Charlotte and Atlanta

["Frank S. Corotto" <fcorotto@nugget.ngc.peachnet.edu>]

Here are my brief impressions about the Charlotte and Atlanta shows.  
Very brief about Charlotte because, like an idiot, I got too drunk 
that night.  I certainly had a great time but I was oblivious to a 
lot of what was going on.  I think the band was holding back a little 
at Charlotte.  I could well be wrong (I was drunk) but it seemed like 
the show was a little conservative.  Not too many windmills and they 
were saved for the last third of QUAD.  Roger sang well but seemed to 
lack power.  I was pleasantly surprised by Simon.  I didn't know he 
would be right out in front wailing away.  He is quite a showman.  We 
got the standard 5 encores without any extras like NE, MB, or TKAA.  
I don't even remember Pete introducing the musicians. Did he?  The 
crowd was great at Charlotte.  I think everyone in the seated area 
stood for the whole show.

I got to the Atlanta show late and missed the pre-show gathering.  
Sorry guys!  I decided to stay sober at Atlanta and had an even better 
time than the night before.  I was in the fifth row slightly to the 
side of Pete.  Again the crowd was great and stood the whole time, at 
least as far as I could tell.  Pete played mostly acoustic on QUAD 
with TRM on electric as well as the latter parts of the piece.  Roger 
sang incredibly well.  He nailed all the high notes in QUAD time 
and time again.  His voice was powerful and flexible.  Pete wailed on 
electric towards the end of  QUAD and also in the encores.  Again we 
just got the standard 5 song encore but with tremendous energy from 
the band.  The high point of the show was ICE when the crowd just 
went wild and Pete flying incredibly on electric, clearly getting 
into the performance and having a great time.  There were actually a 
number of times when Pete improvised tremendous virtuoso electric 
solos while taking on the postures of a typical rock god.  Amazing.

I thought that 1989 was a great performance (I saw them in Foxboro 
stadium in MA) but in retrospect it was too canned.  Last night 
flowed smoothly and was certainly well rehearsed but left room for 
spontaneity.  I also saw them in Philly in 1982 but that was the 
stripped-down and raw TED.  Stripped down, raw, and electric sounds 
great for most of their songs but other songs need the extra 
musicians or they just don't sound right.  It is really hard for me 
to compare the Atlanta show with the earlier stadium shows I saw 
because in '82 and '89 I was miles from the stage.  If I try to 
compare I come to the conclusion that last night was far better than 
'82 and '89.  I see why people have been saying these are the best 
shows since the early '70s.  The only thing that is missing now is 
Keith.  Of course Keith was a mixed blessing.  I am satisfied with 
how Zak is approximating Keith but what I miss is a drummer who is 
also a showman.  A drummer that competes with Roger and Pete.  That's 
what made the old Who the greatest live rock band ever.  Three people 
all trying to be the center of attention.

Yes Keith is gone and isn't coming back.  The Who will never be the 
same.  But there is one way in which the Who is better now than when 
Keith was alive.  Pete is a far better electric guitar player.  Look 
at the 30 years of Maximum R&B video (buy it if you don't have it).  
Pete botches lead after lead in the old days.  Last night in Atlanta he was 
was brilliant.  He was probably brilliant in Charlotte too but I was 
too drunk to notice.  How stupid of me.  I am curious about what 
others say about Charlotte.  Maybe it would awaken a few memories of 
the show.

The Who are, today, still, currently, as of now, the greatest live
rock band ever.

"My hairline ain't exactly superstar"

Frank