TheWho-> Irvine Meadows September 15, 2002

["An English Boy" <peter_dennis_blandford_townshend@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Verizon Irvine Meadows 9/15/02

So there we sit, Loge 5 Row LL, Pete's side, and 15 minutes
before the show starts (who *was* that 'orrible opening act?
Poor slobs, got cheers when they announced that "this will be
our last song for the night.") I look over at Nathan and say,
"Man, the spirit of the crowd and this whole place is low,
nothing like the Hollywood Bowl was."

so.......

I was expecting an uninspired show, the energy was that low.
I was telling Nathan how I'd arrive at gigs with "Dyrewolfe" and
have this great buzz, this incredible vibe and feeling that the
night was gonna be great, only to find that, a couple songs into
the first set, it was gonna be a _drag_.

Then there is the reverse, when a room feels bad, low energy, an
aloof crowd far more interested in playing pool, chasing tail,
cat & mousing away the evening, and damn!, things just fall into
place and it turns out to be a great gig with a responsive
audience, and a great time, band plays good, and you go home
with a gig for the record books.

Well, last night I expected the worst. I almost spoke aloud that
I thought this would be the last time I'd go see TheWho->. Then
the opening act came on and things got worse, they gave me an
instant headache, of the real variety, added to the already
inflamed molar giving me hell. I was setting myself up for a
bad time. The opening band was setting me up for a bad time
too, because, to be kind, they sucked big time.

But, they finally left the stage.........(headache eased
considerably).......and.....just.....then.......

...........Pete bashed out the opening chords (however simple,
yet exciting and regenerating) to "I Can't Explain" and I was
gone.....!!!! They ripped, shredded, & tore the fuckin' place
apart, over/under/sideways and down!!

As some readers will remember, I have never cared for the
addition of "Rabbit" on keys at Who-> concerts, but last
night he righteously kicked my ass! Wonderful Performance!!

Rabbit's piano playing during,(especially the opening piano
part),  "Love, Reign O're Me" was so sensitively powerful,
emotive, stunning. I am a Rabbit convert!!

Rabbit _is_ **TheShit->!!**

Right there, with 10-15,000 strangers, I openly wept during
"Love, Reign O're Me" which is my favourite song in the world,
(though even Nathan didn't notice) it was so perfect.

Yes, Gandalf, this was a night to remember!

Simon was a perfect addition for this (or any) tour, playing
inobtrusive guitar behind Pete's over-the-top powerchords and
stunning soloing. But Simon's real contribution is his vocals.
Having Simon onboard is like having two Pete's singing behind
Roger, or, in the case of those wondrous moments when Pete is
sidetracked by his guitar, Simon fills in Pete-like vocals
where they would otherwise be missing. I am glad Simon is with
TheWho->, he makes for great harmonies

Listening to "My Generation Deluxe" on the drive home to
Thousand Oaks last night after the show proved to be
enlightening, in that, it became very apparent that Zak is
playing very much like the early Keith Moon, powerful, but
not quite so borderline out of control as Moonie was in
later years. You know, how it seemed he was about to explode
and lose it completely??

Oh yeah, many of you never saw Moonie live...sorry.
(that was not meant to be elitist, but honestly sorry)

Zak is truly a God-send, and, I **_truly_** wish Pete and Roger
would make him a full member of TheWho->. He is so deserving.

This show was more powerful than 7/1 @TheBowl for several
reasons, the least of which was _not_ the fact that Pino was
now comfortable with the material and had quite a few Who->
gigs under his belt, with general acceptance and approval of
his contributions, but he was mixed up further up front in the
sound mix, thankfully!! Can't 'ave the bass weak in the mix
when it's The Oooo-> now, can ya??? Pino also seemed to be
having a good time last night.

When it comes to Roger, what can one say? I mean, all the
things that I was disappointed with about Roger for the last
20+ years seem to have gone the dinosaur's way, those traits
are just plain extinct. Roger now commands the stage, in a
_take no prisoners_ macho fashion (OK, it's true, that _is_
the way I like to see Roger, just as if he was "Mr. Jim" or
the guy he sings about in the agressive parts of "Dreaming