Music Review

The Who Concert at Tanglewood

By Anne-Gerard Flynn

HARD ROCK hit Tanglewood last night and the stones are probably still crumbling from the impact. A near record of 18,784 young people, gathered since yesterday morning for the 6 p.m. concert of The Who, were completely hypnotized by the English group. Responding to the organic beat of the group's guitars and drums, the youngsters packed the Shed and surrounding lawn to chant, scream, dance and wave their hands in victorious solidarity.

Two other groups, Jethro Tull and It's a Beautiful Day, also appeared with The Who, who performed last year at Tanglewood to a record crowd of 22,173.

There were no major disturbances among the young people, many of them shirtless and smoking a variety of products. Among the 18,000 only one arrest was reported. George W. Jackson, an 18-year-old musician from Scotia, N.Y., was brought before Lee District Court Judge John J. Dwyer this morning on a charge of disturbing the peace.

The student marshals did their best to contain the crowd, which jammed forward toward the end of the concert.

Joshua Television had erected a large video screen on the lawn, and the teenagers lounged in small groups, munching on bread and cookies. Many carried knapsacks and sleeping bags and wore dungarees. A few beach balls, Frisbees and bubbles passed among the crowd with its usual assortment of long-hairs, "dandelion tops" and bandana scarves. However, the teenagers kept mostly to themselves, conveying the distinct impression that they were there not to make love or noise but to hear their favorite music.

Hear it they did. The Who was tribal, sensuous, loud. Their music was well-phrased, rising and falling like the soft outline of the surrounding Berkshire mountains. The group did arrangements from its rock-opera "Tommy," which ran last month at the Metropolitan Opera, and a few new songs.

HARD ROCK can be hard to take. It is not like Beethoven's "Pastoral Symphony," during which one's mind can escape into an idyllic nature. It is completely physical. The vibrations are first felt in the feet, then creep upward into the leg muscles until one's head is quite unconsciously gyrating with the blood music. The young audience seemed to thrive on this physical stimulus. They identified themselves with the songs of The Who ("I Don't Even Know Myself") and clapped intensely to the blaring music of Peter Townshend (lead guitar), Roger Daltry (lead vocals), John Entwistle (bass) and Keith Moon (drums).

I found The Who, geared for a high school audience, a bit too exploitive and commercialized. Rock is a very individual and physical experience. The Jethro Tull was my "bread" for the evening. Their name is derived from an 18th-century inventor who devised a seed-hole drill that incorporated an organ pedal. They gave a concert that was as professional and as demanding as any Boston Symphony performance. Their music was a kind of liquid version of hard rock, rather surrealistic and classic. Ian Anderson, who resembled a cross between Fagin and a satyr, played a most lively flute. His fingering was as flexible as his comic leaps across the stage, supposedly interpreting the music. Clive Bunker poured himself out on the drums for an outstanding 15-minute solo. The other members of the group, Glenn Cornick (bass), Martin Lancelot Barre (lead guitar) and John Evan (keyboard), teamed up to produce Rock as powerful as a train steaming down the tracks.

THE BEAUTIFUL DAY people were the epitome of Rock culture. Their music was forthright and atom-smashing. Indeed, you felt bombarded with sounds that, if they didn't blow your mind, were sure to blow your ears. Vocalist Dave LaFlamme seemed to be plugged into the socket meant for his electric violin. The six-man group did a variation on a barn dance, performed at Boeing 747 speed, which particularly aroused the audience.

Bill Graham of Fillmore East, which collaborates in producing Tanglewood's contemporary trends concerts, announced that Joe Crocker would not appear in the series, possibly being replaced by Jimi Hendrix.

Last night's concert was well-chosen to launch this year's Contemporary Trends. All the musicians were artists, producing sounds that reflect the vibrations of modern life. It was a liberating experience. If that's Who liberates you.