BEHIND THE BEAT

Behind the Beat, having bogged down in deep winter ruts, has decided to rise above the bleak autumnal fog to wider, brighter fields. We thought that just for a week we would burst into the world of superstar concerts.

The Who, consistently billed as the greatest rock band in the world apart from the Rolling Stones, came so close to our shores last Friday that we couldn't miss the chance to go and see them. They stopped off at Hull on one of their rare English tours to explode with customary violence at the ABC Cinema.

Our man at the concert was Andrew McKinnon. He very nearly had to swim there after some extreme bad luck with his car, but staunch fellow that he is, he finally made it with 10 minutes to spare.

Fasten your seat-belts for a ride in the smallest power station in the world.

NO OBSTACLE

Although The Who's whistle-stop tour has been restricted to the cities, renowned for promoting big-name bands, it has not denied followers from areas far from the circuit, the privil-

As far as local enthusiasm for the band is concerned, they'd travel 100 miles to see them — and indeed they did. On Friday evening the Who were playing their nearest gig to this area at Hull. This proved to be no obstacle to a dozen or so fans from in and around Louth.

After one initial setback (namely an unreliable car) they set off on their trek going round the River Humber by road as they couldn't afford the staggering ferry prices.

Arriving with only 10 minutes to spare, they were amazed not to see a two-mile queue outside the ABC Cinema, their only obstacle being that of fighting off dismayed spectators "trying" to sell seemingly unwanted tickets. How strange!

ALBUM SUCCESS

The supporting band were the up and coming Quiver. Here is a London-based band that has come a long way in a very short time. As well as filling the heads of their audiences with their lively brand of rock music, they also lend their hand to doing LP producing. The success of their first album would suggest that they show real promise in this field.

It was almost as if they couldn't wait to get off stage and sample the delights of the top of the bill as their set lasted a mere 35 minutes.

Following a restless half-hour interval, the lights dimmed and on they came.

Townshend, Daltrey, Moon and Entwistle needed no introduction and were soon showing off the stage antics that we've grown to know them by.

LIFE SPAN

Pete leaping and bounding all over the place, producing chords from still-armed revolutions; Roger swinging his microphone round by its lead; Keith cracking jokes and much more prominently losing drumsticks by the dozen; and last but not least, John, the quiet one, who leans against his stack throughout the whole of the gig producing those nonreplaceable bass tones.

Their performance covered almost the whole of their life span — Substitute, Pinball Wizard, four excerpts from Tommy (perhaps the highspot of the gig) and several tracks from their latest album "Who's Next." Their finale was the number which put them on the trail to success, one which they like and everybody else likes, the inevitable "My Generation."

At the end of the gig, they turned two binding searchlights on to the audience — they obviously get a great amount of satisfaction from seeing the audience's expression at the end of it all.

DOWN TO EARTH

How much easier life would be for big band followers if Grimsby were put on the circuit. They have a cinema, don't they?

And slowly, like getting drunk and then sick, we come down to earth. But there are one or two bright spots, both of them being tomorrow (Saturday) night.

Under the general title of Schizoid Smash, Grimsby band Mezziah and the Ram Disco are doing Louth Town Hall. They have a bar and if the dance is free of trouble they are hoping to do some more nearer Christmas.

On the same night at the Blue Lion Club, RAF Binbrook, Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band make their first appearance here since the Sneland band dance. They are supported by Scunthorpe band, Dad's Army.