The Who are still all right in powerhouse Boulder showcase

We're not the same band — we never could be — but we still have the unmitigated cheek to call ourselves the Who. — Pete Townshend

By John Paul Brophy

For The Salt Lake Tribune

BOULDER, COLO. — Prefacing the Who's encore set with that disclaimer, Pete Townshend launched into "Eminence Front" with a fury, the irony of that choice of songs speaking volumes.

The Who — Townshend, Roger Daltrey, and John Entwistle — are celebrating the band's 25th year with "The Kids Are Alright Tour." While the rumors have centered on the purported mercenary motives of the undertaking, the Who's concert Sunday night here at the University of Colorado's Folsom Field was nothing less than an "in your face" statement of the timeless, incredible rock and roll power from one of the best groups to ever play the form. They may not be kids any more, but they left no doubt that you're never too old to rock and roll!

The stadium appeared full (the actual count was 10,000 shy of the 57,000 capacity), and after three hours and 32 songs there were still clamors for more of the great show. Two sets covered the spectrum of the Who's career — from the first single of "Can't Explain" to "Dig," a cut from Townshend's latest solo effort, "Iron Man." If the performance came off like a greatest hits package, well, isn't that what the whole thing was all about?!

The spirit of the late Keith Moon hovered over the proceedings, both in the form of a nearly-full moon over the south end of the field and through the interpretations of drummer Simon Phillips (who worked on three of Townshend's solo LPs as well as with Jeff Beck, Mick Jagger and the Pretenders), and Townshend's comment about the 12-piece backing band — "look how many people it took to replace Keith" — was fairly accurate. That talented entourage also included long-time keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick, lead guitarist Steve Bolton, percussionist Jodi Linscott, vocalists Cleveland Watkiss, Chyna, Billy Nichols, and the Kick Horns — saxophonists Simon Clarke and Tim Saunders, trombonist Neil Sidwell, and trumpeters Simon Gardner and Roddy Lorimer.

It was interesting to hear the extra texture and color of the enlarged band, not only in the "Tommy" sequence that opened the show, where the renditions matched the original opera both instrumentally and sonically, but also on the vintage tunes as well. "5:15" wailed with the horn work, and the vocal harmony was a fine counterpoint to Daltrey's inspired lead vocal. "Boris the Spider" was fleshed out well with the additional arrangements, and "Substitute" also came off with verve.

The stage set-up was a myopic piece of work (those with less than a 65 degree angle never would have seen either the horn section or the vocalists, depending on the respective side of the stadium, without the two video screens), although artistically a real beauty with the ever-changing geometric panels. As for sound, the mix