The Who said goodby to Southern California rock fans Friday night with an emotionally charged concert before a capacity crowd of 95,000 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

The show, part of a North American farewell tour that is expected to gross nearly $35 million, combined gutty, intense music and dazzling lighting effects by one of the most acclaimed bands ever in rock.

Although not as well known to the general public as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, the Who forged a strong bond during the 1960s and ’70s with the hard-core rock audience, reached by guitarist Pete Townshend’s anthems about youthful desires and frustrations.

Taking the Coliseum stage at 6:30 p.m. after opening sets by the Clash and T-Bone Burnett, the Who was led by main singer Roger Daltrey through one of the group’s earliest hits, "My Generation."

While the audience cheered warmly through the two-hour performance, most applause was reserved for the pre-1972 works, including "Pinball Wizard" and "Won't Get Fooled Again."

Early in the concert, during "Behind Blue Eyes," thousands in the audience lit matches to illuminate the outdoor stadium in tribute to the band whose philosophical, compassionate works are designed to inspire.

Ironically, it was the four-piece Who that was involved in rock’s most shocking tragedy—the trampling to death of 11 fans during a stampede for seats during a 1979 concert in Cincinnati.

It was announced at a news conference that the final show of the Who tour—Dec. 17 in Toronto—will be telecast live throughout the United States and Canada via pay-TV systems.