Two English rock 'n roll groups, known as The Trogs and The WHO, along with a local aggregation calling themselves The Beats, performed last night for two shows at the Mosque.

During the first show, made up of about 1,000 youngsters, the audience seemed remarkably unenthusiastic; however, at the later performance, twice as many young people, many wearing colorful garb and long hair, seemed better to understand and appreciate what the music was all about.

Between the shows Peter Townshend, who seemed to be the WHO spokesman, ruefully remarked, "We've never pretended we're the biggest thing around, the biggest draw, and it's unfair to ask us to do two shows. First of all, it's unfair to the audience — we have to hold back during the early, so that we have energy for the second show. Then, it's a bit unfair to us, it requires so much effort. We're just as concerned with the esthetics of a performance as the money we can make, but sometimes promotors forget the esthetics and are just money-minded."

Gave Their All

However, during both performances, the four-man wildly costumed WHO seemed to give their all. Particularly energetic was Roger Daltry, a microphone-swinging, hip-jerking lad, the lead singer who must work off pounds at each show. Keith Moon — the drummer, clouted his drums with a powerful hard rock beat, driving and swinging. Guitarist Townshend, who composes much of the music the young group plays, also sings and moves a lot and seems to be the anchor man. The fourth member is John Entwistle who quietly and steadily goes along, playing, singing and dancing conservatively.

On the several selections The WHO played last night, to these old ears "My Generation" had the most interesting melodic and harmonic ingredients, but the most effective number was the varied Mini-Opera, a series of five songs with kind of an Old West atmosphere — it's supposed to be about a girl, a wagon train driver and the boy left behind — which were remarkable for the contrast of twang and rock, and for the lariat-like looping of the mike as it swung through Robert's hands.

Nearly Self-Destructive

The WHO, it seems, are almost self-destructive. For some reason, they drove their own music in electronic effects which pick up the resounding overtones of the guitars and raise them to a pitch of volume, that it is hard to hear the original music, and it is impossible to understand the lyrics. However, what is left is almost impossible to resist, for it is loud and strong and driving.

The Trogs are a different story. Less colorful in attire — they all wear white suits, kelly green shirts and blue boots — the group has just found its success and seems concerned with a program of variety and contrast, of purveying a music which is admittedly a derivation of rhythm and blues but with a recognizable melody replacing the importance of the old 12-bar frame.

Despite a stage full of electronic equipment, some of which went on the blink, The Trogs kept their volume down so that some music showed through. In their efforts towards contrasts they played strong, up tempo things like "From Home" and "I Can Only Give You Love," many-textured numbers like "Wild Thing" (with an ocarina joining in); and "Somewhere," both sentimental songs and their new record, which has a particularly primitive beat behind a moody melody and plaintive lyric, "You Can Cry If You Want."

More Cohesion

The Trogs have not tried to make each member of the combination a star, so there is more cohesion, if less spectacular effect, in their music.

The "States" were well represented by Richmond-based Beats, who are all young, hard working and accomplished.

Their big number is "The Beat Goes On," a frantic thing, as is Jimmy Hendrick's "Fire," which is done well. Contrast is offered by their "Sunshine of Your Love."

As a display of the kind of music much of the younger generation enjoys more than any other, last night's program showed at least one thing: there is a definite style and direction to this hard rock music, and the groups who performed at the Mosque are serious about it.

What they showed was originality in their music; effort to give it polish; a flamboyant showmanship and a distinctive sound which would make it difficult to mistake one group for the other.

If it weren't all so loud, though, the older generation might "dig" it more. As it is, it takes a while to get used to, and then even older feet tap and heads nod in rhythm. This music might just be the medium to bridge the gap in understanding.