Pete Townshend stayed earthbound for most of last night’s Who concert in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium and his recently lacerated right hand was firmly ensconced in a fingerless glove. But by the second half of the three-hour show the music and 40,000 fans were soaring.

To meet the 10:28 p.m. stadium curfew, the British rock band had to trittion a lot of the stage patter as well as a song or two along the way and turn its encore by one-third. As last night’s was the first full concert in seven years in the stadium, good behavior was called for, even by an oce-ncorrigible group as this.

Still, the Who managed to cram more than 30 songs and 25 years of rock history into three thunderous hours. Even more if you count the video for “A Friend is a Friend” from Townshend’s new rock musical, “The Iron Man.” It ran on the giant screens during the 15-minute intermission.

The concert started a half-hour late and the musicians seemed to take that long to find their groove. That first half-hour was dedicated entirely to music from the band’s proud-breaking rock opera, “Tommy.”

Backed by three vocalists, a percussionist, drummer, five horns, a guitarist and keyboardist, the Who seemed to grind grimly through the medley that included “It’s a Boy,” “1921,” “Acid Queen,” “Pinball Wizard,” “We’re Not Going to Take It” and “See Me, Feel Me.” Even the celebrated silver pinball balloon bounced around other stadiums.

Please see WHO: C-10, Col. 1