The Who brought their ‘Moving On’ Tour to the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre last night with the help of special guest and Springfield, Missouri natives, The Hillbenders. The ever powerful Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend brought a show packed with sheer talent, and did not disappoint the immense crowd.
The evening started out with a bluegrass opener, The Hillbenders. The Missouri natives not only have great talent seen through original songs like “Lost Your Way” and “Go Away” but they are best known for their bluegrass take on The Who’s Tommy. In the words of Roger Daltrey, “The Hillbenders should win a Grammy. They’re that good.”
From the moment The Who took the stage, it was clear that the crowd was in the presence of true musical greatness. The amphitheatre erupted before a single note played. One of The Who’s greatest works is rock-opera, Tommy, and last night, on the 50th anniversary of the record and accompanied by a full orchestra, Daltrey and Townshend showed just how great Tommy still is. “It’s a Boy” and 1921” sent the crowd back in time. The Who then blew the crowd away with “Amazing Journey,” and after buzzing anticipation, the audience erupted as “Pinball Wizard” rang out into the night. The lights flickered along with the strumming of Townshend’s guitar, helping audience members feel the intensity.
The night swelled on as The Who took on hit after hit, finishing the first part of the night with a rendition of “Join Together” that included The Blues Stanley Cup Finals visuals and a bellowing chant of “Let’s Go BLUES!”
The show then bled into a segment including “Behind Blue Eyes” accompanied by a single cellist and violinist, and a beautiful acoustic version of “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” Daltrey and Townshend then took a moment to talk to the crowd about their newest album due later this year- their first in 13 years.
The orchestra joined the band once again for the third and final segment of the set, which amped up the rock with songs like “The Punk and the Godfather” and red, blue, and white lights that strobed through the audience as Daltrey performed his signature mic swing. The adrenaline continued to elevate as the show began to wrap up with Daltrey belting out “Love, Reign O’er Me.” It was a moment between one of the greatest bands of all time and the St. Louis audience as the crowd echoed along to the words of the chorus. The crowd erupted as the first few notes of “Baba O’Riley” played out, and the band brought the night to a perfect close, singing out the words of the rock anthem.
For each and every audience member, it was truly an honor to watch The Who perform. Pete Townshend is one of the strongest guitarists in the world, and Roger Daltrey’s vocals and performance quality are unmatchable. After 55 years, it’s remarkable how utterly gifted The Who was, and still is. This is a band that has made musical history.
