I've seen the Who four times. They've never sounded better than last night at GM Place. The band — original members Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey and newbies bassist Pino Palladino and drummer Zak Starkey (you may know of his dad, Ringo somebody) — also rocks hard on Endless Wire, its first new album in 25 years.

So why was it necessary to flash 40-year-old live footage and photos up on the backing screens during the opening trio of "I Can't Explain," "The Seeker" and "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere?"

A cursory scan of the audience left the impression that this was a crowd that didn't need reminding of the band's history. Nor the fact that everyone was so much younger then — and older than — that now. Pandering to the '60s generation's need to be forever young seems below Townshend's high-concept song craft and lyricism.

The old footage was so, totally, yawn. Given the great visuals that followed, out of place as well.

The legendary act erased all signs of this lapse in taste to dish up hit after hit and new material that fit right in. Everything was played with conviction, too — even "My Generation," which must feel a bit silly these days. As an extended, dynamic jam it killed.

Daltrey sang his heart out with little loss of the power and passion he's known for. Most 30-year-olds would like to be as fighting fit as the man, too. He looked and sounded great.

Townshend remains one of pop music's most fascinating guitarists and a very cheeky monkey when he's introducing tracks or talking to the assembled faithful. He's also a fine, expressive singer when he isn't bouncing about. Palladino makes up for what he lacks of the late John Entwhistle's thrumming bass lines by having exceptional timing. Starkey suits the group better than Kenny Jones ever did. He's like "controlled" Keith Moon. Pete's brother, Simon Townshend, handled all additional guitars and a mod cowboy from Texas rounded everything out on keyboards.

Nobody could mistake the new mini-opera "Wire & Glass" as being by anyone else other. The power chord-driven "We Got a Hit" is prototypical Who; driving chorus, pounding drums, complete point made in one minute, 18 seconds. The Ramones would applaud the brevity.

In fact, the entire 60-song story clocks in at under 13 minutes. Perhaps Townshend watched that amazing archival footage of the band on the Rolling Stones' Rock n' Roll Circus DVD performing "A Quick One (Happy Jack)" and realized it was the best of his "rock operas." Not bloated overkill like Tommy and Quadrophenia.

As the five moving screens flashed binary code similar to the Matrix credits, "Baba O'Reilly" filled the arena. The underrated "Living In Spurts" followed. When Townshend and Daltrey performed the new acoustic ballad "Man In a Purple Dress," there were cheers of familiarity. Will it become a fan fave like the never-that-good "You Better, You Bet?"

Townshend thought he should apologize at least once for the playing so much new material. Elton John did the same at his show last week. I don't expect that Jagger will do any such thing at the Stones gig in November. That may be why the group is playing B.C. Place instead of the Garage. Its attitude is still young at heart.

Townshend needn't worry about his new songs having the same cache as the old ones. It's impossible for them to ever mean the same thing to today's generation. It knows full well that musicians are just entertainers making mad cash, not the voice of change.

That said, there's nothing wrong with maximum rock 'n' roll. The Who still can lay claim to the form and gave fans 120-minutes-plus of it in concert.

sderdeyn@png.canwest.com

Catch Stu's New Music Tuesdays on Global's Morning News at 8:45 a.m., Tuesdays, and Stu's Weekend Fun File on Global's Weekend Morning and Noon News.