Portsmouth Reviews and pictures

[Brian Cady <brianinatlanta2001@yahoo.com>]

First Matt's at:
http://www.petetownshend.co.uk/pr_display.cfm?id=305&zone=pr
Portsmouth 1....Fender 0 

They were brilliant, absolutely brilliant. The setlist
was fantastic, with enough changes from the last shows
to really make a difference. The crowd was great, the
venue great and the sound super. Pete manged to smash
a guitar AND a Kleenex box (although obviously the
guitar was a bit more dramatic!)

The band played for just over two hours ending with a
climatic My Generation which finished with one very
splintered guitar. Don't, however, ask me where the
photos were for that one because I didn't get any.
What a poor excuse for a web site type person I am! I
did get some shots though which I've printed below.

The set list was:
I Can't Explain
Substitute
Anyway Anyhow Anywhere
Amazing Journey / Sparks
My Wife
Baba O'Riley
Drowned
Behind Blue Eyes
I'm Free
Pinball Wizard
You Better You Bet
Who Are You
5.15
Won't Get Fooled Again
The Kids Are Alright
Summertime Blues
Baby Don't Ya Do It (with a slight homage to Magic
Bus)
My Generation

All five were on sparkling form and in good humour. A
touch of Moonie hovered as Zak left the stage after
Pete 'fired' him! All in all a great night and lots to
look forward to tomorrow. 

Matt

And here's Stimpy's from alt.music.who:
Well, what can you say after that.  I have just seen
THE GREATEST ROCK AND
ROLL BAND IN THE WORLD and they were amazing.  This
was The Who playing like
their lives depended on it, with raw aggression and
energy that is so scarce
in other bands.

>From the moment the lights went down and they began,
it was like watching
The Kids Are Alright, but actually being there.  It
was unbelieveable seeing
them so close up.  I had to keep reminding myself that
this was not a
programme, but real (the huge joint we had beforehand
warped our perceptions
for the first hour or so).  This was ragged wild Who
music on a par with
their mid 70s days.  The improvisations came thick and
fast with John and
Pete ad-libbing with just a sly nod from one to other,
almost like there was
telepathy between them.  Roger sounded great - very
gutsy and bluesy with
none of the stadium rock yelling or posturing that he
sometimes indulges in.
He sang like he was playing in a club with the others
at times sounding like
a(n excellent) garage / early punk band.  The chords
Pete was chopping out
were blistering sounding, very springy as all night
his guitar made that
sexy snarling spitting sound that is so typically
Pete.

The small hall and our front row position meant that
there was none of the
big reverb sound tonight.  It sounded just like they
were playing in a small
club.  Pete marked the occasion by smashing a black
Strat at the end of My
Generation.  He seemed really pissed off with the
guitar.  It didn't stand a
chance.  Twinkle got a chunk of it and has proudly put
it on the
mantelpiece!

Great to meet Magik, Laurie and others from O&S and
this newsgroup.  I'm off
to bed - knackered, headaching, ears ringing and
counting down to tomorrow
night.


Stimpy
www.londonfetishscene.com

PS  Don't rush there to see the support band.... 
Dunno who they were ; some
Van Morrison soundalike singer with a mullet who
perspired and grunted out
tedious Counting Crows-ish stuff.  Yawn.

PPS  Have a peak at some piccies at
http://uk.photos.yahoo.com/stimpy_lfs



=====
-Brian in Atlanta
The Who This Month!
http://www.thewhothismonth.com
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