Date: March 6, 2007
Time: 7:30 pm
Location: Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Seating: Section 3, Row 18, Seats 5 and 6
Let me start by saying Conseco Fieldhouse is a great venue for concert going. I've heard complaints about the sound, but I think that's been worked out since the early shows. (I was at the first show at Conseco, and I thought the sound was fine then, too...but what do I know?) The parking is very accessible, and it took us maybe 2 minutes to get back on 65 after the show was finished.
But anyway...
The night started with an opening act all the way from Canada...
Unfortunately, it wasn't The Guess Who. It wasn't Alanis Morrissette...heck, it wasn't even Bryan Adams...
It was the Tragically Hip, and tragically, we had to sit through their set. Let me give you an overview:
Tragically Hip Reality: Lead singer wants to look cool and sound hip and "college."
Actual Reality: Lead singer is a middle-aged bald guy.
Tragically Hip Reality: Lead singer tries to act cool by grooving on stage.
Actual Reality: Lead singer looks more like his own voice is making him convulse. (oh, and don't get me started on the lead singer pulling a handkerchief from his pocket and throwing it in the air, catching it, and repeating the "dance" like he was magic.)
Tragically Hip Reality: Everybody loves us, we're opening for The Who!!
Actual Reality: I looked around the venue, and I saw THREE people cheering and getting into the show. I kid you not...three people. My friend Dan is in a band, and I asked him later which he would rather do, play to 10,000 people who could care less you were up their, or to 20-30 screaming, dancing fans?
He said 20-30 fans.
After a quick stage change, The Who took the stage. They quickly blasted into "I Can't Explain" complete with Pete Townshend arm swings, and Roger Daltrey swing the microphone around by the chord, wrapping the chord around his body, and proceeding to fling the microphone in the air, and catch it (are you taking notes Tragically Hip? this is way, WAY cooler than the hankie dance!!.)
The band then ripped through a solid mix of new songs, and old favorites. The Who made good on both songs I truly wanted to hear, Baba O' Riley and My Generation. they also had the crowd roaring on Who Are You, Won't Get Fooled Again, Behind Blue Eyes, and the crowd favorite, You Better, You Bet which Townshend remarked before they began to play, that "This is a song about f*%&ing."
What a funny guy, that Pete Townshend is!
Being in Section 3 is truly the best place to be for a concert (unless you want to spend 1500 bucks for front row seats, which we did not). We sat there for Elton John a few years back, and it was so great, I knew lighting was about to strike twice when I pulled these seats for The Who. As you can see in the chart below, we were pretty darn close.
Over all, the show rocked. Daltrey, at 63, looked like he was in his 40's, and sounded crisp (except on Behind Blue Eyes...where his voice strained a bit.) And, after hitting the primal scream in Won't Get Fooled Again, he was still able to sing a ballad to end the show...pretty incredible.
Townshend, at 61, looked...well, 61. BUT, that was just because of his grey hair donut (and during one song, he put these ancient headphones on to play the song...that looked like an old guy move, but because of his hearing loss, I understand). On stage, he was a MANIAC, jumping around, wailing his arms, joking with the crowd and playing non-stop for two solid hours.
The one thing I didn't like was the fact that Daltrey and Townshend were at the front of the stage, and the rest of the band (Pino Palladino on bass, Simon Townshend...Pete's brother, on guitar, Zak Starkey...Ringo's son, on drums, and John "Rabbit" Bundrick on keyboards) were pushed, in a line, towards the back. I know, these aren't original Who members, but still.
After the last number, the crowd roared for more, which is customary in any concert situation. The Who came back out and played an amazing 5 or 6 more songs on the encore. They busted through a lot of songs from the Rock Opera Tommy, including Pinball Wizard and See Me Feel Me. While Townshend didn't shatter any guitars, Daltrey did demolish 2 or 3 tamborines during the encore. They ended the show by clearing out the rest of the band and playing a soft acoustic song called Tea and Theater, which was a tribute to The Who's fallen bandmates, Keith Moon, who died in 1978, and John Entwistle, who died in 2002.
The two thanked the audience, and began to walk off stage. Being in Section 3, we were right next to where they had to go to exit the stage. Daltrey quickly went down the stairs, but Pete stopped to look up at our section. When he did, I raised my hands up over my head, and being taller than the people in my section, my hands went the highest. As soon as I raised my hands up, Pete pointed in my direction, and waved. I swear he waved at me...I swear!!
Overall, a great night...
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