The Who brought classics, an orchestra, and more to MSG (pics, setlist)
The Who are currently in North America on their 'The Who Hits Back!' tour, which landed in NYC for a show at Madison Square Garden last night (5/26). They opened up with an orchestral portion, which began with six songs from Tommy, before touching on later songs like "Who Are You" and "Eminence Front," and then they stripped down to a rock band setup for such classics as "The Seeker," "Won't Get Fooled Again," and "Behind Blue Eyes," and then they brought the orchestra back for five Quadrophenia songs, before wrapping up with "Baba O'Riley." Roger Daltrey's voice was in fine form, especially as he nailed the upper register during the climax of "Love, Reign O'er Me," and Pete Townshend was as riotous as ever. Pictures, the full setlist, and fan-shot videos from the show are below.
Earlier in the tour, The Who returned to Cincinnati for the first time since 11 of their fans died during the tragic stampede at their December 3, 1979 show. Billboard has a recap:
All night long, a video ribbon around the soccer stadium displayed the names of the dead, who ranged in age from 15-27 — Stephan Preston, Jackie Eckerle, Karen Morrison, Walter Adams, Jr., Peter Bowes, Connie Sue Burns, David Heck, Teva Rae Ladd, Philip Snyder, Bryan Wagner, and James Warmoth — and the evening opened with a set from a local band made up of two local alumni who attended the 1979 show as well as the local high school that lost three beloved students that frigid, tragic night.
[...] “I’ve been trying to think of what to say, what would be cool to say, what would be uncool to say, and really there’s no words that we can say that can mean (as much as) the fact that you guys have come out tonight and supported this event. Thank you so much,” [Pete Townshend] said to the capacity crowd as some fans shouted “we love you!”
Pete also mentioned that proceeds from the show are "going to great causes, many of which are related to what happened back here in Cincinnati in 1979," and Eddie Vedder also showed up on screen via a pre-taped video in which he discussed how Pete and Roger were there for him when 9 fans were killed at a Pearl Jam show at the Roskilde festival in August 2000. Read more about the Cincinnati show here.
The Who will be back in the NYC-area when the fall leg of their tour hits Belmont Park's UBS Arena on October 7. All upcoming tour dates here.
More photos from MSG by P Squared (including openers The Wild Things) below...
The Who @ MSG - 5/26/22 Setlist (via)
With Orchestra
Overture
1921
Amazing Journey
Sparks
Pinball Wizard
We're Not Gonna Take It
Who Are You
Eminence Front
Ball and Chain
Join Together
Band Only
The Seeker
You Better You Bet
Won't Get Fooled Again
Relay
Behind Blue Eyes (featuring Katie Jacoby on violin and Audrey Q. Snyder on cello)
With Orchestra
The Real Me
I'm One
5:15
The Rock
Love, Reign O'er Me
Baba O'Riley
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