Who Arrangements Make Up for Lack of Youthful Angst

The nostalgia of the past three decades was on display, and the legendary rockers made no apologies.

THE WHO’S QUADROPHENIA General Motors Place Oct. 16, 1996

Tim Carlson

Vancouver Sun

Quadrophenia is a better concert than Tommy is a musical. That much is established. Unfair to compare? Well, The Who’s guitarist and chief songwriter Pete Townshend was responsible for both, and the most recent incarnations, so why not?

It’s interesting, though not always pleasurable, to compare the different work of rock’s seminal artists and see what grows old gracefully or and what needs a facelift.

The Who offers plenty of opportunities. Albums, films, farewell tours, reunion tours, Broadway and now a revival of the 1973 rock opera Quadrophenia, which played GM Place for the first of two dates Wednesday night.

It was the nostalgia of the past three decades with no indication of the present when Roger Daltrey was trading poses and lines with ’70s pop showman Gary Glitter, his ’80s punk counterpart Billy Idol and Townshend during I’ve Had Enough after an introductory film clip of the protagonist Jimmy from the 1979 film set in 1964. It was a powerful moment.

What the show about youthful angst lacked in youth, it made up for in the arrangements. Nostalgia aside, the music didn’t suffer. What I’ve Had Enough or the big finale Love, Reign O’er Me offered in spectacle, Pete Townshend’s fiery solo acoustic version of Drowned had in a pure picture of the man behind it all. Pete delivered all of a couple windmills for the night, but the vocals were clear and the playing strong.

Billy Idol, face pinched into trademark scowl beneath the bellboy’s hat, was hilarious. A long way from a rebel yell. Glitter, in leather and studs, looked a lot more like a WWF coach that a glam rocker. A little closer to a rebel yell.

The Who where backed by an 18-piece band, including Townshend’s brother Simon on electric rhythm guitar, and Zak Starkey (son of Ringo) behind the drum kit where the late Keith Moon did his maniacal best to beat and destroy.

The three originals, Daltrey, Townshend and bassist John Entwhistle, played without backup for the first song of the greatest set Won’t Get Fooled Again. A classical version of Behind Blue Eyes followed. Substitute followed. Daltrey picked up an acoustic and Pete grabbed the electric for Who Are You.

Townshend revived Quadrophenia for the

PETER BATTISTONI/Vancouver Sun

CLASSIC SHOW: The Who played their Quadrophenia show Wednesday night at GM Place and guitarist Pete Townshend wowed the crowd with his trademark riffs.

Prince’s Trust charity concert in London’s Hyde Park in June, then moved on to New York for July dates at Madison Square Garden in July. The second Vancouver show happens tonight. The Who last played Vancouver in 1989 while on a 25th anniversary tour.

The setting is Britain, 1964, where class and fashion tension between neat Mods (who later claimed The Who as their band of choice) and the leather-clad Rockers exploded into riots at seaside resorts. Jimmy, a young man with four personalities (hence the title), is understandably confused about his identity and wondering about the importance of his Mod status.

Given the arena-rock/video format of this show, Quadrophenia isn’t pretending to be anything more than what it really is, which is more than you can say about the the anemic touring production of Tommy. The broadway production lost its nerve.

Quadrophenia had that and Gary Glitter.