2 Apr 2025

Teenage Cancer Trust Shows: Sunday 30 March 2025

30 Mar 2025 – Royal Albert Hall, London

OK, we’ve just had two full days off! These are very welcome days off, especially in wonderful London. I’ve traveled a lot in life, largely due to the benefits of our touring lives. So many places and experiences; it’s even hard to remember them all. But with The Who, London is not only core to the story, it’s home past and present for this band, but it is certainly as cosmopolitan as any city in the world. A real melting-pot of cultures, a definite sense of history all around here, while being as-modern as an major city in the arts, fashion, tech, etc. Lots to see and do, and in great weather.

Today, show day, started quite easy. They let us keep maybe half of our equipment set up from the last show, or stored nearby inside the building. And so we didn’t have to unload and unpack everything, as we normally do on show days. So the beginning here is good, and we’re feeling SO much less pressure. After having done one already, we just have to repeat with slight tweaks to make it better. We get done with soundcheck, then it’s time for Level 42 to setup and start their own soundcheck. Their show is better-received tonight, and that’s probably a sign the audience is more warmed up than the previous night.

Video courtesy of Mr Gary Hurley aka the Gazzas

Very early in the show, I started to see something on Pete’s guitar, when it appeared on the big-screen video display. It looked like blood splatter – and indeed it was. At the next change, he has guitar tech Simon Law helping him cut off a lifted-up fingernail. Within a moment, the missus (Rachel Fuller Townshend) was bringing more bandages and water, plus guitar tech Simon with restorative potions to help numb the pain. Soon after, Pete joked he was “in agony” – then said, no, not true; he was fine basically. Roger joked “Was it something I said?” “Nothing you’ve said has even caused me agony, Rog.” Pete explains, “but maybe some things that you did…” (laughing from both, they seem to be in a good mood already.)

During the finger issues, Roger tells the story of the Detours van, parked outside his flat in Wandsworth. How they’d painted their name and an arrow in glossy paint, trying to be cool and professional. It was his time to struggle with marriage – which he could not make work once the band were rolling. He proclaims he maintained a good relationship with his ex and son since then. I believe it – he’s a good-hearted man through and through, always caring.

As an example; Pete says how he’s proud to return again and again to these TCT shows, especially with Roger’s legacy to make it happen. “It earned him a knighthood, which he doesn’t care about!” Roger exclaimed that he was just doing his job, and the awards should go instead to the teens fighting cancer and the workers who help them. Yes!

Pete sees a crowd seated up next to the huge pipe organ behind the stage. “Did you pay extra for that shitty view?” Roger answers quickly “They paid extra to look at my ass!” Pete says, “what ass? You don’t have one!” These are my favorite bits during our shows, never to be repeated, just spontaneous thoughts at this moment.

Pete pulls out the chair for the next one, explaining he’s still feeling the affects of the surgery; more likely the meds to maintain in the meanwhile. “I need to take a break now and then. But I usually sit for ‘Behind Blue Eyes’ anyway, so this is good.”

“I’m having trouble hearing” exclaims Rog between two songs. “I don’t know what I’m listening to . . .” “You’re listening to The Who!” Pete informs him. “I think I’m listening to The Troggs!” is Roger’s great answer. However, this brings up a point, highly relevant tonight. Roger’s an instinctive guy, musically. He’s not so concerned with G-minor-7th or bars/measures of music at the end of a section. He feels it. It’s how he judges things, and he’s usually right when the feel isn’t correct. Yet this also means he can’t describe what’s wrong in what he feels/hears; it’s basic statements like “I don’t know what I’m listening to” that are accurate, but hard for someone to adjust for him. Does that mean less of the instruments, more of a certain one, brighter drum sound, etc. It’s the same basic sound we had at soundcheck and yet something is off that throws him off. Believe me, many days have been spent trying to figure it out. Sometimes it’s an issue like too much rumble from the drums and bass, or too much of Pete’s guitar as that can be unpredictable and wild. So – we wonder and struggle trying to find solutions.

‘The Real Me’ is up next, and just like the night before Roger starts it with that bold first line “Can you see the real me . . .” and nobody else is quite ready. They fight along until it all fails at Chorus 1: “Sorry, I was just wiping my nose” Pete jokes, and it’s easily restarted with everyone ready. Weird moment, but this band does take it all very casually, whereas other shows would be mortified. Sadly, it doesn’t continue well, what we all call another “train wreck”: Somewhere at the end section, Roger’s lost the line, and so over the final chords, Pete starts to sing bits, “Can you see the real me, doctor” but he does ‘doctor’ then ‘mother’ (‘mother’ is always Roger’s cue to the band that he’s done and they should finish). But Pete sings this early (skipping the preacher segment), throwing the band off a little and it train wrecks further. At this point, there is something feeling off about the evening.

This is actually, though not announced, part of a Quadrophenia set we built into the show. At rehearsals, we’d been tasked with cutting down the setlist to aim for a 90-minute length, hoping that would help us sustain a touring show for the coming year. When we did it, Pete was astonished to find there was only one Quad song in that set (‘Love Reign O’er Me’). What about ‘5:15’, ‘The Real Me’, ‘The Punk and the Godfather’, or ‘I’ve Had Enough’ (Roger’s choice)? We told him we’d considered all, but leaned instead to famous hits (of course) or more Roger-friendly songs like ‘The Seeker’ and ‘The Kids Are Alright’. We had to cut out ‘Join Together’, ‘Amazing Journey’/’Sparks’, a bunch of great things, trying to make it fit – there are SO many songs, that we actually have over three hours of playable tunes. And we can only use half of those. So this is our concession to Pete’s favourite album: we extended the show length by ten more minutes just to include the Quad set and, of course, we don’t mind. Still, the point was to make the shows smooth and clear, no issues of wearing out singers or band members. (With one small addition at the end, our show does indeed go back to two hours length; not helping matters for the future.)

Pete starts ‘Eminence Front’ with a warning. When he saw it next on the setlist, he said something kinda negative; “Oh f***!” – then he explained that one of the issues with his present state is trouble breathing. So singing this one ought to be a challenge. “I might gasp my way through this, forgive me if I don’t get it right.” But he does – fairly well. Some cool guitar work, which is a hallmark of this one. Having guitar improvisational moments is something that we always look forward to. Another happens during the ‘Cry If You Want’ part of ‘My Generation’, an actual free jam, which produces some nice unexpected bits.

‘The Real Me’ wasn’t the only song we started over again. Some of these pieces had a rough beginning, so at least three others were start-stop-start again. Now and then, that’s refreshing actually. But at some point, frustration sets in. After a nice big moment of ‘You Better You Bet’ (where nothing ever seems to go wrong! Roger says this one is “on rails” and never goes off!) We have a big ‘Baba O’Riley’ and ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’, classic Who stuff, absolutely gems for any band on a live stage. Pete thanks everyone and says how great it is to be able to do this. A “Black Swan” means a rarity, and he explains how coming from a little pub band in this town, to having a hit would already be a Black Swan situation. But to continue on (“mainly by just not dying!”) is even more rare than can be imagines. He says that someone leaked the fact that we’d been rehearsing ‘The Song Is Over’ – likely the first time on a Who stage (both have done it solo, I think.) We have a suspicion how the information is leaking, but not sure. It was one of the secrets I’d been keeping back here, hoping it would make the show. Roger called for it to be tried again during the band soundcheck today,  a good indication he also wanted it in the show. It came out well enough during rehearsal; it’s never quite perfect, but this is a new song for their live shows, and all take time to grow and feel right. Roger is, incredibly, hitting it effortlessly, and it’s not an easy one just to sing.

However, once again – this falls apart midway, not just at the beginning. Roger’s been frustrated with something, as he sometimes is, and unable to find his place a few times. This time, he’s very serious as it’s a critical moment; however, he is convinced to give it one more try – and he does well, maybe the only time we’ll ever get to hear this one as it is. Maybe!? The crowd LOVE it tho, especially as he’s singing so well – astounding. It’s a great rescue after a sticky situation – and all comes out so well in the end. Roger is pretty amazing. I’ve been with them almost 25 years now and he is actually better now than when I started.

Video courtesy of the Gazzas, front row centre as always

Speaking of 25: TCT (the Teenage Cancer Trust) has been running for 25 years now! A long run already and hopefully to continue forever. It’s why we’re here – to raise money and awareness for this situation. As Roger always said, The Who were built by and for teenagers; always supported by those in their adolescent ages. 44 million pounds have been raised so far and many many people have had benefits to their lives from this. It’s great to be part of such a legacy, and regardless of The WHO situations – it may continue their mark long after their live era is done.

Onward! See you in . . . Italy!?

Tonight’s Set List

I Can’t Explain
Substitute
Who Are You
The Kids Are Alright
Bargain
Pinball Wizard
Love Ain’t for Keeping
The Seeker
Behind Blue Eyes
The Real Me
5:15
I’m One
Love, Reign O’er Me
My Generation which segued into . . .
Cry If You Want which segued into . . .
See Me, Feel Me / Listening To You
Eminence Front
You Better You Bet
Baba O’Riley
Won’t Get Fooled Again
The Song Is Over