[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

I...Love...MY...Direc....T...V!



Ahhhh, a Saturday night with The Who!!!
What, may I ask, could be finer (no comments Lori, you Zep freak!).

Shame, shame on whom ever it was that said The Who RAH was playing all
throughout the month of August.  It's not!!  ONLY on August 4th!  I almost
missed it!

So I'm pleasantly anesthetized on a fine Saturday night, just enough to make
work a very distant memory.  This, after a nice long bike ride through the
woods with the wife and dogs (Damn I'm getting tired of watching her flying
over her handlebars!).  After some grub, I kick on the tube to check out
what the Who RAH promotions are looking like on DirecTV (yes, I'm *that*
much of a Who-head).  I wasn't planning on watching that night.  My buddy
Stu was possibly coming up this month, and I figured I'd wait and watch it
with him.  Always more fun with someone who understands (no offense honey!).
The show started at 9:00pm.  It's now about 9:45, and I'm searching all over
DirecTV for a calendar of when it will re-air.  All I'm reading and hearing
is "Don't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity on August 4th".  August
4th????!!!!!  What about the other days????????????
I'm beginning to get a bit antsy.
I finally am able to negotiate the system to find the section (deep in the
bowls of DirecTV) that shows "also playing on....".
August 4th is the only date!  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
I've missed it!!!!
But wait!  It will re-air at 11:00pm!  PhhhhhhEeeeeewwwwww!
Cool, I've got some time.  But, I'm a bit worried.  Will I be able to stay
up???  Gettin' old ya know!  Not the partier I once was don't ya know!
It's The Who, I won't fall asleep.  No worries.
I proceed to wolf down some munchies (remember the anesthesia), and next
thing I know, it's 10:30.  Well, time to find a blank tape and record this
bad-boy.  
Oh shit, the VCR is still upstairs since I recently did a Who trade (you
know who you are!)!
30 minutes to change everything around!!!!!!!
Well, the next 30 minutes are spent feeling like a person trying desperately
to get into his car while being chased by a mugger or something.  "OK, slow
down, concentrate, put the key in the key-hole".......or........"OK, the
input cables go to the output of the dish receiver, and the black cable goes
to the TV, and the other stereo cables go to the input of the VCR, and the
other black cable goes to the VCR too, and then these stereo cables over
here go to the......,um......., um......
SHIT!   Where the fuck is that manual!!!
Off to the file cabinet!!!
Where did I file them.  Ahhh, right here under stereo manuals.  Seeeee,
organization *DOES* pay off!
Ok, now back to the stereo cables. Where the hell do they go!!!!!  I've only
got 10 more minutes!!! Ahhhh, to the TV Output!  Of course.  Silly me!
OK!  I've done it!!  Now, push everything back into place.
Wait!!  That's right!  We had  a lightning strike a few weeks ago that
knocked out the phone jack section of the surge protector.  I won't be able
to order the program!!!!  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Back out comes the TV and Stereo stand.  Back into the dust and cob webs I
go!  Unplug the phone line from the (FIVE MINUTES LEFT!!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!) the surge protector, and plug it directly into the damn
dish receiver!
(Dogs now are very interested, and very amused at my frantic
doings.........)
Ok, I think I've got it now!!
Only a couple of minutes to go!  Unwrap the damn tape.  Who wraps these
fucking things!!!!!!!!!!!  Where is the "pull here" tab??????????????  I
just cut my nails!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ok, done.  Put it in the VCR, do a test record.   What the fuck is all this
static????????? Why won't it work???????????????
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!  Only seconds to
go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh wait, press "TV/VCR", yeah, that's it.  It's not!!!!!!!!  Ahhhhhhhhhhh!
Oh wait, press "input" and select "Line"!   YESSSSSSSSSS!  I've done it!
I rewind and press record with absolutely not one second to spare.  And the
damn mugger is left pounding on my car window as I turn the ignition, flip
him the bird, and drive off into the sunset.
Now, where did I leave my beer so many minutes ago????

I sit back into my couch.  The dogs have gone back to their bed as they hear
(yet again) that Who stuff coming from the speakers (although really, it
gets them all riled up, and I have to make them go lay down since they're
getting a bit too rowdy).
The show starts with a scene of The Who backstage waiting to come out.  They
immediately do.
Bummer, I was hoping for some talk and interview, or comments, etc.
Oh shit.  Pete is wearing those sun glasses that make him look goofy and
old.  Phewwwww, he takes them off after a couple of songs.  Much better.
Well, well, well.  Here we are.  RAH at last.  Wow, what a small venue.  So,
where is Bjorn anyway???

My first impression is that The Ox is nicely mixed.  No problem hearing him
on this recording.  I'm psyched.  My second impression: Wow, they really are
focusing in on The Ox a bunch!  This is great!  He's finally getting the
recognition he deserves!  It's not just the Pete and Rog show!
The Ox is, as usual, simply amazing.  His fingers are a blurrrrrrr.  Got to
love that metal sound he kicks.  Unfortunately, as the show run on, they
begin to forget about him.  I guess the editors got bored. Big mistake.

First bit of good banter:  Pete: (something like this) "well this next one
is in an unusual place, right Rog?"
Rog.:  "Yeah it is!"
Pete:  "Ahh, the *list*.  This next one is a song that we do that
*sometimes* was *a-maaaaazing* on tour." <grins and laughs / Roger laughs
too>  "I say *sometimes*, because other times........"

On with Magic Bus.
Roger was amazing on MB.  His harp playing is really strong.  Pete looks
impressed.

Another funny exchange:
Rog:  "This next one will include our first guest.  May I introduce to you a
Mr. (forgot his name!) and Mr. Peter Townshend!"  <camera shot of Pete in
yellow shirt at back of stage looking a bit confused, turns to leave, and
then returns and goes to his place at front of stage>
Rog:  "Hey Pete.  I Fucked up!   Again! <laughs heartily>"
Pete (still messing with guitar): "Oh *did* youuuuuuu"
Still Pete:  "Mr. (still forgot his name - eventually did So Sad About Us -
Paul Weller?) will be joining me in a few moments.  This song is also from
Quadrophenia, called Drowned."

One last comment:  Right during WGFA, right after the long...."It's o-n lyyy
Teeeeeeeen Aaaaage Wastelaaaaaaaaand" Pete jumps to the front of the stage
and yells at the top of his lungs "FUCK OFF!!!!!!!".   
Classic.  Pete Townshend, at age 56 yelling "Fuck Off" in The Royal Albert
Hall.  Simply classic, and delightfully disrespectful.  My wife shook her
head.  It even had me wince for a split second.  Then, it just felt simply
appropriate.

The rest of the show was indeed fun to watch.  Nothing super special.  All
the gusts (didn't know who they were except for Eddie Vetter) did a fine
job, and even added some guts and attitude.  I always like that.  I won't go
into any more detail and ruin it for those getting the DVD.  Show lasted
only 90min., so it definitely wasn't the complete thing.
BUT, it did include a good clean shot of The Big B - Good 'ol Bjorn in his
gold jacket and green hair, laughing and cheering right along with the rest
of his section.

And yes, my wife fell asleep half way through.

Kevin in VT