If it wasn’t
for a song called “Pretty Vegas” Vintage Trouble might not have been here. A
few years ago INXS took to a reality show to find their new singer, and one of
the four last four was a chap called Ty Taylor. He arguably had the best voice
of all the contenders, but another chap called JD Fortune had written the aforementioned
“…Vegas” and the Farriss boys wanted it and he won.
Taylor is
now the frontman in Vintage Trouble, who are fast rising on both sides of the
Atlantic and he is clearly enjoying his chance to open in front of The Who.
He appears to
be on a mission to get in as many faces as possible, racing round the arena
during “Run Like The River.” Actually, that song perhaps more than any other
exemplifies the problems with the band. It is a decent enough soulful blues
track, but it is just too busy and there is only so many times you can hear “are
you with me Birmingham?” before the relentless positivity starts to grate. At times the vibe resembles a church in New Orleans. It
had started well with “Blues Hand Me Down” but they could do with toning down
the act. That said, at the end of the show they march offstage high-fiving as
they go and are still signing autographs two hours later, so deserve to win
friends.
The sold
out show tells you that even after nearly 50 years The Who are still a serious
big deal. Well might they be too, given that they are in town to play us
Quadrophenia in full.
The album
as a piece of music is quite brilliant, but set against the show they put on
tonight is absolutely jaw-dropping. The giant screens behind them play a film
which compliments the music in a quite magnificent way. After “I Am The Sea”
kicks us off, “The Real Me” really gets into gear, before the swirling, almost
prog instrumental piece of the title track, shows the quality of the
musicianship on show.
Given that
this record is 40 years old, it is staggering how fresh it still sounds. “5.15”
is lifted not only by some excellent horns, but also by a bass solo, played by
John Entwhistle on the screen. It is an innovative and touching diversion, and
one which is repeated for Keith Moon’s section of “Bell Boy.” The light show is
perhaps at its best, though, for “The Rock,” showing a visual history of the
world behind them as the music plays.
When “Love
Reign O’er” Me” ends things the band stroll to the front and take a break for
the first time for an hour and a half. That would have been enough for most
bands, but The Who choose to play a selection of hits, including “Who Are You,”
“Pinball Wizard” and “Baba O’Reilly,” ending with a visceral “Won’t Get Fooled
Again.”
The band
disappears at this point, leaving just the two original members, Pete Townshend
and Roger Daltrey, onstage to play “Tea And Theatre,” behind them is their band’s
logo and two pictures of their younger selves, which get bigger as the song
progresses, until they fill the screen by the end.
It is a
brilliant and strangely poignant way to conclude what has been a truly
exceptional night. At times it resembles a production rather than a gig and is
all the better for it.
Time has
not dulled Townshend’s fire though. “Thanks for coming and not going to
Glastonbury,” says Daltrey. “Yes,” sneers the guitarist. “You could have gone
to watch The Rolling Stones….”
On this
showing, however, you wouldn’t want to. This was of the best gigs you will see
all year.
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