there looking out at us — they were right there with us, and we were right there with them. It was amazing,” says Daltrey.

“No matter how much you play, how much you rehearse and go into the studio, it’s not the same as going onstage. It’s the same thing that a boxer experiences. They go through all of that training, but it isn’t the same as when they get into the ring to box. That’s what it’s like when you get onstage — you get that ring feeling.

“Getting onstage is a different space altogether. It’s a wonderful space, really.”

PERFORMING, DALTREY SAYS, is ultimately what motivates him. But what would happen if he lost that Daltrey voice?

“When you’re young, you never think that you won’t be able to do it someday. But one day my voice won’t be there. When that happens, I will stop singing. It will happen one day, and, you know, you have to face that. We’re the kind of group that would stop playing if we couldn’t do it properly.”

Daltrey, who has also pursued a career as a character actor, appearing in major television, theater and film roles for the past three decades, says that to him an important part of performing is the opportunity it offers to work as part of a group.

While at first he jokes that acting is a good way “to get me away from painting and decorating around here,” he then earnestly adds: “I like to be a character actor. Most productions are like being part of a family, and I like that. I like being part of a band, being part of a team — I like that feeling of collaborating. Being able to collaborate, and play music, is a wonderful way to make a living.”

As strictly a business decision, the move to continue the tour without Entwistle is a no-brainer. An important contribution to the band’s sound and personality, Entwistle was not a domineering stage presence, by any means. And ticket sales have spiked since his death. Although he is sorely missed by fans, his music sounds on in concert halls across the country, as bassist Pino Palladino plays masterfully and ably (and often in shadow) in his place.

Was this just a business decision? We can’t know for sure, but in The Who’s July 4 concert, Daltrey addressed the crowd, saying: “It’s one day at a time for us. I don’t need to say more than what’s been said already … Rock ’n’ roll was never meant to be easy. Nor was life. You just get on with it.”

In May, before Entwistle’s death, Daltrey elaborated:

“What’s it like playing now, as opposed to in the ’60s and ’70s? There’s no difference. There’s a big difference when you’re not playing — you feel a lot more apprehension during time off, because you question whether you can still do it or not. It’s kind of weird. But when you get out on stage, it’s the same as it ever was.

“Whenever I do my best, I don’t feel that I’ve failed, no matter what the critics say. I’m not a robot. I go out there and I give everything out.”

Daltrey says that he’s been able to stay in the game all of these years and through unlikely comeback after comeback after comeback because he simply needed to.

The Who, with their timeless, wry lyrics, angry power chords and intricate harmonies, brash personas and legendary stage shows, keep coming back in evolving forms.

There will be no The Who should there be no Daltrey or Townshend, but for now, The Who, in a new form, keeps playing.

The Who, with Robert Plant, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Monday, July 29, at Hersheypark Stadium. Advance admission prices are $37.75 to $89.75; day-of-show prices are $39.75 to $91.75. Call 534-3911.