Look Who's in Town

By Paul Mortimer

One of the greatest phenomenons of rock music are The Who. They have produced a level of creativity and energy over ten years which would see most groups burn up in ten months.

And they are still right at the top of the rock pile, as they showed at Stafford last night when they opened their 1975 tour — the first in Britain for two years — at Bingley Hall.

They launched into their act with Substitute and straight away had the fans on their feet stomping and clapping their way through this Who classic and into I Can't Explain.

The energy generated by the group was tremendous.

Pete Townsend twirled, spun and leapt his way through guitar licks; Keith Moon hammered at the drums; Roger Daltrey juggled with the mike, twisted and sung his way through the storm of driving music. Only bassist John Entwhistle, as always, remained impassive.

Tommy the highlight

Baba O'Reilly, Behind Blue Eyes, Won't Get Fooled Again, and tracks from Quadrophenia were all dynamic, but undoubtedly the highlight of the night was the tracks from Tommy.

This was the first "rock opera," released in 1969, and subsequently it has been orchestrated and now made into a film.

No doubt this has prompted the group to bring Tommy back into the programme. They stormed their way through the likes of The Acid Queen, I'm Free, the inevitable Pinball Wizard, building up to the stunning climax of We're Not Gonna Take It.

All this, however, came in the middle of the concert when it would have made a more fitting finale.

But no matter — The Who are back and showing they mean to keep their crown as rock masters. They return to Bingley Hall tonight before setting off to visit a further seven venues in the country.

Roger Daltrey in action last night.

Still top of the rock pile