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A orld’s Oldest Rock Band Still On Top

183' MIKE MCGOWAN
‘ 'Statf Writer

It's hard to believe, but there were
people at this weekend's Who concert at
the Greensboro, NC, Cotiseum who were
simply too ybung to remember when some
of the songs were first recorded.

Teenagers of 13, t4. 13 years showed up
to see the world's oldest rock'n’roil band—
andgot a lesson in what rock really is.

Pete Townshend may moan a bit now
and again about he get old before he died,
but his performance showed that he hasn’t
forgotten a thing and may have learned a
tew new tricks. . -

The Who's maximum r&b, if anything,
has peaked higher than ever.

The band appears, to have recovered.

sufficiently from Quadrophenia, its second
Epic album, and has reverted to its rock
roots. ‘

. “1 Can‘t Explain." “Substitute," "Boris
the Spider.” and “Magic Bus” have at
least ae'much appeal now as they did in the
mid'1960’s. .

Of course, the group probably can't even
begirttofplay most of the newest album.
”By Numbers," in concert.

After a two—year hiatus. the Who had
been given up torldead by plenty of loyal

Bethh'fie of :their prolonged “vacation"
[ruin Tone another, their repertoire this
time'out mctudes only two new songs—
“Squeeie Box," a positively lewd effort in
thesame otivious and engaging manner of
early Chuch Berry hits, and “Dreaming
from the Waist." an et’t'ort by Townshend
to proy'e tonne and sundry that he really
knows what it‘s like to be old, feeble and
impotent.

Don‘t lmlieve that for a minute.
it would be difficult to conceive of a

more virile, commanding set of per-
formers.

RogEr Daltrey, resplendent in his fringe
vest and amazing mane, provided a gut-
sier performance than nearly any other
rock vocalist could attempt.

l-iis mikewhirling antics and herky-
jerky motions were captivating. As usual.
his vocal delivery was overwhelming.

Keith Moon provided his usual in-
credible performance on drums and gave
the band a slightly insane aspect,

The man has got to be crazy’. Nobody
else would or could run through as many
daunisticks in a concert. tits antics sent
sticks flying, and he simplyr kept on
pounding away with a victomness which
couldn‘t be feigned.

John Entwistle, described by Daltrey as
the best bass player in the business,
probably could claim the distinction solely
on his ripping lead ptay on “My
Generation."

Entwistle has been quoted as being upset
that peopte credit some of his leads to
Townshcnd.

Sorry , John, but nobody else plays a bass
that way. so you‘ll just- have to keep
showing up for the concerts so people can
watch and find out for themselves.

Which leaves Peter Townshend.

One rock critic said that if God himself
were in Daltrey's place. you’d still watch
Townshcnd. -

Well, a little hyperboid never hurt
anybody.

Let’s put this perepective. The

' Archangel Michael might be noticed, but

Mick Jagger wouldn‘t stand a chance with
'i‘ownshend going through his gyrations.
As it is, Dattrey has to give up an unfair

~share of attention. .
By forcing myself to watch Daitr'ey for

awhile, it became evident the man could
be simply overwhelming in nearly any

other setting. In the movie “Tommy."
Dattrey was engaging spectacular and all
too human—possibty the only purel',r
serendipitous thing to come out of the
production.

Nevertheless. as Townshcnd dances
around. walks up and down in his clearly"
defined space. paces about like a caged
animal and finally bursts into a pin-
wheeling, leaping, g mnastic exhibition.
there is no question t t this man is what
the Who is all about. '

Although a viewer simply KNOWS that
Townshcnd will be going into his famed
convolutions, the maestro manages
nonetheless to make eve'ry move a sur-
prise. a treat.

Cases in point:

“Magic Bus": What does Townshend do
to top smashing his guitar years ago to
ptmctuate the song and to better the ex-
tended medley on “Live At ieeds”?
Nothing. The band simply played one of its
tightest numbers of the night with
'i‘uwnshend going through fully five con.

secutive leaps to add emphasis to his‘

astounding teed work.
“My Generation": There was no way

that Towshend could take over the song'

with sound. He‘d written it so Entwistle

'took much of the lead work. But the “old"

man used the song to show off his mastery
of the Chuch Berry duck walk. he's
mastered it and improved on it.‘ .

“Won't Get Fooled Again": The lights go
out. the band plays an eerie little break
beep, beep. beep, and everybody is an.
ticipating a gigantic leap by Towshend.

Fooled again. Towshend and Entwistte
come down with a crashing chord. and the
lights come on simultaneously to_ show
'l‘ownshend flying across stage—sliding on
his knees.

He jumped up, still [tailing away at the
guitar and danced back to the right side of

MAGIC BUS. Pete Townshend’s elassic rocker gave him ah
opportunity for some mid-air contortions,'while Roger Daitr‘ey
plays harmonica. Keith Moon-hammers the drums. The Who ap—

the stage. without missing a lick

If there ever was anything to detract
from Towshend, it wasa lighting cue at the
end of “See Me, Feel Mei"

“Right behind you . . . Daltrey sang.
Atitl‘tJehind hint came this huge light which
troutd have been the sun for a few seconds.
The audience was almost instant!)r blinded
by the silhouetted figure at Dattrey.

'l'heu' thelight started picking out the
faces of peeple in the audience and the
houselights came on, ‘ ‘

Mike McGowan)

By that time. the entire crowd--eapacity
torthe Greensboro Coliseum—was on its
tecl. Cheering. _

Nobody had left the stage. There was
hardty a break in the music. But that
number had been so clhnactic—especially
to some of the people who probably had
never heard the first "'I‘ommy" albUm,
that the audience was afraid the band
might exit immediately.

Were, they ever wrong.

”Smumertime Blues." “Mv

peared this weekend in Greensboro. N .C.‘s Coliseum. (Photo by

Generation." "Jain Together With the
Band." "Roadrunner" and "Won't Get
Fooled Again" toliowed in rapid suc-
cession. ’ V

if there was a dgubter in 'the'audience—
someone so jaded with rock and roll that
he thought he cauldhftgbevwon hver—h'e
leat'ued'difterently then. . ~

The Who got even stronger- in those
closing nmnbers; and pm'ed that they're
still the hand they were years ago

Ami more.