On March 1, 2024 Mercury Studio will release the official audio of the previously released DVD/Blu-Ray package of The Who Live at Shea Stadium. The band at the time consisted of Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, the “Ox” John Entwistle and Kenny Jones on drums. The tour was to support the album It’s Hard. The album did mark the end of an incredible run of Platinum albums as it achieved only Gold status. To listen to the album the Who showed no signs of a band on any decline. As popular radio transitioned to my pop-friendly sounds, the Who waved their “Long Live Rock” flag proudly and bombastically.
There’s no denying from the opening chords of “Substitute” that the Who packed this set full of hits. But unlike many tours these days, they played “Cry If You Want”, “Dangerous”, “It’s Hard” and “Eminence Front” from the latest records. New musid live, go figure. They also mixed in “The Quiet One” from Face Dances which preceded It’s Hard.
Are there the classics? Absolutely. Imagine having a catalog of hits so deep that you can play “Baba O’Riley” less than halfway into your set? Thousands of bands would kill to have that as the apex they could close a set with. The Who can stick it anywhere because they still have “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, “Pinball Wizard”, “Long Live Rock” or countless other show stoppers. A real highlight was “Love Reign O’er Me”. The power Roger puts forth in the vocals is beyond words.
After all those hits, they had such fun with “I Saw Her Standing There” from the Beatles, “Summertime Blues” which The Who made their own (originally Blue Cheer) and the finally of “Twist and Shout” which both the Isley Brothers and the Bealtes had massive hits with. Walking out of Shea that October night in 1982, a Who fan could not have asked for me.
The album is available on 3 LP vinyl or 2 CD’s here. The video is available on DVD, Blu-Ray or Streaming.
2-CD SET
CD1
1. Substitute
2. I Can’t Explain
3. Dangerous
4. Sister Disco
5. The Quiet One
6. It’s Hard
7. Eminence Front
8. Behind Blue Eyes
9. Baba O’Riley
10. I’m One
11. The Punk And The Godfather
12. Drowned
13. Tattoo
14. Cry If You Want
CD2
1. Who Are You
2. Pinball Wizard
3. See Me Feel Me
4. Love Reign O’er Me
5. Long Live Rock
6. Won’t Get Fooled Again
7. Young Man Blues
8. Naked Eye
9. I Saw Her Standing There
10. Summertime Blues
11. Twist And Shout