Back in the late 80s, I was offered a ticket to The Who’s farewell show at the old Foxboro Stadium. I was young and foolish at the time, so I passed.
Turns out, it was one of those decisions I’d grow to regret just a little bit more with each passing year, like not making the first move on Nancy Keigelman or drinking an entire bottle of whiskey before my 5-year high school reunion. Every time I engaged in that parlor game of listing the bands I needed to see live before I die, The Who would always top it, a tormentful reminder of the missed opportunities that seemed to define my life.
It only got worse after watching their otherwordly performance at the Concert for New York, which The Who effortlessly swiped from every other band on the marquee. While the likes of Paul McCartney insisted on farting around with stuff like, “Freedom,” Townshend and Co. simply hooked up their amps and cranked out what the people wanted–dare I say truly needed–to hear. Like this:
I bring this up because I am happy to announce that I finally got to see The Who live, last Friday night at the Garden. And although there’s only two of ’em left, the band was every bit the powerhouse I expected. And my ears are still shaking from Daltrey’s tremendous “Love Reign O’er Me.” Well worth the wait.
So now I get to cross The Who off my list of Musical Acts I Have to See Live Before I Die. In the past five years, I’ve been able to cross Cheap Trick, The Beatles (or at least Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, separately of course), Weezer and Van Halen off the list. So now it’s down to just three: U2, Tom Waits and Van Morrison. At least until the Kevin Youkilis Banjo and Trombone Jam Band gets back together.
Speaking of which, congrats to He Whose Beard Scares Children.
Pro-Phillies messages, Youk congrats and your own personal lists of Bands To See Before You Die go in the comments.
