'Who' tortures the ear with story of Tommy
By DAN HIME POST Contributing Editor 11/10/1969
It would be grossly presumptuous to attempt to capture the essence of The Who's concert in any journalistic enterprise. All one can do is throw out tidbits of information and atmospheric description.
The Who blasted out messages and music by torturing, coercing and fondling their instruments Friday night in the Convocation Center.
Their set was predominantly made up of selections from their rock opera "Tommy" because that is where they are focusing now-on the messages to be garnered from the story of Tommy, a deaf, dumb and blind boy of 10.
But just prior to performing the opera, they played a few old songs, notably "Young Man Blues" and the real genius of lead guitarist Peter Townsend was first experienced.
Continually leaping into the air and crashing on the wooden stage with each frenzied raping of his guitar, Townsend led the high-pitched hard blues number displaying excellency that continued through the evening.
And lead singer Roger Daltrey swung his microphone over the stage and audience when not performing his role as "The Voice." John Entwhistle, bass guitarist, stood detached through it all concerned only with making music for the crowd.
The group moved into "Tommy"--their latest album--and it was unfortunate for those in the audience not familiar with the story, because the beauty and meaning lies in the lyrics and the Convocation Center's poor acoustics hampered understanding the story.
Tommy became deaf, dumb and blind after witnessing the murder of his mother's lover by his father. The rock opera is very religious simply because of the nature of Tommy's story.
In his state of sensory deprivation Tommy is forced to turn within himself becoming very simple and pure in his wisdom.
Two of the songs told of experiences Tommy undergoes in his physically handicapped state. "Uncle Ernie" is a dirty old man who “fiddles around" with Tommy.
And throughout that song the perpetually rubbery and expressive face of drummer Keith Moon went through the supposed facial contortions of ther perverse Uncle Ernie.
During this physical state Tommy is playing pinball. He becomes a "Pinball Wizard" and develops a following of people amazed by his serenity and skill at pinball even though so physically handicapped.
Then his mother breaks a mirror he is looking into and Tommy's senses return. In this a new state of awareness he sets up a camp so his followers can attain the purity he has. However, he fails as a leader because he wants his followers to play pinball with eyes and ears covered like he did.
Tommy was a leader the masses could identify with, but unable to use his methods to attain their own wisdom.
One message of the opera is clear: wisdom cannot be taught, it is intensely individual and trying to impose certain guidelines for all will not work.
After finishing the opera the group assaulted remaining functioning eardrums by returning to the hard blues and rock of "Summertime Blues" and "Shakin" All Over".
But The Who's finale went right back to the "Underture" of "Tommy" because that is where the messages are.