The Who tour hits its stride in solid performance

Group lives up to prediction of needing a dozen shows to sweeten sour notes James P. McCoy/Buffalo News By Dale Anderson News Critic

WHAT A difference three weeks on the road makes! For their tour opener in Toronto June 23, the Who struggled for 2½ hours in search of their old groove. Tuesday night they had it from the first chord of the overture to their rock opera, "Tommy."

Everything clicked. Roger Daltrey nailed the high notes of the "see me, feel me" refrain from "Tommy" without hesitation. Pete Townshend, heedless of his hearing problems, put aside his acoustic guitar after the opening 35-minute reprise of "Tommy" and went electric with a vengeance.

The sidemen were equally invigorated.

Newly recruited drummer Simon Phillips bashed up memories of the band's original beatmaster, the late Keith Moon. John (Rabbit) Bundrick filled the songs with flashy keyboard flourishes. Steve Bolton, brought in to handle Townshend's electric guitar parts, found moments to shine in the shadow of the master. The five horn players and the three harmony singers never dragged.

Even the band's dour bassist, John Entwistle, seemed to be having fun. He refused to join Daltrey and Townshend's sweaty embrace after they ended the second set with "Won't Be Fooled Again," but he visibly took pleasure in his zoomy runs and his humorous growls in the last of the three encore numbers, "Summertime Blues."

It was Entwistle who proclaimed that the Who wouldn't be in shape until they had played a dozen shows. The time on the road knit them together as a

REVIEW The Who Veteran British rockers in 25th anniversary tour.

Tuesday in Rich Stadium

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Roger Daltrey as front man whipped up the crowd at Rich Stadium Tuesday, while Pete Townshend brought out his acoustic guitar for "Tommy."