The Who Minus the Momentum

The appearances in Southern California this week of both the Who and Bruce Springsteen not only provided a rare opportunity to see two of rock's premier attractions on a virtual back-to-back basis, but also underscored the importance of momentum in pop music.

Despite the many shifts in emphasis and image in rock over the past dozen years, the Who is one of a select group of bands from the 1960s (also: the Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, Airplane) that has been able to maintain its popularity and credibility in the 1970s.

Thanks to a more sensual aura and a wider, more celebrative musical base, the Rolling Stones still rank as the most captivating of the veteran bands. No one, however, plays with as much ferocity and splendor on a good night as the Who, and the Who had a good night Thursday at the San Diego Sports Arena.

The Who, crucially, conveys more fully and convincingly than its longtime rivals the concept of rock as a vital, liberating, sociological force. From the opening "Can't Explain" through the half-hour chunk of "Tommy" to the old "My Generation," the Who's repertoire continues to reflect the youthful urgency and passion that has long been at the heart of rock 'n' roll.

But the Who's message isn't tied simply to its themes or lyrics. The intensity of the band's performances has always bordered on the manic, thereby reflecting the impatience and occasional fury of the young. Pete Townshend's guitar work, Keith Moon's drumming and Roger Daltrey's vocals all seem pushed to the natural limits, with only bassist John Entwistle—who stands rather stoically at stage left—retaining any normal balance.

Still, the Who was only the second best concert of the week. The difference between it and Springsteen's appearance Tuesday night at the San Bernardino County Bowl hinges in great part on the matter of momentum. Springsteen has it and the Who—at the moment—doesn't.

Springsteen may never match the Who's large, acclaimed body of work, but he is certainly outdistancing the Who in the quality of new material. To find a song as compelling as Springsteen's "Born to Run" (or "Thunder Road" or "Jungleland"), one has to go back five years in the Who catalogue to "Won't Get Fooled Again."

Where Springsteen (whose Santa Monica Civic Appearance Sept. 29 was reviewed here more fully) continues to introduce engaging new songs on stage, the Who not only failed to offer new material Thursday but used only two songs during its 105-minute set that were recorded since 1971. And one of them was the inconsequential "Squeeze Box."

While the Who played the old songs splendidly before a greatly aroused audience, the absence of fresh tunes meant an element of rock 'n' roll celebration was missing. There was no dramatic edge of possibility in San Diego. The band's every move—musical or visual—was within previously defined boundaries. With Springsteen, however, both the music and stance are still to be shaped. There is evidence of growth and future in his show.

In fact, Springsteen is at such a point of creative explosion that it's likely we'll someday look back at him in this period the way many Who fans look back at the group's 1969 ("Tommy") tour or the 1972 ("Who's Next") tour as moments of peak expression and impact.

For those seeing the Who for the first time or for the group's most devoted fans, Thursday's concert—which used the same set of tunes as the group's March appearance at Anaheim Stadium—was clearly a satisfying experience. But the band needs to develop some new material if we are going to be able to look forward to more than simply replaying the past well. It's not a point that is lost on the band. The group is reportedly ready to tackle a major "Tommy"-sized project as soon as its brief West Coast tour (which includes stops today and Sunday at Oakland Stadium) is over. The results should tell much about the state of the Who's momentum.