25 years ago ...TONIGHT!

August 4, 1971.  Who's Next had just been released a few weeks earlier, and I
had been unable to get tickets for this opening night or any night of The Who's
sold out three day stand at The Music Hall in Boston.

With a few hard earned bucks in our pockets, my friend and I (age 16) ventured
into Boston on the morning of August 4 on the off chance that we might find a
scalper or some means of just getting in the doors of the Music Hall that night.
After trying a few agencies in the theater district, at the risk of further
snide comments we decided to try the least likely source for tickets: the Music
Hall box office.  Low and behold, the promoter (Don Law) had just minutes before
released a few pairs of prime tickets that were being held back, so for
something like $6.50 that evening I was sitting in the third row directly in
front of Entwistle.  
I was elated.

So Moon somersaults out into the spotlight and the spectacle begins with "Love
Ain't for Keeping."  Within 5 minutes, Townshend has almost fallen off the stage
backwards and there's more amazing things to watch on that stage than one could
possibly take in or keep up with.  

They had a setlist and plan for the show, but apart from that everything seemed
so spontaneous and exciting...I swear even the band didn't really know what to
expect next.  Seemingly boundless energy and enthusiasm prevailed.

I was studying bass guitar at the time, and Entwistle was one of my hero.
Seeing the guy play for the first time up close was..amazing.  Apart from LAL,
his virtuosity had not really been captured on record at the time so I really
wasn't prepared.

I got to repeat the above experience three days later when The Who added an
extra show to their stand in Boston.  I've seen the boys many, many times since
and have never been disappointed...but it has never been quite like that first
time back in '71.  

J.