The Who — Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle, Pete Townshend and Keith Moon — were in top form Friday in Greensboro.

It was a young crowd that packed the Greensboro Coliseum to hear the Who Friday night. Waiting in the cold for several hours had made them rambunctious, and Frisbees flew across the auditorium as they awaited the appearance of one of the few remaining ‘Beatle-era British rock groups.

The tension was not relieved by the warm-up band, a Jamaican group named Toots and the Maytels. Although the lead singer was plenty energetic, it was clear after a few minutes that the crowd would not be satisfied until the Who came on. Polite applause for Toots and company faded into silence and finally boos and catcalls. By the band’s fifth number, crushed paper cups pelted the stage and the band left without comment.

The sourness disappeared with the appearance of the Who. Their opening number, “Can’t Explain,” electrified the crowd, and the group maintained that degree of enthusiasm throughout the concert. The lead was followed by another high-energy rocker, “Substitute,” which featured lead guitarist Peter Townshend’s famed jumping and generally maniacal style.

After a song, “Squeezebox,” from their most recent album, “The Who by Numbers,” and a cut from “Who’s Next,” the spotlight was turned on bass player John Entwistle for his morbid masterpiece, “Boris the Spider.” As the rest of the group clowned and bounced, Entwistle was his normal staid self, moving little except his fingers across the guitar strings.

Entwistle’s performance was followed by songs from several older albums, including a version of “Magic Bus” dominated by the white-suited Townshend. Then, about midway through the concert, Keith Moon, the drummer, introduced in his best mock-Vegas style, a medley of songs from the Who’s most famous work, “Tommy.” They included “Acid Queen” and, of course, “Penball Wizard.” Moon managed to steal the spotlight for his rather creepy rendition of “Fiddle About.” Then Roger Daltrey took control with the medley’s closing number, “We’re Not Gonna Take It.”

The band’s remaining numbers included “My Generation,” which was the group’s first big hit back in 1965. After almost two hours of playing the Who closed the concert with “We Won’t Be Fooled Again,” a cynical rocker from “Who’s Next.”

Never in the performance did the band falter. Although the members of the Who are now in their thirties, and are rumored to be less than kindly disposed toward one another, there was no sign of age or mutual dislike affecting them. If their Greensboro concert was a typical performance, it would seem that they, rather than the Rolling Stones, are now the world’s greatest rock group. Compared to the antics and power of Roger Daltrey, Mick Jagger comes off like a jaded, tired old man.

The Who’s concert seemed proof that the rock of the 60s is not dead. For relics of the Beatles era it’s a comfort to have the Who and their kind of music still around.