tomorrow," the reporter said.

Civic Center Coordinator Jeff Barrett said the last-minute preparations in the center mostly involved working out the lighting system.

Barrett said the light show would be "super," and that the band sounded "pretty good."

Organizers for the band's concert tour said tonight's "warm-up" concert would be far from a disappointment.

"They might be a little rusty right now, but from what I heard, it all seems to be falling in place," said Brian O'Neil, a spokesman for the band's public relations firm in Beverly Hills.

O'Neil said he heard the band practicing the song "Magic Bus" through a telephone line during Monday's rehearsal.

That song will be one of about 80 songs the band has practiced for the concert, Sharman said.

But as to a final decision on a play list, Sharman said: "It changes hourly."

The band is expected to perform songs as new as those from Townshend's latest album, "The Iron Man," (to be released Friday), to others that span The Who's entire career.

While the band might seem calm and confident, a spokeswoman for the promoters of the concert,

Northeast Concerts, said journalists across the country were "going crazy" with phone calls to her office, seeking interviews with band members.

The spokeswoman said the band wasn't granting interviews, because "at this point, their main objective is to get the performance where they want it."

Calls also poured into those who put ads in local newspapers with ticket offers.

Johnna Bouton, of South Glens Falls, said the highest bid she received for a ticket was $100. When she heard that another woman sold a $25 ticket for $200, she said she was holding out for more.

"You would think people would be more anxious about these things," she said.

Another man who placed an ad for available Who tickets said he was given strict orders from the owner of the tickets not to take any calls until after 5:30 p.m., as the ad said.

When a call came in at 5:20, he politely explained that the caller would have to wait another 10 minutes. The competition would be steeper the closer to the concert, he explained.

Elsewhere in Glens Falls, some said they spotted a number of large tour buses traveling around the city.

CBS television crews checked into the Queensbury Hotel, and were expected to air a segment about The Who for a Thursday morning broadcast.

Of course, several fans Tuesday still wanted to find out where the band members were staying. O'Neil said the band was residing in Saratoga Springs before tonight's concert, but calls to several hotel owners there proved fruitless.

Richard Murphy, front officer manager of the Ramada Inn in Saratoga Springs, said his hotel received a number of inquiries when reports that the band was staying there aired over an Albany-area radio station.

"Honest, they're not here," Murphy said, saying he even had to turn down musicians such as Jackson Brown and Bon Jovi because of conventions scheduled up to two years in advance.

Murphy said the band was probably staying at the Sagamore in Bolton Landing, but an assistant manager there said: "I think they're staying at the Ramada … in Saratoga Springs."

Wherever band members are staying, event coordinators said to be assured they would show up tonight.

Although the performance is not an "official" part of the tour, O'Neil said it was an important debut, of sorts, for the rock 'n' roll band.

Even Civic Center workers seemed to be excited Tuesday about the concert. A sign hooked to the Burger King restaurant on Warren Street drew laughs from a few employees who walked out to get a better look.

In thick red letters, the sign declared that "THE WHOppers ARE HERE!"

Indeed they are.

Fan

rumors first circulated in April that the band might perform in Glens Falls. (Richichi didn't get a reply.)

And it's especially hard to believe from a man who has seen a Who movie called "The Kids are Alright" at least 20 times, and who has spent a good part of his life typing a double-volume listing of Townshend's song lyrics.

"I just ended up trying to horde up everything I could," Richichi said, recalling his lure into Whomania with his first viewing of "The Kids are Alright" film.

Richichi, a slender, bearded man, seemed almost apologetic that he hadn't been a fan of the group since its start in England about 25 years ago. The band was especially popular in the late '60s and early '70s, and went on its last tour in 1982.

Richichi also seemed apologetic that he's more of a Peter Townshend fan than a fan of the band.

"He (Townshend) is really the group," Richichi said in explanation, quickly adding that original band members Roger Daltrey and John Entwistle were quite impressive, too.

To get tickets for tonight's performance, Richichi walked around for about a week with wads of cash in his pocket, waiting for the announcement of ticket sales.

He described the feeling he had when he walked away from the Civic Center box office, tickets in hand.

"I felt like I robbed a bank and was able to get away, you know what I mean?"

Even with all the hype surrounding the concert, Richichi said he understands tonight's performance won't be a replica of the past. For one thing, the performance will consist of a 14-piece band, a horn section included.

Townshend, who suffers from a severe hearing loss, is expected to only play acoustic guitar to soften the sound blows — another change from the past.

"It's going to be more a celebration of a career, rather than just another tour," Richichi said.

That same assessment was made on a recent version of ABC's "Good Morning America," when Townshend, Daltrey and Entwistle were on the air for an interview. Richichi, naturally, had it on tape.

As for what attracted him to the group, Richichi pointed to words from Townshend himself, printed in a book on the making of the rock-opera double-album "Tommy":

"It's the impressions you get from something, rather than actually experiencing it…"

Tonight, perhaps, or at least sometime, Richichi said he hopes he can switch that around somewhat, experiencing The Who by actually meeting Townshend.

And what would he say if he did meet him?

"I don't know what I'd say if I met him," Richichi said. "Man, if I met him? I don't know."