You better, you bet

The Who prove they’re still the best 25 years on

THE Who celebrated 25 years in the music business last night with a knock-out three-hour show at the National Exhibition Centre.

Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend and John Entwistle showed they’re as lively as ever and kept the 11,000-plus audience gripped with songs from the beginning of their career to more recent times.

It was the first night of their anniversary British tour, under the banner The Kids Are Alright, which takes in four nights at the NEC, four at Wembley Arena and two at the Royal Albert Hall.

Afterwards, Townshend told the Evening Telegraph: “It was absolutely brilliant.

“We’ve played more than 40 dates in the States, but nothing compares to coming back to a British audience again.

“The Americans will clap anything, but with British fans you really know you’ve got to go out there and please them. They’re a very demanding lot.”

The show kicked off with a run through old favourites from the Tommy rock opera, followed by Townshend’s solo material, topped off with Who classics like I Can’t Explain, Substitute and I Can See For Miles.

But the big surprises were saved for the end with cover versions of Jimi Hendrix’s Hey Joe and a truly tributary version of Twist And Shout.

After seeing a band like The Who, it’s impossible for a young generation reared on such throwaway trash as that produced by Stock, Aitken and Waterman to be in a position to criticise The Who for being too old.

With such brilliant songs as Pinball Wizard and Won’t Get Fooled Again, it’s ridiculous for fans of such drivel as Kylie Minogue or Jason Donovan to be critical of quality song-writing such as The Who’s.

The Who continue at the NEC tonight, Monday and Tuesday.

PICTURE: JASON TILLEY

Shake, rattle ’n’ roll: Daltrey and Townshend blast out the hits to the bass beat of Entwistle (left)