The Who carry out at Madison Sq. Backyard in New York in September 1979, simply after the Passaic, NJ exhibits. Photograph: Richard E. Aaron/Redferns
On September 10 and 11, 1979, Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, and John Entwistle received on stage in New Jersey, seemed behind them and, for the primary time at an American gig, they didn’t see Keith Moon. On the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, The Who performed their first US concert events since Moon The Loon’s demise the 12 months earlier than.
The band’s beloved drummer had died in September 1978, from an overdose of the drugs he was taking to fight alcoholism. The very subsequent day, his bandmates vowed to proceed and had been in manufacturing with the Quadrophenia film earlier than the tip of the month. In January 1979, they introduced former Faces and Small Faces drummer Kenney Jones as Keith’s substitute, and in Could, he joined Pete, Roger and John on stage on the Rainbow in London.
As Quadrophenia was launched that summer time, The Who performed their greatest ever UK present, at Wembley Stadium. Then it was time to hit the highway within the States for the Who Are You tour, which started in New Jersey, earlier than 5 straight nights at Madison Sq. Backyard in New York.
The gigs in Passaic blended songs from the album they’d launched simply earlier than Moon’s demise, together with the title observe and hit single “Who Are You,” alongside a bunch of Who favorites. On the September 11 present, additionally they performed the brand new music “You’ve Got Rock ‘n’ Roll.”
The encore that evening started with one other Who Are You observe, “Music Must Change,” adopted by their celebrated cowl of the Eddie Cochran rock‘n’roll staple “Summertime Blues.” There have been additionally variations of Bo Diddley’s “Road Runner,” a snippet of “Pictures Of Lily,” an uncommon run at Free’s “Alright Now,” and at last, from deep of their blues roots, Jimmy Reed’s “Big Boss Man.”
“I loved playing with the new Who,” wrote Townshend in his autobiography Who I Am. “I was able to stretch out a lot more, play more single-note solos and my playing quickly got better. I was drinking on stage, but as long as I kept moving I’d stay in good shape.”
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