Re: the hook in Alan's mouth

[Alan McKendree <amck@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2002 06:46:50 -0400
>From: "Jeff House" <whocasa@adelphia.net>
>
>Alan McKendree said:  "Mellow is not what attracted me to The Who nor kept
>me here for 30+ years."
>
>Hey Alan,
>Feel free to ignore this or reply to me directly, but I'm very curious about
>you impressions of the second leg of the tour.  How do you think the band is
>progressing in their new incarnation?

Thanks for the invitation to sound off :-).

The short answer is that I think we've already seen all the progression
they're going to do.

The Boston show was my first post-John show, and so naturally I was very
curious and went in with an attitude of combined skepticism, hope, and
desire to help support Roger, Pete and the rest.  I'd followed along
vicariously through the reviews and videos of the horrible and ultimately
redemptive crucible of the first leg, so I knew to expect superlative
efforts from Pete & Roger, and I was not disappointed.  I think they're
both doing all they humanly can to give the fans the best show possible,
and when P & R pull out all the stops as they're doing now it's an awesome
sight.  They are confounding the critics who slag them as doing it for the
money only...those performances and that committment can't be bought.

However, having made this terrible adjustment, I don't think they're
progressing any more...at least I didn't see it in the second leg.  The
only alteration in the setlist was to substitute Bargain for I Can See for
Miles after the Boston show...following that it remained constant.  I think
they've found something that works -- and satisfies the casual audience AND
the fans -- and they didn't change it in the second leg. If I'd have to put
my quarter down on red or black I'll predict they're not going to change it
in the third leg.  Pete hits the heights on different songs in different
places from night to night, but progression?  I don't see it.

Now, if anyone wants to argue that progression as such isn't necessary to
having a financially and artistically successful tour, I can accept that.

Cheers,

Alan
R. I. P. Ox
John Entwistle 1944 - 2002