At Columbia

The Who Accorded a Standing Ovation

by James D. Dilts

What distinguishes The Who, the British rock group that played the Merriweather Post Pavilion at Columbia last night, from myriad other rock groups is that form and content are so closely interwoven.

The group that preceded The Who on the bill offered a good illustration. The leader of Ten Lucy, a deafening and derivative local band, had Joe Cocker's mannerisms down pat and the group together managed to sound quite a bit like Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young on "Woodstock" and "Kent State." But except for an opening original, the material was a collection of quotes from other sources.

Then after announcements ("This is a mini Woodstock—first aid is over at the side"), The Who ran on stage.

New Tunes

With a scissors kick from guitarist and composer Peter Townshend, a twirling of the mike from lead singer Roger Daltry, a silent stare from bassist John Entwhistle and a crash of cymbals from drummer Keith Moon, The Who began. Their first two tunes were new ones they added to their repertoire after the success of their rock opera, "Tommy." The third tune, "Water," featured both Daltry and Townshend. Townshend announced the next tune, "I Don't Know Myself," another original, but decided not to play it, "because I'm too stoned to tune up." In "Young Man Blues," a Mose Allison tune, Daltry captured some of the original down-home Delta feeling and Townshend's guitar wrists were straight out of Fifties rock 'n' roll.

Townshend then announced "something we've done 40 or so times and swore never to perform on the stage again." There were anticipatory howls from the audience which were quieted by drummer Moon, who grabbed the microphone and shouted, "It's a bloody opera, so si-ddown and shuddup."

Townshend managed a key change in the overture, then everybody laid-out and Moon shadow-drummed while Townshend played jazz-flavored chords. For the next 45 minutes, several thousand fans applauded whenever they had the chance as "The Who went through the complete version of "Tommy.""

In Person

Although it is possible to hear "Tommy" on records and recognize it as one of the most brilliant rock tunes by any rock group playing today, Townshend himself has said that something is missing if one can't see the group in person.

Daltry twirls the microphone, staggers back against the speakers and recovers in time for the next chorus. Townshend leaps in front of the band. Chief Moon splinters half a dozen drumsticks. The only sane and silent man is Entwhistle, who occasionally smiles.

After several choruses of the finale, "See Me, Feel Me, Touch Me, Feel Me," The Who staggered back exhausted and the crowd gave them a standing ovation. It is obviously what they had come to hear.

The Who followed with "Summertime Blues" and some of their other new material, but it was clearly anticlimactic. Perhaps it is fortunate that no other rock group has to play the Post Pavilion for another few days, anyway.