THERE that Saturday night at the foggy Monterey County Fairgrounds. It was June 17, 1967, and among the astonishing talent making its North American debut at the International Pops Festival was The Who, at the time mostly known (if at all) as the rock quartet that broke up its instruments in the film, "Blowup."

Although The Who's "My Generation" LP had then already been issued in the U.S., sales had been sluggish.

But at Monterey that night The Who, as showy as musical and as absurd as artistic, made their point — they were one damn fine rock band.

On Saturday, there I was again at a Who concert, 15 years later — again outdoors but in the company of some 55,000 knowing fans at the balmy Oakland Coliseum.

They say that 1982's is The Who's last tour, this current stand their last, locally. If so, they left with me the memory of one of their very best performances (and I've seen a mess of them) and one of the best outdoor Oakland Coliseum presentations of Bill Graham's whole Day on the Green series.

The Who's show ran 10 minutes beyond two hours, including a delightful encore medley.

After the last echoes of Pete Townshend's guitar had faded away, the "goodbyes" said and the crowd's roar had subsided to but a loud cheer, a spectacular fireworks display burst from above.

The crowd again roared, then a huge "KMEL Salutes The Who" sign, in multicolored fireworks, brightened the eastern stadium skyline above the baseball flagpoles.

Examiner photo by Chris Hardy VOCALIST ROGER DALTREY HELD BACK ON HIS THEATRICS His voice cracked toward the end, but the message got through fine

This show-biz hoopla and the audience enthusiasm (which was maintained for most of The Who's show) seemed, for once, to make sense. The Who, more than any others among the "old-timers" still around (all are in their late 30s) have earned a mass display of appreciation and affection from the Bay Area.

On Saturday all four of The Who were "on," in their own special ways.

Townshend has never played better guitar — he seems to be at the peak of his career right now. John Entwistle's bass work, always like a rhythmic and harmonic bottom line for The Who's collective output, thumped out (probably over-amplified) with a power that must have rattled windows for a mile around.

Roger Daltrey's vocals were strong and sure, his theatrics comfortably subdued; that he began with a raw voice which broke apart toward the end didn't matter. He communicated, regardless, and was his usual attractive, athletic self on stage. One nice guy.

Kenny Jones has done remarkably well in reconstructing the drummer's role in The Who. In the three years since he replaced the flamboyant Keith Moon, Jones has expanded the rhythmic base of the group, eliminated drum solos entirely and thus expanded the role bassist Entwistle plays. A fine, unassuming, musician.

I noted 25 tunes, all told, in the long Saturday twi-night performance. "Substitute" began it all, then "Can't Explain," followed by Entwistle's "Dangerous." By now it was getting dark; Oaklander Tim Gorman's mastery of the backup electronic keyboards was also getting obvious — he worked synthesizers, organ, reverberation effects, etc.

Purple-jacketed Entwistle and Townshend, in a gray sleeveless shirt, sang "The Quiet One," after Daltrey had shed his baby-blue jacket singing "Sister Disco." "Baba O'Riley" hit hard, with Daltrey blowing harmonica after his lead vocal.

About now the huge "WHO" letters that provided a framed proscenium for the performance area (the band played under the crossbar of the "H") became outlined with light bulbs — the background was a gorgeous, shifting, blue/red/amber all evening long.

"Drowned," with Townshend singing, Daltrey on harp, brilliant guitar, overwhelming bass, was magnificent and the cadence-like "Cry If You Want" almost matched it.

The crowd was dancing, now — at their seats, in the aisles, on the grass, in the infield. The joint, as we used to say, was jumpin'.

Ultimately, the inevitable "Pinball Wizard," then "My Generation" (hooray!) and "See Me, Feel Me," "Love, Reign O'er Me," "Long Live Rock" (Pete does a Chuck Berry imitation) and finally, "Won't Get Fooled Again."

Surprises in the four-part encore included "Magic Bus," and "Naked Eye," with a sensational Townshend guitar chorus.

The Who now show a new genera-

PETE TOWNSHEND'S GUITAR WORK WAS BRILLIANT THROUGHOUT After 15 years with the band, he's 'retiring' at peak of his powers

tion of rock fans why the older enthusiasts dug them so. The exhilaration, the fun, the dynamics of rock's great days live still in The Who.

Thank you, gang — what a trip it's been!

Also, thanks to Bill Graham for a great production and the magnificent weather. I assume he was responsible for both.