The Who are You

WHO ARE YOU, NEW ORLEANS?

The band is a'right

By Jeff Boudreaux

It’s not a stretch to refer to the British rock band known as the Who—Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle, and Keith Moon— as one of rock and roll’s preeminent foursomes, a fact that has this legendary group resting squarely among a list of musical must-see acts.

Of course, the original lineup of the Who has changed since the glory days of rock and roll, with the tragic death of drummer Keith Moon in 1978, and bassist John Entwistle 20 years ago. Still the “faces” of the band, vocalist Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend, are entering their 58th year of thrilling audiences with a nostalgia-laden trip on a “Magic Bus” that begins in the Sixties, continues into the “Eminence Front” of the Eighties, up to the present day and the Who’s self-titled 12th album, and first since 2006.

Formed in London in 1964, the Who has released 12 studio albums, 16 live albums, and a multitude of greatest hits/best of compilations. They transcended the so-called British Invasion of the 1960’s, forged a place in music history with the releases of two rock operas — Tommy and Quadrophenia, which, coincidentally, were each made into feature films–played Woodstock, Monterey Pop, Isle of Wight, filled countless arenas, and have pretty much toured ever since. They were the subject of the 1979 rockumentary The Kids Are Alright and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 by U2. If those aren’t the accolades of one of the greatest rock bands to ever take the stage— then what is?

What’s even more extraordinary about their continued embarkation upon world tours is the fact that both Daltrey and Townshend (78 and 76 years respectively) have suffered a great deal of hearing loss. Just watch some of their old riotous, guitar-breaking, drumexploding performances in all their glory, and it’s not hard to understand why. These two men have carried the torch for rock and roll throughout the good and the bad of nearly seven decades; they have the scars to prove it and will undoubtedly give New Orleans a night to remember.

This will mark the Who’s first concert in seven years in the city of New Orleans, following their appearance at the 2015 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Prior to that, however, you must go back all the way to 1971 and a two-night stand at the famed Warehouse to promote Who’s Next, the band’s fifth studio album, and one which many Who fans would agree is the band’s greatest moment—admittedly a very close race with their groundbreaking 1969 rock opera Tommy. Featuring the perennial classic rock staples “Baba O’Riley,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” and “Behind Blue Eyes.” Do yourself a favor and revisit this excellent album on the streaming service of your choice.

Interestingly, their first appearance in the surrounding New Orleans area occurred three years prior at the St. Bernard Civic Auditorium to support The Who Sell Out, the band’s third album (a.k.a. the deodorant/ baked beans cover) which included, unbelievably, their only song to crack the U.S. Top 10, “I Can See for Miles.”

Other than the four concerts that have taken place here, some might think that the Who have a special relationship with New Orleans, for one of the absolute, silliest reasons imaginable. The background chorus from their eponymous hit “Who Are You” (from the 1978 album of the same name), has been interpreted by many locals as “New Orleans,” and if you don’t believe that, just google misheard song lyrics of the Who. Regardless, it’s extremely likely that this will be the last opportunity to see these rock legends on stage in the Big Easy, especially for anyone who missed their appearance seven years ago.