The Who makes its last local concert appearance tomorrow at JFK Stadium.

In the pantheon of rock supergroups, The Who is usually placed third, trailing (by some distance) the Rolling Stones and The Beatles. Every pop fan under the age of 50 feels he must witness a concert with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards at some point in his life. That's not quite so with The Who, who couldn't sell enough seats to warrant two shows at JFK Stadium this weekend.

With the prospects of facing a half-empty arena, the show announced for today was abruptly cancelled a week ago. So only 92,000 localites will get to see The Who's "farewell concert appearance" in South Philadelphia tomorrow.

Weighed in terms of ambitiousness, dedication to craft and message-oriented music, The Who still comes first in my book, because I sense it's always tried harder, taken the biggest risks. Its failures have been as grand as its successes. And it also comes first because The Who wear its soul on its sleeve.

Dedicated to the notion that rock can bind and heal the world's disaffected youth, The Who has built a towering inferno of anthems to ignite mass consciousness: starting with the nervy, stuttering tribute to teenage angst "My Generation" in 1965, then the bitter romantic prescience of "I Can See For Miles," in '67, the celebration of man-over-machine "Pinball Wizard" (1969), and its aptly timed warnings of corruption in high places "Won't Get Fooled Again" (1971). With somewhat less regularity, and more stress on romanticism (in lyrics and dramatic, synthesizer-laced arrangements), the spirit continued through the '70s with the likes of "Join Together," "Love Reign O'er Me," "Who Are You" and "Let My Love Open the Door."

At turns plebeian or highbrow, The Who virtually invented the rock opera form with its conceptual song cycle "A Quick One While He's Away," and themed album "The Who Sell Out." In 1969, its legions spread world-wide thanks to the landmark "Tommy," the ultimate parable of disaffected youth, numbed by society's excesses. Psychologically more complex, but less artistically successful was the rock opera follow-up "Quadrophenia," the saga of a double schizophrenic.

While hewing closely to a seamless, group persona in its collaborative efforts, The Who's solo album projects have allowed its individual eccentricities to bloom unfettered. Front singer Roger Daltrey has shown himself as an unmitigated cornball balladeer, while The Who's stolid bassist John Entwistle and late-lamented drummer Keith Moon revealed a love of novelty rock oldies and all things perverse.

Group leader Pete Townshend has used the solo platform to preach the philosophies of his Eastern guru (on the brilliant, mellifluous "Who Came First" LP), and to wax loose and folksy with Ronnie Lane on "Rough Mix." With "Empty Glass," and his recent release "All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes," Townshend has tussled with the burdens of his spokesman's role in the community, and the strain that results when a verging-on-middle-aged man is competing in a youth game. This thematic thread also runs through The Who's recently released group album "It's Hard." And it is ultimately the reason why this will probably be the group's last tour.

Townshend has long threatened to hang up his performance togs. Even before Moon died in 1978, Townshend was grumbling about the way rock ravages the body. His hearing was failing in one ear. He's had trouble — physical and mental — duplicating the acrobatic high jumps and theatrical antics he initiated in the group's early days, and that first made The Who's stage show a subject of audience fascination.

Can Townshend still cut it in concert? We'll see and hear tomorrow.

Sharing this well-constructed bill at JFK Stadium are Britain's committed political rockers The Clash — who readily admit that The Who has been a major influence on their career and sound, if not on their Marxist politics. At previous local shows (Walnut Street Theater, University Center) The Clash performed at deafening (and I think, self-defeating) volume levels, so JFK concert-goers might consider taking a pair of ear plugs along.

For contrast, there's Santana, which continues its drift away from Latin fusion, and towards pop-rock balladry in the wake of its recent hit single "I'm Willin'." On its tasty new "Shango" album, there's a lot more of Alex Ligertwood's crooning (which is good), and not nearly enough of Carlos Santana's fiery guitar (not so good). Let's hope the balance of power evens up in live performance.

The opening slot on the show goes to The Hooters, one of Philadelphia's smartest, brightest, most musical rock attractions. Its well-constructed songs and clever stylistic blend of rock and reggae — dubbed ska — will surely get you on your feet and dancing at JFK, so be sure to get to the stadium on time.

If You Go

Tomorrow's Who show is sold out. Tickets to the Friday show will not be honored — holders of those tickets must get a refund at the place of purchase. Anti-counterfeiting devices will inspect and reject bogus tickets. No cans, bottles, alcoholic beverages, recording devices or fireworks are permitted in the stadium. First-aid stations at JFK are located at sections EO, SC and WP, and are currently operated by city doctors, rather than the HELLP community medical group, so don't expect much sympathy for a drug overdose. Bring rain gear and sweaters if the weather is cooling. Gates open at 9 a.m., the show begins at noon and should conclude at 6 p.m.

Terry Riley, an originator of the modern meditative music called minimalism, performs tonight at 8 at Penn's Zellerbach Theater in a benefit concert for WXPN. Riley (along with minimalist cohorts Philip Glass and Steve Reich) has strongly influenced the work of Kraftwerk, Robert Fripp and Brian Eno. Performing on organ and synthesizer, with tape loops and digital delay, and a quadraphonic sound system, Riley creates hypnotic song cycles. His Philadelphia concert will also employ the talents of the Kronos String Quartet.

— I'm not sure I dig its billing as "The Rolling Stones of Irish Traditional Music." But I surely delight in the lively jigs and reels, unaccompanied ballads and instrumental improvisations of the brilliant Irish folk group De Danann, performing Sunday at 8 p.m. at International House.

— Another Irish import, blues growler/guitarist Rory Gallagher, roars at the Ripley on Wednesday. Rory's last local appearance (at Stars) was white-hot, the police had to be called in to clear out the cheering throngs.

Blues, Chicago style comes to Filly's tonight with the James Cotton Blues Band … You get two chances to hear the catchy rockabilly tune "Someday, Somewhere" this week — Tuesday when the song's writer Marshall Crenshaw performs it at the Chestnut Cabaret, or Wednesday when it's performed by rockabilly "cover" master Robert Gordon at the Brandywine Club on a show with the Jitterboys … The Pennsylvania-Texas boogie of Asleep at the Wheel lands at the Chestnut Cabaret on Wednesday… Two of the top local, experimental bands get showcased at Love this weekend — The Stickmen tonight, Bunnydrums tomorrow.