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The Who
Tommy and Quadrophenia Live
with Special Guests
(Rhino)
First Appeared in The Music Box, December 2005, Volume 12, #12
Written by John Metzger
When The Who embarked upon a series of farewell shows in 1982, the group had
become a shadow of its former self. Not only were its members struggling with
drug addiction — drummer Keith Moon had overdosed fatally in 1978, and Pete
Townshend nearly had suffered the same fate in 1981 — but also what proved to be
its final studio effort It’s Hard was largely a forgettable affair.
Despite the bickering that threatened to keep the band apart, however, Townshend
along with Roger Daltrey and John Entwistle managed to set aside their
differences in order to reunite on several occasions. Although each jaunt has
been met with accusations that the ensemble was selling out its principles, The
Who at least made an attempt to do something special for its fans every time
that it returned to the stage. Indeed, it resurrected Tommy for its 25th
anniversary tour in 1989, while seven years later, it once again hit the road in
order to debut Quadrophenia in a concert setting. Each of these events is
wonderfully reproduced on the newly issued, three-DVD set Tommy and
Quadrophenia Live with Special Guests.
Granted, the 1989 rendition of Tommy paled in comparison with the
urgent, crash-and-burn fury that The Who had brought to the staging of its rock
opera in 1970 — the reissued version of Live at Leeds along with The
Isle of Wight collection are perfect examples of the band in its prime — and
essentially, this latest incarnation of the album served as a precursor to its
transformation into a Broadway musical. Although The Who didn’t tour with an
all-star cast, it was joined by an array of artists that included Phil Collins,
Steve Winwood, Patti LaBelle, Billy Idol, and Elton John for a unique concert in
Los Angeles that was broadcast as a pay-per-view event. It’s this version of the
story that is featured on Tommy and Quadrophenia Live with Special Guests.
Aided by its sizeable entourage, which also boasted a five-piece horn section,
The Who was extraordinarily well-rehearsed, and session drummer Simon Phillips
was so polished and precise in his approach that he subsequently failed to
propel the music in quite the same manner as Moon had. Nevertheless, on songs
like Amazing Journey and Sparks, the group still succeeded in
raising quite a ruckus — even if it was one that was carefully arranged — and
overall, its momentum largely was kept afloat by the superstar extravaganza that
was on display. In particular, Collins was remarkably effective as Uncle Ernie,
while LaBelle took a page from Tina Turner’s book by adding a soulful bite to
her portrayal of The Acid Queen.
The Who undoubtedly was just as practiced in bringing Quadrophenia to
life, but in the end, its approach proved to be more aggressive, thanks to the
punishing reverberations of drummer Zak Starkey, who fared better than Phillips
in balancing Moon’s chaotic mayhem with the professional refinement that
Townshend was seeking for the tour. Laced with visual imagery and pre-recorded
dialogue, the storyline gained focus while the band effortlessly darted among
moments of raging angst, heartbreaking confession, and orchestral majesty. In
particular, the tortured exchange between Daltrey and Townshend on Helpless
Dancer perfectly captured the fracturing psyche of the tale’s protagonist,
while in the middle of a punchy rendition of 5:15, Entwistle launched
into a vicious solo that, unfortunately, is one of the precious few segments in
which the sound of his bass isn’t buried almost inaudibly in the mix.
Featuring the entirety of the second set — 13 songs in all — from the Los
Angeles production of Tommy, a trio of tracks from its counterpart in New
Jersey, and six selections from the Quadrophenia tour, the final disc of
Tommy and Quadrophenia Live with Special Guests is largely a survey of
The Who’s greatest hits. All of the material was delivered solidly, and while
much of it lacked the full-throttle fury for which the band was known, the
enthusiasm of the group, as particularly was evidenced by Townshend’s antics, is
undeniably infectious. Not surprisingly, the encores from the Quadrophenia
shows — which included a punchy romp through Substitute; a playfully
intimate, acoustic rendition of Won’t Get Fooled Again; and an explosive,
blues-inflected journey through Who Are You — fared best, and the
performances provided further proof that a better line-up was fielded for this
particular sojourn.
However, it isn’t the music that makes Tommy and Quadrophenia Live with
Special Guests such a worthwhile endeavor; it’s the delightfully candid,
full-length commentaries that Townshend and Daltrey recently recorded for the
package. Over the years, these sorts of accoutrements have become standard
fodder for DVD renditions of theatrical releases, but they remain a real rarity
for music-oriented collections. In addition to providing background information
about how the material originally came together as well as how each tour was
mounted, Daltrey discusses the challenges in performing the songs, while
Townshend elaborates on the obstacles he had to overcome in writing them. In
addition, he offers a detailed analysis of each of his rock operas and gives
them a proper historical perspective. Without a doubt, these carefully edited
dialogues are an impeccably insightful addition to the collection, and they
inevitably save Tommy and Quadrophenia Live with Special Guests from
being just another concert video. Indeed, this is a relic that is too invaluable
for fans of The Who to ignore. 
Tommy and Quadrophenia Live with Special Guests is available
from Amazon.com. To order, Click Here!
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Tommy Live with Special Guests is available
from Amazon.com. To order, Click Here!
For Canadian orders, please
Click Here!
For UK orders, please
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Quadrophenia Live with Special Guests is available
from Amazon.com. To order, Click Here!
For Canadian orders, please
Click Here!
For UK orders, please
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Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2005
The Music Box
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