If any rock band knew how to rampage on stage, it was the British-born outfit The Who. Founded in 1962, the band continued for two decades before going on hiatus in 1982 and getting back together for various stints along the way through today.
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Part of the British Invasion, the Who is famous for songs like “My Generation” and “I Can’t Explain,” and albums like the 1969 LP Tommy. But perhaps more than any work, The Who was known for smashing guitars, destroying drum sets and treating their fans to raucous live shows.
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Today, there are many music fans who never got a chance to see the band’s original lineup in concert, as bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon have since passed (vocalist Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend are still with us). But that doesn’t mean all is lost. Here below, we found three shows from the band that every fan should see. So, let’s dive in.
Toronto (1982)
This show was originally billed as the band’s final concert (though, of course, it wasn’t). Playing with verve and vigor, The Who wowed fans with their biggest hits, including “My Generation,” “I Can’t Explain,” “Baba O’Riley,” and “Pinball Wizard.” Check it out here below.
Woodstock (1969)
This set from the iconic Woodstock music festival during the Summer of Love in 1969 helped cement The Who as one of the biggest and most important rock bands on Earth. The band played about two dozen songs, including many from Tommy, their concept album out that same year about a blind, deaf, and dumb pinball playing boy. Songs from the set include “Fiddle About” and “It’s a Boy.” The band took the stage at 5 a.m. and played for an estimated 400,000 people. Check it out here below.
Massachusetts (1970)
Part of the band’s tour for Tommy, the group played a number of the songs from the famed concept record in this concert as well. Here, the band played even more songs than at Woodstock, with numbers including “Do You Think It’s Alright?” “Tommy Can You Hear Me?” “See Me, Feel Me,” and their biggest hit, “My Generation.” Check it out here below.
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Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Wow, thanks so much. It’s not that I’m a huge Who fan, but then, who isn’t? (Pun intended). Anyway, as a fairly new singer/songwriter just shy of 70, I’m trying to listen to more music that can inspire me and help shape my music. The Who were a very influential band from my youth, but I don’t remember much. I never went to a concert of theirs nor did I ever purchase one of their albums. So this is like discovering a treasure from my past. Thanks again. 😊