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QUAD - Chicago, Nov. 1



As promised (threatened), here is my account of the Nov. 1 Chicago Quad
show, and the road trip involved. :)

I cut my last two classes on Friday (Vietnam Experience and the History
of Rock and Roll) in order to get home by 3. I packed my bag, and with
Dr. Martens on my feet and barnet oh so very neat, waited for Pamela to
come pick me up. After a brief stop at Pamela's house to admire her Who
shrine, have a Quadrophenia shirt lent to me, and pick up Tom and Rich
(and Rich's little girl, Tasha), the Wisconsin chapter of the Midwestern
Who Fans Organization was on the road to Chicago.
Now, I was under the impression that it took three hours to get from
Madison to Chicago. However, we somehow managed to do it in closer to
two. Then again, we WERE doing about 80 mph...in any event, the two
hours just flew by, as we chatted and played Who boots on Pamela's new
CD player. There was a bit of a running gag about a deer carcass,
several Oliver Reed impressions, and general silliness run ramapant.
Spirits were high all around, particularly mine, as I was riding a
pretty impressive sugar high (the only thing I had from lunch to about 1
am that wasn't chocolate was a couple of pixie stix). At around six we
made it to Rich's in-laws to drop off Tasha, and then it was on to Oak
Brook (affluent Chicago suburb) to pick up Amira. After partaking of
some leftover Halloween candy and diet Cokes, and being suitably
impressed by the Boctor manor, we finally headed on into Chicago proper.
If you're keeping track, you may have noted that there are now five full
grown people in Pamela's car. Not for long! We had to pick up Dave as
well. The SIX of us, rather cramped, proceeded to the United Center
(after getting rid of a couple of extra tickets, that is).
We got to our seats at about 20 minuted to 9, and observed that the
opening act had apparently already fled the stage. Poor fool, wonder who
suckered him into opening for the Who. Ah well, I doubt I'd have liked
his act, and more time to purchase souveniers. :D I obtained a lovely
pin and tee shirt (the white one with the bull's eye, and the little guy
in a bull's eye shirt in front of THAT, on it). Once all purchases had
been made, we trooped back to our seats (row 17, across the floor and
directly opposite the stage, slighlty to Pete's side).

The show started at nine.

It was incredibly cool.

Okay okay, details, you want details, I'll give you details...

"Quadrophenia" was, of course, preformed in its entirety, and followed
by what appears to be the by-numbers encore of "Won't Get Fooled Again",
"Behind Blue Eyes", and "Who Are You".
As I looked at Roger, I couldn't help but wonder, what the heck was
WRONG with him during the DST tour? I saw one of those shows on the
Disney Channel (woo hoo!), and if I may be so bold as to say, it was
pah-thetic. Rog looked bad and sounded worse. And yet, last night, his
voice was in top-form and he looked bloody decent. I mean, it was clear
he was older than Zak and Simon (albeit with more hair than little
Simon), but he could easily have been mistaken for the youngest member
of the Who. And he DEFINATLY looked better than Gary Glitter...although
that's not really saying much. I'm having a hard time coming up with any
time I have ever laid eyes upon a more revolting specimen than Mr.
Glitter (or, as Rich suggests we call him, Mr. G. Litter). Again and
again I asked myself what on EARTH anyone could POSSIBLY have thought
this man could add to the show. He'd completely devoid of any
discernable talent, and ugly as fresh-made sin to boot. Maybe he has a
winning personality. Or maybe our lads had an alterior motive...compared
to Gary Glitter, they couldn't HELP but look good.
Surprisingly enough, I was not moved to revulsion by Billy Idol's
preformance, as I was during the MSG radio broadcast. There's really
only one reason for this: he learned all his lines! I clapped quite
proudly for Mr. Idol each time he got through his lyrics without a
hitch. We should all make an effort to congratulate him for successfully
memorizing his part. But let's not get TOO caught up in idolizing Billy,
as some other audience members I observed were. The Quad concerts are
NOT the appropriate place to request "White Wedding". We're here to see
the Who, RIGHT? (And I must say, I quite enjoyed seeing Roger kick Bill
in the rear. Mwahahahahahah.)
As usual, John stood still perfectly and played bass perfectly. Didn't
get much time on the overhead screens except during "5:15", but he's
probably used to being shunned by cameras by now.
I must say, Rogaine has done wonders for Pete. A noticeable amount of
his hair has come back! Either this or the pretty blue flowers painted
on his acoustic guitar must have put him in a good mood.  Pete seemed
downright HAPPY from where I was sitting, and even looked like he meant
it when he hugged Roger! We audience members were happy too, when he
strapped on Ye Olde Electric Guitar during "The Rock". Actually, he had
TWO electric guitars with him that night, a red 'un and a white 'un.
These were also used during the encore, although I can't rightly
remember which color went with which song. You'll just have to live
without that knowledge.
A few words now for the rest of the musicians. No matter what you read
in the newspapers, Zak Starkey does NOT look like a cross between Keith
and Pete. I want to find out who started that myth. He looks like his
dear dad, Ringo. But luckily for all of us, Zak actually has some
TALENT.
Simon did a smashing job, as usual, but most people seemed more
distracted by his hairline. Well, what were you expecting? He IS Pete's
brother, and these things ARE hereditary. The JERK who sat behind me and
talked through the ENTIRE show even shouted out "GET SOME HAIR, SIMON!"
Can you BELIEVE that? I gave the slime my best evil eye throughout
"Drowned", but I succeeded only in straining my right eyeball. He's
lucky he left the arena very quickly after the encore, or else I would
have had to teach him some manners. >:)
Jody Linscott...I think I spelled her name wrong, and I don't care.
The horn section...when I noticed them, I was not annoyed.
Keyboards, synthesizers, etc...quite nice.
The film...loved it! Thought it was beautifully done. Although I admit
they could have showed Jimmy a bit less during "Is It In My Head", and
there was also a little too much of that bull's eye flag.

Nothing else to say about the show really, except that it was fabulous.
Go if you can! Even if you can only get nosebleed seats or something,
you'll still be able to hear the music and watch the video screens. It
will be WELL WORTH IT!

                                       -the girl in the "yellow" house,
                                        age fifteen and Who-ly knowing,
                                               Yellow Ledbetter

ps...the gang and I all went to a record show this morning and I picked
up what I BELIEVED to be a copy of the Nov. 1 show, but turned out to be
the Halloween one instead. Probably not much difference, though. I also
got the "Shakin' All Over" CD and a poster...not a bad haul.

pss...it was faboo seeing Pam and Tom again, and meeting Amira and Rich
and Dave. Great people! Great times! It was an amalgam of spiritual
energy! We must do this again in seven years! :)
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