30 May 2022

The Who Hits Back! Tour: Bethel Woods Center For The Arts, Bethel, NY, 28 May 2022

From one garden in Manhattan on Thursday night to another garden further upstate. We are at the Bethel Woods Center For The Arts in beautiful Bethel, New York. Bethel Woods is set on the site of the 1969 Woodstock Music and Arts Fair, held on 15-18 August 1969 on Max Yasgur’s farm. Both Pete and Roger have appeared here – Roger as recent as June 2018 and Pete in August 1998, but the two of them as The Who, not since the early hours of Sunday 17 August 1969 when they and Keith and John took the stage at Woodstock. It was truly great to be back. Tonight was the last date on the first leg of The Who Hits Back! Tour 2022. Our special guest tonight was Willie Nile.

THE WOODSTOCK MUSEUM

First thing you have to do when you get here is to take a look around the museum they have set up devoted to those few days back in August 1969 when the Woodstock Music and Art Fair was held here.

Michael Lang, who along with John Roberts and Joel Rosenman organised the festival

Many of these times didn’t run to schedule. The Who were supposed to take the stage on the Saturday night at 11.15pm but didn’t go on until 5.00am the following morning

Richie Havens’ kaftan and beads, his guitar and hand-written set list from 1969

THE WHO SET UP SATURDAY 28 MAY 2022

Note: Hmm, must learn to spell Bethel and Orchestra!

Brian Kehew (left) meets his friend Ira Stone. Back in 1969 Ira played guitar at Woodstock, accompanying Bert Sommer in his set on Friday 15 August

Our Lighting Director and Master of All Things Who, Tom Kenny (centre) met up with his namesake, actor Tom Kenny (right) who you will know as the voice of Spongebob Squarepants and on the left, comedian Bobcat Goldthwait