Ken Barnes
The Who were always unbeatable when it came to undiluted bedrock blasts of R&R power, and their 1973 appearance proved that the proposition still holds water (and maybe somebody's daughter). Ten years have taken the inevitable toll, and the manic, nearfrightening edge is gone. but for the most part The Who again proved peerless hardrockers ... Abetted by much clearer sound than on the last tour, the band rolled through an invincible »Can't Explain«, »Summertime Blues« and »My Generation« ... Next came the live unveiling of Quadrophenia, and it was, in a word, stunning. The concert rendition supplied all the raucous power seemingly latent in the story line, and the added dimension invested the monolithic Mod Quad with the true rock & roll excitement missing in large part from the album, The Who, especially Townshend, seemed genuinely enthusiastic playing the new material ... and It showed in a galvanising performance ... Inevitably the remainder of the concert was a trifle anticlimactic ... »Magic Bus« failed to excite. But countered against these disappointments were a smashing »Pinball Wizard« (liberated from its smothering operatic envelopment) and a rousing erformance of ohe British only hit »Let's See Action«. and to top it off, the group closed with »It Don't Really Happen That Way At All«, a song known only to fanatic bootlegconnoisseurs, containing some highly potent riffing - an unexpected bonus.
After a subpar performance in 1970, a near disaster in 1971 and a two year absence, it was infinitely reassuring to witness a 1973 Who triumph - especially in a year when alarming signs of age have afflicted so many top-echelon headliners. The group's brand of hyperkinetic excitement hasn't faded away; and at their best, The Who are still, simply, the best.
