'I Can’t Explain’ how guys in their mid-40s do it

A seven-year layoff wasn’t evident as The Who rocked 40,000 concert-goers with a 25-song, tour de force review of the band’s greatest hits and some surprising cover versions of songs not normally in their repertoire.

Also unusual about this concert tour was the fact that the three surviving members of The Who—guitarist Pete Townshend, singer Roger Daltrey and bassist John Entwistle—were backed up by semiregular keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick, a horn section, three backup singers, a second guitarist and two percussionists.

With all these "extras" it would seem that the concert would come across more like an orchestra than one of the most exciting rock ’n’ roll bands in history.

Any fears were laid to rest when the group opened with one of their oldest standards, "I Can’t Explain."

Townshend appeared with a vintage Rickenbacker guitar and strutted and windmilled his way through the song despite an injured right hand and reported hearing loss that forced him to spend most of the concert on an acoustic guitar. Daltrey’s voice was as clear and strong as ever and Entwistle’s bass playing had all its usual crispness and rhythm.

After "Can’t Explain," the group set the standard of the concert by continuing with "Substitute" and "I Can See For Miles."

The crowd was treated to five selections from the rock-opera "Tommy," two of which have not been performed on stage since the early 1970s. On "Amazing Journey," drummer Simon Phillips, who replaced Keith Moon stand-in Kenny Jones on this tour, did an amazing imitation of Moon’s style.

In fact, after hearing and seeing Phillips in action, it seems that The Who may not have made a good choice in Jones when Moon died in 1978.

Phillips drove the band through "Overture" and into "Pinball Wizard," "We’re Not Gonna Take It" and finally "See Me, Feel Me."

"Baba O’Reilly" and "Eminence Front" were next on the play list before the group dived into "Face the Face," from Townshend’s solo album "White City" and a thundering rendition of Bo Diddley’s "I’m a Man."

Who standards "Boris the Spider," "Magic Bus" and "5:15" followed before the band launched into "Love Reign O’er Me."

This song explored the possibilities that were open to the expanded makeup of the group. With the second percussionist playing tympani and a horn section to accentuate the synthesizer track, the result was electrifying.

Townshend’s "Rough Boys," off his tough "Empty Glass" solo album, was next on the list and was played with a fury that belied the fact that these were guys in their mid-40s.

The concert’s energy tapered off slightly with "Join Together," "You Better, You Bet" and "Behind Blue Eyes," before again being raised with "Won’t Get Fooled Again."

The band left the stage to thunderous applause, only to return with an encore that included "The Real Me," probably the finest rocker off "Quadrophenia."

The Who paid tribute to the 20th anniversary of Woodstock and to their friend and sometimes rival Jimi Hendrix with a bluesy cover of "Hey, Joe." Daltrey said that it was the only song that he remembered from the concert.

The band played an interesting version of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s "Born on the Bayou" and wrapped the whole thing up with "Who Are You."

This concert was billed as the last time The Who will play in America. Almost seven years ago to the day, The Who were in Dallas on what was then billed as The Who’s "farewell tour."

Will this be the "absolute, never coming back, pack it up, we’re gone" show? Who knows?

With Townshend’s well-publicized hearing loss and the obvious expense of pulling together a tour for a group that is not producing new hits every few years, this must be near the end of the road.

The Who will hold an important position in the history of rock ’n’ roll for many years to come and have for a generation been a spokes-piece for "thinking rock fans." That’s an important enough legacy.

Cupp is music writer and graphics editor for the Times Record News.

Greg Cupp