POP/ROCK REVIEW

SAED HINDASH/THE STAR-LEDGER

Patti Smith belts out "My Generation" during a Who tribute concert at New York's Carnegie Hall Tuesday.

Beyond Their Generation

The Who saluted by rockers old and young

By Jay Lustig

Star-Ledger Staff

NEW YORK — "O Carnegie Hall, forgive me for what I am about to do."

With these words, Patti Smith began singing the Who's "My Generation" on Tuesday night at Carnegie Hall. And sure enough, it was the kind of performance that Carnegie Hall rarely sees: a snarling punk-rock take on a classic-rock landmark, with a feedback-laced instrumental rave-up and a rousingly inspirational rant at the end. "Rise up, people," Smith commanded. "Create a new … world."

The occasion was a tribute to the Who, featuring 21 different acts — all except Smith announced ahead of time. This was the latest in a series of tribute concerts that have raised money for various music-education programs; previous honorees have included Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Bruce Springsteen.

Tuesday's show was one of the best, with a few clunkers but a great mix, overall, of instrumental fireworks, deeply felt vocal performances and even a little humor.

Drummer Rich Pagano, whose SugarCane Cups served as the house band, played appropriately manic Keith Moon-style drums on songs like "Behind Blue Eyes" (sung by former Drive-By Truckers member Jason Isbell) and "We're Not Gonna Take It!" (performed by his other band, Beatles-covers specialists the Fab Faux). Gaslight Anthem frontman Brian Fallon brought Roger Daltrey-like grit and pugnacity to "Baba O'Riley," and Sondre Lerche and Matt Nathanson played stripped-down but charged versions of "I'm a Boy" and "The Real Me," respectively.

Living Colour amplified the funk-rock aggression of "Eminence Front," and the Smithereens added a touch of grunge-rock drama to "The Seeker" before nailing the tricky "Tommy" instrumental, "Sparks."

Ballad highlights included Bettye LaVette's heart-wrenching "Love, Reign O'er Me," and Nicole Atkins' warmly crooned "The Song is Over."

Mose Allison, 82, playfully segued from his own "Young Man Blues" (which the Who often covered in concert) to his sly answer song, "Old Man Blues." Willie Nile, walking with a crutch, ended up playing air guitar on it and brandishing it like a weapon on a buoyant "The Kids Are Alright."

Bobby McFerrin, performing a cappella, added jazzy vocal runs to "My Generation"; they were dazzling, but didn't have much to do with the song itself. The weird, pinched tone of Asaf Avidan's vocals was more of a distraction than an asset on "Naked Eye." And the Postelles turned in an uninspired, off-key garage-rock version of "I Can't Explain."

The night ended with a seemingly unrehearsed "Won't Get Fooled Again." Chaos reigned, but spirits were high, and Atkins reproduced Daltrey's famous scream with authority.

No one smashed any guitars during the show, as the Who's Pete Townshend once did — though Smith did purposely break her guitar strings. Bob Mould, singing "I Can't Reach You," duplicated Townshend's windmill guitar-playing style.

And, sadly, no one sang "Success Story," the wry Who song that actually mentions Carnegie Hall: "Just like Cinderella when she couldn't go to the ball/A voice said, 'I'm your fairy manager, you shall play at Carnegie Hall'/I gotta give up my day job, to become a heartthrob/I may go far if I smash my guitar