Tag: the who

Long Live Rock the Casbah: The Who, The Clash Rock Rich Stadium

London punks, both young and old, invaded Orchard Park, NY on September 26, 1982. The Who and The Clash, as well as New York Dolls frontman David Johansen, performed before a sold out crowd at Rich Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills.

photo by Michael Mack

This concert is seen as an historical moment, where one older punk band, The Who, passed the torch to a new, younger one, The Clash.

An expectadly rowdy crowd of more than 80,000 packed The Rich. David Johansen warmed up the crowd with a half-hour set, including “Stranded in the Jungle” and a medley of the Animals “We Gotta Get Out of This Place”, “Don’t Bring Me Down” and “It’s My Life.”

The Clash were just coming off the release of Combat Rock, recorded at Electric Lady Studios on West 8th Street in New York City. Hits including “Rock The Casbah,” which reached the Top 10 in America, and “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” gave The Clash a worldwide smash hit in 1982. Less than a year after this performance in Buffalo, guitarist Mick Jones would leave the band. Watch a slideshow of photos by Michael Mack of The Clash from the performance below.

For The Who, this was the first of many farewell tours, having lost drummer Keith Moon just 4 years prior. Kenney Jones (Small Faces, Faces) took over behind the kit, with Tim Gorman on keys, Roger Daltrey on harmonica, guitar, and vocals, John Entwistle on bass and Pete Townshend on guitar and vocals.

Given the packed Rich Stadium – with entrances only on the floor at the time – the temperature inside the stadium was warm to say the least, with fans drenched in sweat, and some passing even out. As if Keith were looking down from heaven, the skies that were overcast all day opened up during the emotionally charged “Love Reign O’er Me,” the only time of the evening it would rain. As the song ended, Daltrey remarked “How’d you like that one?,” with Townshend saying “Even the Rolling Bones couldn’t have done that one.”

via Matthew Heimberg

While no video or audio exists from this show of The Who, you can view a slideshow of photos by Michael Mack here, and watch below for The Who from December 17, 1982, closing our their North American tour in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

The Clash setlist: London Calling, Career Opportunities, The Guns of Brixton, Police On My Back, Rock the Casbah, Magnificent 7, Train in Vain, Brand New Cadillac, Armagideon Time, Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Encore: Clampdown, I Fought the Law

The Who setlist: Substitute, I Can’t Explain, Dangerous, Sister Disco, The Quiet One, It’s Hard, Eminence Front, Behind Blue Eyes, Baba O’Riley, I’m One, The Punk And The Godfather, Drowned, A Man Is A Man, Cry If You Want, Who Are You, Pinball Wizard, See Me Feel Me, 5.15, Love Reign O’er Me, Long Live Rock, Won’t Get Fooled Again

Encore: Naked Eye, Summertime Blues, Twist And Shout

photos by Marc Starcke

September 24, 2024
The Chesterfield Kings Bring Back The Sounds Of The 60’s With 2 Singles

Rochester band, The Chesterfield Kings just released two new singles, “Fly The Astral Plane ” and a cover of one “So Sad About Us” from one of their inspirations, The Who.

The Rochester based band has released 11 albums.

The band’s frontman, Andy Babiuk says he wrote the song “with a more psychedelic approach.” Despite their east coast beginnings, “Fly The Astral Plane” sounds like the soundtrack to a 60’s San Francisco summer. “The lyrics can have a double meaning depending on what you’re into. But if you close your eyes and listen, you’ll get there,” Babiuk said.

“So Sad About us” is more uplifting with its production than The Who’s version but still stays true to the band’s sound. The 7-inch cover is reminiscent of the hey-day of psychedelic rock.

The band formed in the late 70’s, are bringing back the classic rock sounds. Together the five piece band have released 11 albums and made appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live, as well as Late Night with Conan O’Brien. In 2009, they hiatus but recently came back to record and perform together.

Thus, next year, the band will join a lineup of other bands and artists from May 9-13 as part of Little Stevens Underground Garage Cruise. Rock fans will have the opportunity to sail from Miami to Nassau, Bahamas while listening to punk and classic rock bands.
You can stream The Chesterfield King’s singles on any streaming service and find more information on their website.

July 8, 2024
Roger Daltrey To Perform at Tanglewood’s Popular Artist Series

English Singer, Roger Daltrey will perform as part of Tanglewood’s Popular Artists Series on June 22 at the Koussevitzky Music Shed.

Daltrey is the leader and co-founder of The Who, having performed hit rock songs like “My Generation” and “Baba O’Riley.” Aside from being the lead singer, Daltrey also wrote for The Who, including some earlier songs like “Early Morning Cold Taxi” and the band’s second single, “Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere.” The Who has been touring since its formation and have still performed within the last decade, but Daltrey has also toured as a solo act.

His first self-titled album was released in 1973. Since Daltrey, he’s released several more albums including an original motion picture soundtrack and a children’s album. Daltrey’s current tour comes two years after his last in 2022, in which he sang The Who songs and his solo music.

This year’s Tanglewood summer features classic rock artists like Daltrey, pop and orchestral performances. Tanglewood is the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra located in Lenox Massachusetts on the Western side of the state. The space has concerts all summer long up until Aug 31.

Special guest, KT Turnstall will perform with Daltrey. She is a Scottish rock singer-songwriter known for her hit song “Suddenly I See.”

Roger Daltrey is set to perform at Tanglewood at 7 p.m on Saturday, June 22. To find out more information and to buy tickets you can visit the website link here.

June 13, 2024
The Who’s TOMMY Cast to Perform on GMA on May 28th

On May 28, 2024, cast from the Broadway hit The Who’s TOMMY will perform on Good Morning America. This performance comes as part of a successful season for the play, which saw critical praise and a Tony nomination.

The March 2024 revival of The Who’s TOMMY at Broadway’s Nederlander Theatre opened to great success. The play is based on the 1969 rock opera Tommy by The Who, which follows the titular Tommy Walker. The Who’s TOMMY tells the story of the protagonist’s childhood trauma, which leaves him deaf, blind, and mute. Despite this, Tommy rises to become a pinball star and cult leader, eventually breaking from his dissociation. Rolling Stone has recognized Tommy‘s significance, ranking it 96th on their greatest albums of all time list. It was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for its “historical, artistic and significant value.” This is not Tommy’s first adaptation, being adapted to stage in 1993, where it ran for 899 performances.

This revival of TOMMY has received rapturous praise from critics. Des McAnuff’s stage direction, combined with a dreamy, shape-shifting set work with Pete Townsend’s lyricism to create a perfectly dystopian environment. The New York Post praised the show’s “Knockout singing, superbly inventive stagecraft and a star-making performance from 24-year old Ali Louis Bourzgui.” Publications like Theatermania have even called it “the best rock opera ever.” The play is currently up for the 2024 Tony for Best Revival of a Musical. Additionally, the play received the Outer Critics Circle Award and Drama League Award nominations for Outstanding Revival of a Musical.

The cast will perform on ABC’s Good Morning America twice on May 28th. First, they will perform during the 8:30am Eastern Time half-hour. The cast will follow this with a second performance on GMA3 at 1:30pm Eastern Time.

For more information on tickets to see The Who’s TOMMY, visit the site here.

May 28, 2024