The Who at the Royal Albert Hall

The Who’s Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend have had an extensive history together: between being credited as the creators of rock opera and influencing other legends like Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix and Queen, they have reached the untouchable status of classic rock’s founding fathers. Although it has been nearly 60 years since My Generation graced record stores worldwide, The Who returned to play at the Royal Albert Hall on 18^th March 2024 in support of Teenage Cancer Trust.

After a set by Squeeze, anticipation was high: the promise of seeing one of the most iconic rock groups of all time is quite a nail-biting and rapid foot-tapping feeling. As the lights dimmed, chatter was hushed and Teenage Cancer Trust representatives took the stage to explain their cause and to express their thanks to, not only The Who and Squeeze but every attendee for saving the lives of young cancer patients across the UK through each ticket purchased. After introducing The Who, cheers erupted from the venue.

The duo was joined by their usual band – drummer Zak Starkey, backing vocalist Billy Nicholls, guitarist Simon Townshend, keyboardist Loren Gold and bassist Jon Button – who helped to recreate the magic of The Who just as it sounded decades prior. They also had their own impressive orchestra as support, thus making their esteemed rock opera aesthetic and instrumentals triple in power. 

The show kicked off with I Can’t Explain. Similarly to other orchestrally supported numbers throughout the night, the song had a theatrical feel that gave it a completely different sound from any studio recording. The strings and horn players performed with gusto, ensuring to play each note with the same precision and care, whilst also maintaining the track’s original classic charm. Overture then allowed the orchestra and percussion to shine on their own beautifully, which led into a slew of other Tommy hits like Amazing Journey, Sparks, Pinball Wizard and We’re Not Gonna Take It. The internal struggle among fans was prominent on faces across the crowd: to record or to not record. A few heads were carefully taping the legendary moment while others were dancing carelessly as though this was just another Woodstock. 

Who Are You followed, and the energy from ever-popular classics like Pinball Wizard surged. Phones were whipped out as soon as Townshend performed his famed windmill strum and Daltrey wildly swung his microphone around with its cord. Eminence Front wrapped up this first act of the set wonderfully and groovily. The orchestra then left, but the band had just gotten warmed up.

The majority of The Who’s discography are considered hits, but in this band-centric second part of the show, they played seven back-to-back: The Kids Are Alright, You Better You Bet, Substitute, My Generation, Cry If You Want, Won’t Get Fooled Again and Behind Blue Eyes, which had support from cellist Audrey Snyder and lead violinist Katie Jacoby. Although there were minor setbacks from Daltrey and Townshend who continuously cracked jokes about their age, this section was filled with “oldies, but goodies”, as Daltrey said, and the crowd laughed alongside them regardless of any false starts or mistakes.

The full orchestra returned for the last leg of the show and the overall theatrics grew as each track built off of one another. The Real Me, I’m One and 5:15 continued the horns-based sound, but The Rock made for a dramatic and emotional turn. The tune played alongside a short film of curated historical clips; the group played beautifully as each moment throughout the 20^th and 21^st centuries flipped through the big screen. Gold then played Love Reign O’er Me as a gorgeous transition into the final moments of the gig.

Baba O’Riley rounded out the night, of course, and each section of the orchestra enhanced the magic of the beloved tune; Jacoby returned for her own take on the song’s famed outro. She danced along the stage with a smile on her face, playing perfectly whilst having the time of her life.

Overall, no matter how much time passes, The Who will remain an important piece of music history that all should experience. Daltrey and Townshend’s vocals still sound as they did 60 years ago, and although the band has seen many forms throughout time, they still maintain their essence. The Who will return to the Royal Albert Hall on 20^th March for their final support for the Teenage Cancer Trust 2024 live lineup and will surely put on a show as memorable as this.

Taryn Crowley
Photos: John Stead

For further information and future events visit The Who’s website here.

Watch the video for the single The Story of The Who here: