Then, after the solo, it should go into a second bridge with the words "I learned to raise my voice in anger..." Other than this major quibble, the song sounds righteous. I just feel that editing out those major portions of the song weaken the impact. To me, the song is like a classical work and it deserves to be played as it was written with the full lyrics and solos! As a fan, I pay big bucks to see these shows and I know that when the Who practices their arrangements, they damn sure get it right! See my review of Star Lake, PA 2000: "after the amusing trainwreck in Detroit"... That was also the Seeker! OK, end of another rant!
Substitute was a completely flawless version that had us dancing and rocking out! Fragments was incredible! Great tune! Fantastic visuals on the screen! Roger's voice is amazing! Pete's guitar work is jamming! Who are You was on fire! They rocked with a vengeance! Pete was getting some beautiful controlled feedback through his guitar rig during the middle section. Extremely musical and artistic. Behind Blue Eyes was sublime and beautiful. Powerful and molten hot magma for the jam! Then we hit the heavy hitters from the new album! They all freaking ROCK, nobody complains about the new material because it is so FREAKING AWESOME! I'd say: Get the new CD!! This was the complete "compressed" mini-opera Wire and Glass and boy does it ever ROCK!! An astounding work, flawlessly performed! Bravo! Eminence Front was on fire! Pete is just crushing on that guitar! Everyone loves this song! The best!!!
A Man in a Purple Dress is one of my absolute faves! It's nice to hear the two of them command the stage with such authority. Pete+Roger=THE WHO! So inherently WHO, there is no question! Those two carry the torch and this song is a welcome sentiment of righteous anger against those religious self-righteous bigots who would condemn someone like Pete who was wrongfully smeared as a sexual deviant, when it's usually these awful priests in their fancy dress who are the real sexual perverts. Leave it to Pete to write such an eloquent response! Loved this song on the David Letterman show and it just keeps getting better. Black Widow's Eyes is another fantastic song, apparently about someone getting kidnapped and falling in love with the kidnapper. Kinda freaky subject, but, hey, it works! Mike Post Theme is yet another gem from the new record...
I was daydreaming about the "Face Dances" LP (which I love!) and they suddenly launched into You Better You Bet! Roger has finally really nailed this vocal, especially the phrasing around the "old T Rex" section, a tricky part to sing. So, hats off to Roger! His voice is sounding great, despite the usual complaints we always hear about his voice! Rog is doing a fantastic job!!! My Generation was smokin'! Absolutely balls-to-the-wall! This is their signature and it did not disappoint! You may notice that I follow this with Cry If You Want Blues because it isn't really a proper version of Cry If You Want. I, for one, am sick and tired of everybody, especially the band, putting down the "It's Hard" LP.
It's a great freaking album, listen to it! Loud!!! It sure would be nice to hear Athena, Cook's County, It's Hard, A Man Is A Man or I've Known No War! Great songs! Anyway, it's nice to hear them do a version of it even as a blues jam, a tip of the hat!
Won't Get Fooled Again was a powerful definitive version. It featured some more artistic creative feedback sculptures from Pete. Absolute genius. Did I mention that Zak kicks ass on the drums? Well, he totally does! Pinball Wizard is always goosebumps time and this version was no exception! This featured a smooth transition into an amazing Amazing Journey and Sparks, a song with great personal meaning for me, that it is a supreme personal pleasure for me to see them perform it live so righteously! See Me Feel Me is one of those iconic rock'n'roll moments that never disappoints and Listening to You stands as the anthem of anthems! Tea And Theatre is a poignant little ditty that sent us all home with huge smiles! Thanks, guys! Peace.
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Record and DVD
Encore 2006: San Jose, CA 11.08.06 (2:01:01, CD)
Encore 2006: San Jose, CA 11.08.06 (1:58:35, DVD)
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Last update: 2007-04-23 21:26:22 - # 7266
