The Who at the Hollywood Bowl Nov. 4,2006

Anjoli and I walked for about 10 minutes to the Hollywood Bowl. You could feel the excitement in the air...people were blasting the Who from their cars...lots of smiling faces (lots of OLD faces!! hee hee not ME!!). Usually there are more kids at Who shows - I would say the age range was from late teens to mid 60s.

We walked to our seats and I was relieved to see that the Pretenders did not open. I would have been beside myself if I missed them! It was Rose Hill Drive - they were finishing their last song. They are not my cup of tea - sorry. It just sounded like noise to me. I did enjoy their acoustic sets on In the Attic though.

I thought our seats would be a bit closer, but we (only!) paid $100 per ticket. Still, the big screens were close on the left so...it was fine. I was just thrilled to be there. Anjoli was a bit reluctant - she thought she'd get BORED! HA! Little did she know what excitement was in store for her.

The Who came out and started, as usual, with I Can't Explain. Anjoli was completely mesmerized - she was blown away by the projections and the lights...which were BEAUTIFUL and hypnotizing. We both danced to every song (with the exception of the slower ones of course). We sat next to an older couple who pretty much sat through the entire show. I have to say that I was the most excited fan in our section - singing every word (but not too loud I know how annoying that can be) including all the new material.
I think the highlight for me was "Fragments." The projections on the screens were surreal and really complemented the song - I can still see Pino against the image of the sea ( I think that was during Fragments). I LOVED how Roger pointed to the audience :"parts of me belong to you (points) and you (points)..."

Roger told the audience that he is the biggest Pete Townshend fan...he loves to celebrate Pete's genius. No one can interpret Pete (well besides Pete) like Roger. Roger looked like he had been WAITING for so long for new material - you could feel his joy and love for the Who and Pete.
PETE was absolutely on fire. I can't tell you how elated it makes me to see Pete so happy. You could tell that he and Roger were not just going through the motions. Their energy, stamina, their raw power, their love for life and music and yes, the fans...it was palpable. I have never felt so connected to any artists as I did at this show. Really.
I didn't take ONE second of that concert for granted. I get teary (I am now) thinking about it. At one point I was thinking, "WHAT have I done to deserve all this?" I kept thinking of the magical ride I have been on with Rachel, Pete, blogging, In the Attic...the wonderful people I have met through Blogger and ITA...in a way it is a sort of realization of Pete's premise that music is a means of bringing people together, a chance to celebrate and forget the day to day hassles...and I do believe Pete's words from "Mirror Door" - that "music makes me strong." I don't know where or who I would be without it.

At one point Anjoli and I went to get dinner. While waiting I was chatting with a man - he was saying how he wished Pete would perform some of his solo work. I asked him if he had ever watched In the Attic. He said he had heard about it, but he hadn't ever watched it. Ok so Sue naturally goes OFF and blabs on and on about it. When he could finally get a word in edgewise, he looked deep into my eyes and said "You are REALLY a Who fan!"


I enjoyed every song, but I especially loved the Tommy medley.. I was zoning out on the visuals when Anjoli said "did you see that Pete jump Mommy? That was the BEST ONE yet!!" I missed it, darn.

I have to say, as Chris Capp did, that Simon adds SO much to the show. I was cheering when the camera caught him - his vocals and "guitaring" (hee hee that's what my husband's Indian friends say) are bleeping fantastic. His contribution is vital, I think. Zak was tremendous, and I could hear Pino better this time around! I forgot who Rabbit's replacement (techie man) was - but he did a bang up job as well. I was sad that Rabbit wasn't there though (still praying for his wife, Sue).


After the show, I heard one aged (!) hippy in a tan fringe jacket lecture his old lady: "people talk about Bono...but Townshend...he's a CREATOR - a revolutionary." {sorry I wrote that on Rachel's blog but it bears repeating!}

Amazingly, we bumped into bloggers MarkT and Jill, whom we had met for the first time the night before. Turns out they had been sitting not too far from us. Well, there you go. THAT'S synchronicity for ya. Out of 20,000 plus people we met again? I don't believe in accidents.
Mark was telling me how he saw the Who in London in the 60s...aw man - how lucky can you get! I always said I was born 10 years too late!

Then...another coincidence...I bumped into the guy I sat next to at Rachel's Barnes and Noble performance the night before! We didn't chat the night before, but we talked for a bit then...he told me he was in a band with a former Jethro Tull member...I forgot the name of his band though. Oh well.

Anjoli's only complaint was - THEY DIDN'T PLAY SUBSTITUTE!!
They DID add it to the next night's playlist though...

Here it is:



Anjoli loves to leap like Pete!