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Their Re-Generation
Who's show proves the band is still alright
By Glenn Gamboa
STAFF WRITER

August 2, 2002

MUSIC REVIEW

THE WHO. Reconnecting with the rage and rebellion of
rock and roll. With Robert Plant. At Madison Square
Garden on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
Seen Wednesday.

For bands of a certain age, it's a thin line between
nostalgia and giving the crowd what it wants. The Who
didn't worry, though, swaggering along that line
during its set of hits as if it had invented them
three hours earlier, instead of more than three
decades ago.

Between Roger Daltrey's powerful vocal delivery,
whirling microphone and all, and Pete Townshend's
windmilling guitar attack, The Who tore through its
classics with an intensity the band hasn't mustered in
years.

Somehow, they have funneled all the recent turmoil -
both in the band and in the world - into their anthems
of rebellion, in especially fiery versions of "My
Generation" and "Won't Get Fooled Again." "It's nice
to play for an audience that isn't in uniform,"
Townshend said, referring to the star-studded benefit
"Concert for New York," when the crowd was filled with
police and firefighters connected to the Sept. 11
tragedies. However, he made the band's solidarity with
the city clear, saying: "We're back. We're with you.
We remember. And we'll never -- forget."

The same goes for the death of bassist John Entwistle.
Though many fans are still reeling from the recent
revelation that cocaine sparked Entwistle's deadly
heart attack on June 27, the night before the current
tour was to launch, the band referred to him only
indirectly and in a video montage on giant screens
above the stage.

The tribute to Entwistle came mainly in the music, in
Townshend's passionate ad-libs during "The Kids Are
Alright" and the moving "See Me, Feel Me." Veteran
bassist Pino Palladino, brought in within days of
Entwistle's death, did his best to fill The Ox's
immobile shoes and thunderous fingers onstage,
especially during the bass fills of "My Generation."
The Who was at its best re-creating rebelliousness in
songs such as "Who Are You?" and "Baba O'Riley," which
turned into one massive sing-along.

Even latter-era Who songs, such as "Eminence Front"
and "Another Tricky Day," have held up amazingly well,
though that's not really a surprise.

No other '60s rockers - except, arguably, The Beatles
- can match The Who in terms of clout in today's music
scene. The band's lighter, jangly side can be seen as
the direct influence of melodic alt-rockers such as
Guided by Voices, while the heavier side is enjoying a
revival thanks to The Vines and The Hives. With shows
such as this one, The Who seems set to join them.

"I know you people like nostalgia," said Robert Plant,
who opened the show with a 65-minute set. He then went
on to twist Led Zeppelin classics and blues standards
into something completely different, a combination of
Eastern-influenced rhythms and a laid-back delivery.
The unusual set culminated in his version of the
Cocteau Twins' art-pop classic "Song to the Siren."
"Gotta keep moving on, people - sideways and
forwards," he said. Amen to that. 


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-Brian in Atlanta
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http://www.thewhothismonth.com
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