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Re: Pete at Harborlights Review
Pete Townshend is over fifty, hard of hearing, and was one of the defining
performers of the English rock seen, hell, the World-wide rock scene over
twenty years ago. So shouldn't he be laying back in his country estate or
Malibu resort racing cars, making movies and the occasional Las Vegas tour
and PPV broadcast? No way. That would be expected. That would be Mick
Jagger's bag. Pete likes to annoy people. Pete likes to do whatever he
wants and when he wants. Pete wants to make amends for bonking Abbey
Hoffman on the head in 1969 so he agreed to gather up a few friends, put a
band together and appear in the Woodstock Revival, play a couple of U.S.
dates. Get out the Who and Townshend songbook, work out some new
arrangements plug in and let go with some power chords and the occasional
ringing solo. Not that there's anything wrong with That.
So did Pete pull it off? Yes and No. The further out on a limb Pete goes,
the more chances he takes and the greater heights he achieves. This time he
stayed pretty close to home. Working with a five piece band (keboardist
guitarist-singer Jon Carin, Jody Linscott on percussion, a bassist from
Colombia, S.A., harmonica
player Peter Hope-Evans, and singer-guitarist Tracey Langran), Pete had an
ample wall of sound behind him, although they did not provide the slightly
chaotic rhythms that the Who material demands, indeed deserves. The lack
of a proper drummer (drum loops were used throughout) was at times
noticeable especially on songs from the Who catalog such as WGFA which
became almost a military march. Songs from Pete's catalog usually are
written with more straightahead rhythms so they lent themselves to this sort
of arrangement.
The bassist, and I apologize for not remembering his name, provided a funky
and syncopated rhythm which allowed the beauty and simplicity of Pete's
playing to shine through. Peter Hope-Evans' harmonica essentially functioned
as a lead guitar at times trading licks with Pete. Tracey Langran provided
needed backup harmonies and sang lead adequately on "She's a Sensation" and
on a strangely misplaced Shawn Colvin tune, "Diamond in the Rough". Jon
Carin amply handled keyboard duties and arranged the music, no mean feat.
As far as the rest of the song choices go, we were treated to a fine mix of
Who staples and Pete solo work as well as cover tunes from that band
Woodstock made famous, Canned Heat. Also included was a heart-wrenching
rendition of The English Beat's "Save it For Later", in which Pete beseeched
the audience to "Not let me down". What worked best were the songs in which
the band built up tension in a Yardbirds-style "rave-up" such as "The Kids
are All Right", "A Little is Enough", "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere", and "Now
and Then". In these songs, Pete let go with some absolutely blistering
solos releasing the pent-up energy and resolving to a nice finish.
Songs that didn't work so well were "Won't Get Fooled Again" and "Magic Bus"
in which the limitations of the vocal and rhythm section were painfully
apparent and were additionally hampered by some amp/guitar malfunctions.
The concert finished with a gospel rendition of "Listening to You" in which
the band was augmented by an additional 25 singers from a group called
"Soul Saving Station". There was no encore.
The concerted demonstrated Pete's uncanny ability to present his music in
new and exciting ways and in the process showing us its depth and
originality. Hearing these songs reinterpreted by their composer was a
treat and an affirmation that this music remains timelessly vital.
Playlist (in approximate order):
On the Road Again (Canned Heat)
A Little is Enough
Save it for Later (The English Beat)
You Better You Better, You Bet
Drowned
Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
Diamond in the Rough (Shawn Colvin)
Up to the Country (Canned Heat)
She's a Sensation
The Real Me
I Am an Animal
The Kids Are All Right
Now and Then
Acid Queen
Let My Love Open The Door
North Country Girl (Dedicated to Pete's wife Karen)
Won't Get Fooled Again
Magic Bus
Listening to You
-----Original Message-----
From: The Who Mailing List Digest <TheWho-Digest-Owner@igtc.com>
To: TheWho-Digest@igtc.com <TheWho-Digest@igtc.com>
Date: Friday, August 14, 1998 1:06 PM
Subject: The Who Mailing List Digest V5 #197
>
>The Who Mailing List Digest
> Friday, August 14 1998 Volume 05 : Number 197
>
>
>
>In this issue:
>
> backgrounds
> Sorry, but I sold my HOB ticket.
> Re: backgrounds
> After the Fire
> Friday's Pete Show in Boston
> Follow-up On Kathy's Comments On Konocti Harbor
> A Question For Brian
> Re: After the Fire
> But what is it?
> Roger Last Saturday At Konocti Harbor
> The Who Mailing List Digest V5 #193 -Reply
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 12:37:37 -0400
>From: Jim_Blair@pcmailgw.ml.com
>Subject: backgrounds
>
>
> Could someone tell me where the following bands are from
> (towns, etc.)?:
> PINK FLOYD:
> LED ZEPPELIN:
> YES:
> JETHRO TULL:
> KINKS:
> SEX PISTOLS:
> GENERATION X:
> BUSH:
> etc.........
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 10:15:05 PDT
>From: "Dan Scurio" <dscurio@hotmail.com>
>Subject: Sorry, but I sold my HOB ticket.
>
>There are plenty of tickets available. Call HOB at 312.923.2000
>
>______________________________________________________
>Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 10:18:09 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Carrie Mitchell <mitchecp@whitman.edu>
>Subject: Re: backgrounds
>
>
> Okay, I'm evil, but I couldn't resist...
>
>>Could someone tell me where the following bands are from
>> etc.........
>
> The legendary band, Etc. (also known as "and many more" "even more"
>and the like) has been included on numerous TV compilation CDs, but a cd
>full of "many more"'s music has yet to be seen. Still, the band has
devoted
>followers, most of them based in the band's hometowns of Somewhere,
>Elsewhere, and Everywhere. Thier songs include the hits "more hits",
"hits"
>and "number ones." Etc. has approximately five members, who are all named
>John Doe.
> ;)
>
>- --Carrie, who has too much free time
>
>
>
>******************
>*CUIDADO! LLAMAS!*
>******************
>
> _||
> <_" )
> | \______/|
> | ( ) |
> | ~~ |
> \ |
> ||\\\\\||
> || ||
> || ||
>
>(Trans: Watch out, there are llamas)
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 12:41:37 -0500
>From: "Chuck R. J. Vinyard" <crv@ipat.com>
>Subject: After the Fire
>
>Hello everyone,
>What album did Pete's After the Fire appear on besides Deep End Live!?
>Thanks,
>Chuck "Looking forward to Pete at HOB" Vinyard
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 14:06:09 -0400
>From: PSevigny@bgc.com (Philip J. Sevigny)
>Subject: Friday's Pete Show in Boston
>
>
> To all list subscribers going to the Boston Concert : If time permits
> tonight feel free to drop by and say hello . I'll be sitting in sec. 2
> row R seats 25 & 26 with my wife . See you there !
>
> Your fellow list subscriber and who FANatic ,
>
> Phil Sevigny
>
> PS. I'll be wearing a blue shirt with tan shorts and I wear glasses .
> Get Pschyed !!!!
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 11:38:59 -0700
>From: Beau McCrury <Beau.McCrury@ucop.edu>
>Subject: Follow-up On Kathy's Comments On Konocti Harbor
>
>Let's see if I can do this without making it too long...
>
>>I enjoyed your report alot.
>
>Thank you:)
>
>>I'm sorry that I didn't get to meet Hazel.
>
>She'll be attending the convention along with me so whoever goes will have
>the opportunity then.
>
>>Just out of curosity, what was the event that you met the "die in the wool
>>Who fan" at and is it somone we might know?
>
>It was at Simon and Ben's acoustic show in San Francisco last November.
There
>were several listers there but I had the good fortune of hanging out
primarily
>with Gad, Tim and Lauren. And I should mention too that I was able to
>introduce
>myself to Simon and Ben, having very pleasant exchanges with both of them,
not
>to mention Paul. (Paul is Simon and Pete's other brother right?) I found
>everyone quite approachable and very unpretentious.
>
>>Actually this was more than the average after concert party-that happened
>>every night <G> (but Roger didn't attend those) this was the end of tour
>>party. I also think that it was the party that the people paid $900 to be
>>at.
>
>Ah, I see. I want to leave this little snip it in and comment on it below.
>
>>I was very glad to see that everyone *did* finally make it in. Could you
>>enlighten me (privately if you like) how the rest of you did get in? AS I
>>was otherwise distracted<G> I really didn't quite notice, did some of the
>>gang give up and leave and not get in?
>
>Yes there were a few that did leave. Fortunately the few remaining were
able
>to articulate our interest to the security guard who went in and had our
>getting
>in approved by someone. There were six of us remaining at that point and
the
>guard said only four can come in. That left Hectow and me out in the cold
but
>when the guard realized there were only two remaining he allowed us in. I
>was
>left the impression that if some of us didn't leave that none of us would
have
>gotten in, there would have just been too many.
>
>>>much of this drink being around since this is what Roger apparently
drinks.
>>
>>Interesting, that I didn't know. Though that night wen I saw him he was
>>drinking white wine.
>
>Well this is just something that someone said to me there. It might have
>been
>that lovely woman who played the piano on LROM. Now I'm thinking
>screwdrivers
>or Belvedere vodka isn't
>at all Roger's drink. What I'm inclined to think now is the party was
>indeed the $900 a head
>party and for that price, no wonder they had $30 bottles of vodka on the
>tables. Either way that stuff is damn tasty:)
>
>>>Actually once he saw me come in to the party I had to get help from a
>>couple of people
>>>in keeping him off of me. I mean, these Who members just can't seem to
>>keep there >hands off there fans:)
>>
>><snicker>
>
>Yea, and I'm not giving any of them my autograph either!
>
>>>A few of us walked back to the public bar and had a
>>>nightcap and basically just went WOW.
>>
>>I wish I could have joined you but I was at the mercy of the people that I
>>was sharing a car with <sigh> You can feel that you didn't miss much as
>>Roger left almost immediately after. Thing was, if you had walked slowly
>>he would have caught up with you since he didn't wait for his car and
>>walked back to his room.
>
>The ones that did walk needed to if anything just to unwind a bit from
>the experience.
>
>>Now it must be said here that I didn't voluntarily go over there for a
>>picture.... though I must admit that Monica (the singer) didn't have to
>>tell me twice. <G> I had had my picture taken with him earlier in the
tour
>>and didn't want to impose but when she asked and I told her that, "No not
>>tonight, but earlier in the tour." and she insisted I do it again and
>>literally took my camera from me I wasn't going to complain.
>
>Yep, you gotta take these opportunities as they come. Your not gonna get a
>gripe out of me.
>
>Beau (who needs two aspirin) McCrury
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 11:47:01 -0700
>From: Beau McCrury <Beau.McCrury@ucop.edu>
>Subject: A Question For Brian
>
>Hi Brian,
>
>You mentioned in your book review that there was a funny
>story about Keith, Pete and a telephone. Can you tell
>us a little about that? I'm not familiar with that one.
>
>Thanx,
>Beau (Hello?) McCrury
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 12:34:48 -0700
>From: ZACHARY KRATER <zxanadu@home.com>
>Subject: Re: After the Fire
>
>Chuck R. J. Vinyard wrote:
>>
>> Hello everyone,
>> What album did Pete's After the Fire appear on besides Deep End Live!?
>> Thanks,
>> Chuck "Looking forward to Pete at HOB" Vinyard
>
>It was on a Roger album. Under a Raging Moon- i think
>Zack
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 22:06:09 -0500
>From: Cheryl Posner-Weber <otter@execpc.com>
>Subject: But what is it?
>
>Does anyone have more information on this item? Thanks in advance!
>
>PETE TOWNSHEND Windswept Pacific (Mega rare US publishing house
>promo-only 3-CD set contains 45-trks from 1968-93 housed in a superb 7"x
>7" hardback book with 14-pg biog & photos
>
>- --Cheryl
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 23:15:55 -0700
>From: "B W Radley" <bwradley@earthlink.net>
>Subject: Roger Last Saturday At Konocti Harbor
>
>In response to:
>
>Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1998 16:22:26 -0700
>From: Beau McCrury <Beau.McCrury@ucop.edu>
>Subject: Roger Last Saturday At Konocti Harbor
>
>I wanted to report a bit on Roger and The British Rock Symphony show this
>last Saturday up at Clear Lake (Konocti Harbor). . .
>
>
>. . .After the show some of us listers found out where the after concert
>party was. Eventually the ones who stayed long enough all got in. . .I was
>served the best screwdriver I ever had in my life there (vodka and orange
>juice), much of this drink being around since
>this is what Roger apparently drinks.
>
>. . Okay enough annoyance and harassment for one sitting.
>
>Beau (I thought he would never end) McCrury
>*************
>Dear Beau (as well as the rest of you who stayed well past my bedtime):
>
>YOU BASTARDS!!! (But I love you.)
>
>This is what I get for wanting to get back to the Bay Area before I fell
>asleep and drove my wife's car off Mount St. Helena! (Not that I haven't
>done that before, but the only reason I survived the last time I did that
>was because I was wearing a helmet.)
>
>This is the topper of a week that included:
>
>a. Scraping the bumper of my car at a Burger King drive-through;
>
>b. Having a flat tire;
>
>c. Paying $500 for a fan for my bedroom, that turns out to be defective;
>
>d. Slicing half of my middle finger off while harvesting artichokes in my
>garden;
>
>e. Having my mother-in-law over for dinner, and;
>
>f. A very crappy week at the office.
>
>The only thing that would even improve on all of this would be if either
the
>cable went out at 11:35 tonight or the VCR goes on the fritz (both of which
>have occurred on previous occasions when members of The Who are on TV).
>
>Anyway, did Beau have to bribe the security person (the one who looked like
>a biker with a bald head and a goatee) again, in the same manner he
>attempted to do so earlier in the evening?
>
>Just curious . . .
>
>XOXO
>
>BW Radley
>bwradley@earthlink.net
>NOW OPEN!!! BW THE WEB SITE AT http://room.earthlink.net/~bwradley
>FEATURING BEANIE BABY KITTY PORN!!!
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 10:22:55 -0400
>From: Eric Tischler <EricT@ACA.ORG>
>Subject: The Who Mailing List Digest V5 #193 -Reply
>
>Is anyone going to burn the Pete cybercast to CD? If so, I'd love a copy.
>I'd even PAY for it! :) Please let me know. thanks -E
>
>------------------------------
>
>End of The Who Mailing List Digest V5 #197
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