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My Pepsi Center review (Denver)




There was no prozac in evidence at the Denver concert tonight - just an
enthusiastic mass of arm-waving, foot-stomping, hip-shaking,
scream-until-you're-hoarse WHO fans.

Here's the setlist:

I Can't Explain
Substitute
AAA
I Don't Know Myself
My Wife
WGFA
Bargain
Getting in Tune
TKAA
I'm One
Pinball Wizard
The Real Me
Behind Blue Eyes
You Better You Bet
Who Are You
5:15
WGFA
    (encore)
I Walk the Line/Ring of Fire
Naked Eye
Let's See Action
My Generation

Pete wore black pants & jacket, white shirt.  John wore black shirt &
pants, zebra-patterned jacket - looked damn good, too.  According to my
kids (they're alright), he was not wearing the Boris pendant - but he
had a skeleton hand on his guitar strap.  Roger wore blue jeans, white
shirt (daughter says it was more light green - lighting?).  Zak had on a
satiny dk. blue shirt.  Rabbit wore a black (navy-blue?) pullover shirt,
with white stripes running down the sleeves.  A classy look for everyone
in the band.

I noticed that the stage seemed small in this indoor venue, with the
band members very close together.  Rabbit appeared to be sitting right
next to Pete - perhaps an illusion because I was seeing everything at an
angle (Pete's side)?  I didn't have floor seats.  

Great extended jam at end of AAA.  Pete said that Rog & him wrote this
song when they were very young - "Too young to know we couldn't write
songs together."  

I Don't Know Myself sounded a bit rough - but it was the only song I can
say that about.  Roger was in fantastic form tonight - very energetic,
and with an amazing and beautiful voice.  I was surprised that he was
that good, actually.  He was...perfect.  Even my alright kids thought
so..."He was better than those '80's videos you've got, Mom."  Yes, he
was.  

Pete, of course, was wonderful slashing away at his guitars in a furious
fashion, windmilling at the appropriate times, occasionally doing a
little jump at the end of a song.  His voice has been better, but it
still served him well.  My oldest kid felt the high point of the concert
was Pete solo, on acoustic guitar, singing I'm One.  I still feel it was
Roger's night.

The intro to My Wife consisted of Pete saying no one would be able to
understand John's introduction, therefore he and Rog would translate.
John then said he thought he was in Germany...then he asked how any of
us could breathe in this city (pollution?  altitude?).  He then said he
wrote this song for his first wife...then mentioned his second wife.
Pete said "How Hollywood."  John said, "This song is called My First
Wife."  He and Rog shared the vocals...and John did a decent bass solo.  

WGFA had the audience screaming...we were already standing since the WHO
first walked on stage.  The lighting effects often brought the audience
into the show, making us part of the spotlight, not just with this song,
but many others.  (Roger unbuttons shirt during this number).  

During Bargain, huge white balloons suddenly appeared in the audience,
eventually making their way on to the stage, where Roger had to duck and
kick them aside.  Fun, but probably pissed him off.  

Getting in Tune was one of the more beautifully sung songs.  Afterwards,
Roger came dancing on stage with his acoustic guitar and said he wanted
to sing Johnny Cash songs.  Pete said they could do a half hour of Cash.
Then they could do a half hour of The Jesus and Mary Chain, who owed a
lot to Johnny Cash.  Pete also said the WHO was doing their greatest
hits because it was the most comfortable for them at these venues, but
that if they wanted to do a half hour of Johnny Cash, they would.  In
fact, he said he was feeling so up, that he was up for doing Johnny
Cash!  

This led into a heartfelt rendition of TKAA - "Because if I don't, I'll
go out of my fucking mind...My kids are alright, your kids are
alright...almost all of us made it here, and the ones who didn't make it
here, weren't meant to be here..."  Another verse that Pete sang about
creating you out of lust, I don't ever want you to leave...powerful
stuff.  High point for me.  

Pinball Wizard noted for being...Pinball Wizard.  Always good.

The Real Me starts with a video of the scooter chase in Quadrophenia.
Pete mentions how Quadrophenia got many kids through college...how he
should be paid for therapy, or something like that.  How, when he was
writing songs about teenagers, he was much older than that himself.  He
has another angst now.  He also talked about how the WHO did cover songs
when they first started...of Johnny Cash.  The Real Me - a great
dramatic reading by Roger.

Behind Blue Eyes - Roger twirled his mic into a frenzy - I'm surprised
he didn't lasso Pete with it - then caught it just in time for the next
note to be sung - the crowd went crazy.  

YBYB - at this point I remembered I had brought my 10 yr. old - I looked
down at her, and saw that she was dancing her little heart out, red hair
a flying, all arms and legs.  It's all good...

Who Are You - no running in place by Roger, I noted.  But everyone else
in the arena seemed to be doing it.  A lot of swaying to and fro.  A lot
of people having trouble holding on to their beer.  

5:15 - noted for John's extended jazzy bass solo, bringing the song to a
different place.  Zak worked well with him...Zak is an excellent drummer
- doesn't have Keith's humor, though.  And I'm just talking about the
drumming.  Right before John's solo, Roger fell to his knees, sort of
James Brown style, and the spotlight fell to John.  Afterward, Pete got
on his knees and bowed down to John(we are not worthy?).  

WGFA - audience screamed louder than Roger.

ENCORE

Roger came out with acoustic guitar, with the WHO as back-up, and sang
one verse of I Walk the Line...then quite a bit of Ring of Fire.  I
would call this a MOMENT.  

Naked Eye...Pete pounding the guitar...this was not the trance-like
soulful song I've seen on the videos.  This was a high-energy
encore...Pete's moment.  

Let's See Action...Pete explaining a little about Lifehouse...it's here,
the Grid, the Internet...this is what we should Do...(goes into song).  

Immediately then, into My Generation, Pete jamming, teasing us with the
false endings.  Hugs...standing at all corners of the stage to wave to
the audience...Thank you, they said.

I turned to my 10 yr. old - "You will never see a concert this good
again."  "I know," she said.  "You've spoiled me."  :-)


-Jill-