Geezer Who fan review of Auburn Hills

[GLoduca@xxxxxxx]

The first time I saw The Who was 1967 in a high school gym.  I have seen them 
numerous times since and I saw them again last night.  12th row left center.

Based on my own experiences I don't ever recall seeing Pete a happy camper on 
stage.  Yes, every now and again he will crack a smile, but outright happy 
nope.  The music and the show come first.  He treats it like a profession.  
One that he happens to be very good at doing.  Last night was no exception.  
This is not a guy who expresses happiness as a rule.  He is one serious dude 
that would probably be closer to depressive than downright giddy.  I am no 
expert and I am no shrink, it's just my worthless opinion.

During the Quad tour I remember him scolding Gary Glitter for getting too 
chummy with the audience and throwing the show behind schedule.  Pete held 
out his watch and started banging on the face.  This is a business and we are 
on a schedule.  That's the same attitude I think he takes into most shows.

I do not want to sound like I am contradicting the other reviewer who thought 
Pete looked bored.  I can understand his point of view, however, I interpret 
Pete's mood differently.  

There is no better showman with a guitar in hand.  Last night he proved it 
again.  During WAY, he attacked the guitar, it turned into a lethal weapon.  
You folks all know the songs that were written with windmills in mind.  Last 
night he hit everyone of them.  No not flawlessly but good enough.  At one 
point he even did 7 or 8 in a row then looked at Roger and yelled out the 
exact number to him.  Looked rather proud of it if you ask me.  I thought I 
saw a smile.  

I know I saw a smile at the end of a number of songs that brought the house 
down and the crowd was as loud as I have ever heard one.  Arrogance, 
definitely, does he act like a man that goes sailing on his yacht in the 
South of France, definitely.  But as far as I am concerned he has earned his 
arrogance and his yacht. 

In my own small opinion nobody has written more meaningful songs in rock and 
roll.  Nobody puts more into their music than this man has over a career.  As 
much maybe, but not more.

Has anybody written more emotional or thoughtful rock and roll music than 
Tommy or Quad?  How about bash your brains out music that actually sounds 
good?  I don't think it's possible to play the beginning of WGFA too loudly.  
I'm more afraid of the speakers blowing than having ever thought it sounded 
too loud.  I'd be arrogant too if I had written PT's catalog.        

The old Who were combustible at any given moment.  They were actually 
dangerous.  You never knew when someone or something could explode.  This 
version is much more toned down, the combustibility is gone but they still 
put their hearts and souls into the music.  Peter may look bored but I don't 
think there is anything he would rather be doing then performing in front of 
20,000 screaming Who fans like he did last night.  

Pete's stage persona was always one of being "on the muscle".  It's his 
stage. Just ask Abbie Hoffman.  Now it's one of being in total control to the 
point of almost automatic pilot.  It can at times appear as boredom, but in 
my mind he looks like a guy that has the world by the balls and doesn't care 
who knows it.  The guy has been doing the same thing for over 35 years what 
can you expect. I wish I was that bored.