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Elly Roberts reviews
The Who – Then and Now: 
- The Who: 10/10
- The Coral: 8/10
- The View: 4/10
- Festival overall: 10/10
Despite the appalling weatheron the final leg of Saturday night, thousands of excited revelers went ga gaas the heavens opened when The Who took to the stage at 9pm.
Greeted like long-lost heroes, lean looking Pete Townsend and Roger Daltrey (right)beamed with delight at playing the inaugural Knowsley Hall Music Festival.After Daltreys sip of refreshment (tea, methinks), the band launched intotheir near two hour set with their first top ten hit in 1965, I Cant Explain, which kick started the rain drenched party.
Soaking wet and undeterred, fans threw themselves into the spirit of theoccasion with lumi-sticks flying all over the place. From the off, Townsendand Daltrey did their customary pouting and strutting: Pete gave them histrademark windmill enough times to keep them all happy, while drummer ZakStarkey (Ringos son who turned down the chance of being a full-time memberlast year), Petes brother Simon on guitar, former Free keyboardist JohnRabbit Bundrick and bassist Pino Palladino kept things nice and tight atthe back.
The Seeker and Anyway Anyhow Anywhere they went forFragments from last album Endless Wire, which was well received.
“Good evening. Thank you for coming. Its good to be here. I think itsbetter than Glastonbury”, Townsend said about the weather. The atmospherekicked up an extra gear when Daltrey asked the crowd, “Who are you?… Who,who, who are you?”, as the band threw themselves into the 1978 hit witharchive footage running on the screens behind them.
Good Looking Boy was introduced with Daltrey saying, “This is whogot me into this: Elvis.” as a huge black and white image of the Kinghung above the band. Barbara Riley upped the lighting effects. Daltrey hitthe harmonica. Townsend did the posturing. Then from 1973 we got a thumpingRelay.
The crowd certainly enjoyed the show.
Dipping once again into Endless Wire, Man In A Purple Dress, Townsendssong influenced by Mel Gibsons The Passion Of The Christ lowered thedin, just for a while. With the arrival of My Generation (a seriouslyextended and most welcomed version), and the booze sinking freely, mud madnessbroke out in the guest area stage left: dives, somersaults, rugby tacklesaplenty.
“Why dont you all f-f-f-f-fade away”, helped by the crowd at feverpitch, never sounded so brilliant. The harder the band played, the more thefans went for it. The biggest cheer of the night rang out for the intro ofa magnificent version of Wont Get Fooled Again while Daltrey slowmarched alone with mic aloft, before he embarked on bouts of mic swingingwith the reinforced white strapping taking the strain.
Mimicking Townsend (right), air-guitarists could be seen everywhere with multiplerotating images flanking the entire band. Main set done, our Pete thankedthem for staying with them as the rain finally stopped. A quick band bowprefixed The Kids Are Alright, which seemed appropriate.
With Tommy images on show, rapid strumming signaled a full-length PinballWizard. Zak was pounding harder than ever. Rog went for a twin tambourinebashing routine while Pete indulged in some exhilarating solos. Closing the20-song set (6 in the encore) it was just the magnificent pair for the genteelT And Theater with Daltrey still clinging to his cuppa. So far TheWhos 2006-2007 tour has apparently grossed $28m, proving whos better, whosbest right now!
A long-shot of the main stage.
The Coral – The Invisible Invasion: Relative local boys The Coral (right) a six-piece from the Wirral once againshowed why theyre in a league of their own. Their often idiosyncratic musicwas a breath of fresh air. Their 14-song set went without a hitch, until onesong towards the set end, In The Rain, seemed to summon the rain gods,as light drops descended.
New single Whos Gonna Find Me a chunky funky slice of modern pop withgorgeous harmonies was aired to great response. Further in Pass It On(from forthcoming album) was a more straight forward and foot-tapping popditty that got the crowd going. Feedback, thumping bass and tribal drumsopened sing-along Remember Me. Dreaming Of You went well too, as didhit single In The Morning and I Remember When with its soaringharmonies.
The Maybes on the MySpace stage.
The View – Hats Off To The Buskers: Belting out songs from hit album Hats Off To The Buskers, Dundeesoverrated but popular The View (right) lead by tousled hair frontman KyleFalconer romped through Superstar Tradesman, Same Jeans and plenty more.Fans, clearly pleased to see and hear the Scottish quartet cheered after everysong, though much of their music left me cold, despite knowing how to play tothe crowd.
Theyre very competent musicians, but this band has a long way to go to provetheyre worthy of the current accolades. They were however, perfect fodderfor this type of event.
NOTE: To purchase a copy of The Whos performance at Knowsley, log on tothemusic.comand click link The Who 2007.
The Who at their best.
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.