This stub is from the first time I saw The Who. Now I have to confess that at the time, Pete Townsend was my idol guitarist. So going to see The Who was a huge deal for me. And it was a big event, with Joan Jett and the B-52s opening.
We made the trek from Miami to Orlando, dealt with the crush of getting through the gates for a general admission stadium show, and opted for seats in the stands. We really did not want to deal with standing on the open field of the Tangerine Bowl.
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts opened the show, and they rocked it. They hit the stage and broke right into “Bad Reputation,” which was the perfect opener. The rest of her set was solid and she kept the crowd pumped up.
Then the B-52s came out. I was not a big fan of their music at the time, but I was curious to check them out. They played about two or three songs and then a wave of debris hit the stage. It was one of the ugliest scenes of a band getting booed off the stage that I had ever witnessed. They said “Fuck you” to the audience and walked off. I really felt bad for them, but honestly, it was a stupid move on the part of the promoter. Their music was not in the same genre as The Who’s, and after a hard rocking set by Joan Jett, it was just not a good place for them to be sandwiched in the middle.
After a while, The Who burst on stage and opened with “My Generation.” Wow! I was blown away from the first power chord. Pete was jumping around, doing his classic windmills, and Roger Daltrey was swinging his microphone around like a madman. It was a moment I will never forget.
The rest of the show was great, and they played a nice mix of songs that included classic hits, new tunes, and some obscure oldies like “Tattoo.” I actually found the setlist online. Click here if you want to check it out.
I had heard some complaints about this tour, particularly directed toward Kenny Jones who replaced the late Keith Moon on drums. But myself, I LOVED this concert, and though I would see The Who more times, this concert holds a special place in my rock and roll heart.
I’ll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I’ll get on my knees and pray
We don’t get fooled again
The Stub Collection 
I saw The Who a month before, at the Oakland Coliseum. I also dealt with the crush of getting through the gates for a general admission stadium show, and opted for seats in the stands– and did not want to deal with standing on the open field.
My primary memory is that of the crowd and impossible venue– too big, too many people, too much grabbiness. I remember deeply loving the Talking Heads the June before in a smaller venue.
Who knew that there were so many setlists online?
LikeLike
Talking Heads! Nice. They are a band I was not lucky enough to see, though I did see David Byrne a couple times. Glad you survived the Gen Admin crush of the Who. Cheers!
LikeLike
The Who was my very first concert. It must have been about 1977 or 78. I was hoarse the next day. 🙂
LikeLike
And probably a little deaf too 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really had a blast. I guess you could say it was a rite of initiation. Entwistle on bass seemed like an English mystic or wizard to me. He would fit right in doing a ceremony at Stonehenge!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was there too. And frankly, whatever concert promoter put that threesome together was at fault. I was glad the B-52s were “chased” off. They didn’t belong there!
LikeLike
Yeah, it was not a good fit. Maybe if they played first, it might have been better. Reminds me of how the Grateful Dead was scheduled to play in between The Who and Jimi Hendrix at Monterey. That’s why no one even remembers them playing there – lol.
LikeLike
[…] performance by Joan Jett was quite different from when I saw her open for The Who a year earlier. The Button South was a rock and roll nightclub, so it was much more intimate seeing […]
LikeLike
B-52’S haha..man they got demolished ons stage…telling the crowd the F-Off is not the smartest move either. Great writeup..
Would have loved to caught this show and tour as this is my fave era of the band….
Cool stuff as alway Sir!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah. Florida concert crowds were notorious. Actually, I think the B-52s responded appropriately. They were treated bad.
LikeLiked by 1 person