TORONTO — A record-smashing crowd of more than 70,000 people pressed into Exhibition Stadium Wednesday to see the 15-year veterans of rock music, The Who.

The J. Geils Band and Heart were also on the bill with Toronto’s own Nash the Slash, who was added on the day of the concert.

The only real problem of the evening involved the audience on the field in the area directly in front of the stage. Many toward the rear of the crowd seemed intent on reaching the front of the pack, the result being a continuous push toward the stage.

The pushing created severe problems for those at the lip of the stage. Squeezed into a standing position for the six-hour concert, many suffered under the bright sun. At least one person in the area was overcome by the heat and was passed over the crowd’s heads to officials waiting at the foot of the stage.

The press of flesh never stopped, despite repeated pleas by the emcee to “take three steps back, please.” Almost 15 minutes of the intermission between the J. Geils Band and Heart was taken up with his pleadings. He finally got some results when the crowd joined him on some of the chants.

Even Ann Wilson, vocalist for Heart, and Roger Daltrey of The Who were forced to appeal to the fans, Daltrey stating that “we’re not animals.”

Security for the event was tight because of anticipated problems with the “festival seating” arranged for about 20,000 on the actual field. The rush for position on the field was neatly avoided by opening a large number of gates well ahead of time.

However, a large number of those attending were forced to suffer far too many pains in order to witness this awesome display of rock and roll at its technical and creative peaks.

Each of the groups had their moments during the course of the evening, which climaxed with a magnificent two-hour Who set.

The Who’s crisp, clean sound system added some dignity to the wretch that is the sound in the CNE stadium under usual circumstances.

The stadium’s muddled sound, particularly the resounding echo off the home plate grandstand, was very effective in ruining any sort of atmosphere that both Geils and Heart tried to create. Both bands put an effort into the performance, but only some fine solo instrumental work by the Geils members and Heart’s string of hit tunes allowed them to make any sort of impression on the crowd.

Where the others lost, The Who gained in a monster performance given with little held back and no expense spared.

Opening with a combination of Substitute and I Can’t Explain, a pair of aged favorites, the foursome showed itself to be in fine form with both Daltrey and Pete Townshend leaping and spinning around the stage.

Just a few songs later, during Sister Disco, the band let loose with the flashy effects, mostly as commentary on the song’s theme, but also for eye-catching appeal. The lighting system took on obvious disco qualities, illustrating to all present the totality of the demise of disco, rock and roll’s glittery sister.

The crowd was enthusiastic, yet well-behaved, and saved much of its energy for the later portion of the show, responding with uninhibited delight to songs from the epic rock-opera, Tommy.

The Who reached a peak with the final pre-encore songs, My Generation and Won’t Get Fooled Again, during which they turned about a dozen spotlights skyward in a lavish Hollywood-style display.

The encore came quickly, following a surprisingly short break. The real surprise, however, was the material. After an evening of predictable material, the lengthy medley of Summertime Blues, Twist and Shout and Dancin’ in the Streets ended the evening more brightly than any number of lighting effects.