Yet, in his 70s, he still commands the stage, albeit with a little less lassoing. He certainly doesn’t have the youth, power and strut he had in the 70s. But it was on “Won’t Get Fooled Again” where Roger Daltrey really came into his own. Not so tonight as the song was slotted in as the last before the orchestra rejoined the band for the long, pleasant drive home. There was a time that when a Who show came around to “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” it was the beginning of the end. When the orchestra took a break, they stuck with the tried and true, offering up two non-album singles, 1970’s “The Seeker” and 1972’s “Relay,” as well as the Who’s last Top 20 hit, 1981’s “You Better You Bet.” That was as much “new” music as the audience would hear.
Somewhere in the mix of “Who Are You,” “Eminence Front” and “Join Together,” they worked in “Ball And Chain,” from the group’s most recent studio album, 2019’s WHO.
As much as he’s groused about dying before getting old, Pete Townshend appears to be aging with grace and dignity. Later, he would express gratitude to everyone, acknowledging the time off the road because of the pandemic, and empathizing with the audience regarding the effort and expense it takes to attend concerts these days. The guitarist, turning 77 just days after tonight, has become more humble about his station in life in recent years. The players took a long breath as Townshend addressed the audience, commenting on the Tommy medley and adding how glad he was to be here.
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Having the orchestra allowed a full realization of “Overture,” “1921,” and “Amazing Journey.” The crowd’s enthusiasm intensified as Townshend strummed the familiar chords of “Pinball Wizard” and Daltrey asserted those unforgettable words: “Ever since I was a young boy, I’ve played the silver ball…” A medley of Tommy wouldn’t be complete without “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and its famous refrain - “See me, feel me…” And so it went. Instead of opening with a punchy little ditty from the group’s early days, like “Can’t Explain” or “My Generation,” the ensemble launched right into a huge slice of Tommy. It was coming up on 8:30 when members of the orchestra suddenly appeared, and then, of course, the Who and their band of supporting musicians joined them as the lights came down. We caught the tail end of the opening act, a gentleman with an acoustic, name-checking Ringo Starr and George Harrison during his final number. So there were maybe 10,000 in attendance, give or take a thousand or two. We ambled down to the stairs to stage left (if you’re onstage, looking out), and I immediately noticed the terrace level of the 18,000-seat venue was shrouded in black, leaving the plaza level and the second “Pinnacle” level for seating. Once inside, a mad dash for merch, food, drink and last-minute touchups ensued before we wandered over to our section. However, aside from the sweet and savory aroma of BBQ blustering in from nearby Beale Street, there was little indication of anything out of the ordinary. It had been 42 years - July 10, 1980, to be precise - since the Who last played a concert in Memphis, so you’d think there’d be something extra special in the air. From what I saw In Memphis, it doesn’t look like they intend to call it a day any time soon. Or maybe I just want to see how much longer Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey can carry on. I’ve witnessed enough Who concerts over the past 50 years - nearly every phase of the band’s existence, from Tommy forward - to call it a hobby of sorts. It’s not like I’ve ever been one of those eccentric fan boys who plasters images of pop stars on my bedroom wall, follows them around, camps outside their hotel room, and takes in a dozen or so shows every tour.
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