Indianapolis Star on Noblesville

[Brian Cady <brianinatlanta2001@xxxxxxxxx>]

Go to:
http://www.indystar.com/article.php?slindq26.html

Rock legends let loose again
By David Lindquist
david.lindquist@indystar.com
August 26, 2002

At the very least, The Who is a testament to brute
force, resonating even as fashions and time march on.

No other rock band has fused melody and power to
greater effect, and surviving members Pete Townshend
and Roger Daltrey flaunted that fact Sunday night at
Verizon Wireless Music Center.
 
The audience of 15,000 was greeted by a succession of
early-career jingles "I Can't Explain," "Substitute"
and "Anyway Anyhow Anywhere."

Townshend ripped gigantic guitar chords to signal the
beginning of all three. His solos within were
agitated, if not disagreeable.

At least some of the blame falls to the flaps of an
untucked silk shirt. When you've been around as long
as Pete Townshend, it's odd to let clothes get in the
way of fingers and strings. He soon ditched the top
shirt (and a pair of sunglasses), and by the
conclusion of "Anyway" his playing was opening up to
foreshadow the band's subsequent chapters of sonic
exploration.

When two of the first eight songs are "Who Are You"
and "Baba O'Riley," there's little doubt the show will
be a barn-burner. "Baba O'Riley" was one of the tunes
the Who played at last fall's Concert for New York
City, where the band reclaimed kingpin status.

The song unfolded in similar glory Sunday, with
Townshend veering from script only for a jagged and
life-affirming riff.

On vocals, Daltrey appeared to be at his blast-furnace
best. He and Townshend botched their harmonies of
"Relay," but Daltrey aced the ferocious screams of
"Won't Get Fooled Again."

While the duo outmuscled the happily submissive
audience for most of the show, the song "Bargain"
allowed some interplay. Daltrey called on the crowd to
sing the chorus-clinching, "The best I ever had," and
Townshend resembled a teddy bear when coming clean
with the lyric, "Without you, I'm nothing."

Because the Who has been inactive as a recording unit
for decades, early-'80s selections "Another Tricky
Day" and "Eminence Front" stood as two of the newest
songs in the set list. 

"Eminence" acquitted itself as a progressive dance
number, while "Tricky" showcased equal parts of
cosmopolitan and punk.

It was during the introduction of "Tricky" that
Townshend acknowledged the recent death of founding
bass player John Entwistle. He joked that when the
next member passes, it will be time to retire the Who
franchise.

The decision to tour after Entwistle's demise comes as
no surprise. The Who didn't look back after audience
deaths in Cincinnati or when drummer Keith Moon died
in 1978.

Right or wrong -- and it sounded so right on Sunday --
this is what they do.

Unlike The Who, opening act Robert Plant (3 and a half
stars) is touring in support of a new album. Backed by
a phenomenal band, Plant's voice retains its chilling
and taboo accents from Led Zeppelin's prime. This act
is too good to be shelved. Plant, it is hoped, will
play at a local theater this fall.


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