Videos
I Can't Explain / The Seeker
I Can't Explain
The Seeker
Who Are You
Who Are You
Who Are You
Who Are You
The Kids Are Alright
I Can See for Miles
My Generation / Cry If You Want
My Generation / Cry If You Want
My Generation / Cry If You Want
Behind Blue Eyes
Join Together
Love Reign O'er Me
Amazing Journey
Pinball Wizard / See Me Feel Me
Pinball Wizard / See Me Feel Me
Baba O'Riley
Baba O'Riley
Won't Get Fooled Again
Press
Publimetr
T13
Sonar
Emol
Culto
Cooperativa
El Periodico
Culto
El Observador
Review by Tim Herrlinger
Santiago, Chile was thrilled to have The Who appear for the first time. Duke Cassidy got in line before noon and Glen Parker and I arrived at 1:00 PM. After the gates opened, we ended up about 3-4 rows from the rail on Pete's side, next to the long, central “tongue” sticking out from the main stage. The artists will be about 10 feet above us and better not fall.
Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown opened the first day of the Santiago Rock City festival. The four lads hail from Nashville, Tennessee and their 45 minute set was energetic and fun. But the crowd was there to see The Who and Guns 'N Roses. While the vast majority of festivalgoers were quite young, many had waited decades to see The Who, and their anticipation was palpable.
The same pre-show graphics were shown on the main screen while the tour staff members busily shifted equipment on stage in preparation for The Who's performance. I always look forward to seeing the tongue-in-cheek words "Keep Calm...Here Comes The Who" which signals the imminent entry of the band before every show. This time we got "Guarden La Calma. Aqui viene The Who".
The Who came on and the crowd was joyous. I can't imagine having to wait a lifetime to see a band that spoke to me personally. Rather than opening with three standard 60s classics, we got I Can't Explain and The Seeker, followed by Who Are You. Then the photographers in the pit area exited and we have much better sight lines.
Pete dedicates the next song, The Kids Are Alright, to a Chilean musician and political activist, Victor Jara. Jara supported communist Chilean president Salvador Allende, who was succeeded by dictator Augusto Pinochet. Be forewarned that when you speak to Google and ask to identify “Jara – Pinochet”, the result is "your penis shaft". I adore Pete’s banter, but this dedication seemed forced, pandering to the Chilean crowd.
During TKAA, Pete executes a nice scissor jump (one of two he does tonight). He’s 11 years older than me and I’m not sure I could accomplish that feat, much less with an electric guitar in my hands. Next up is I Can See for Miles and the fans are excited. I notice that Estadio Monumental David Arellano (capacity 47,000) looks to be 7/8 full.
Much to my dissatisfaction, the young men around us have decided it’s time to create a mosh pit. We get slammed from multiple directions and I can no longer take photos. The Who play My Generation and all hell breaks loose. The key instigators of the mosh pit are now pogoing vertically and sideways. My right flank is exposed to the craziness and their sweat is now mine as the collisions continue.
My Generation morphs to Cry If You Want and I’m relieved to think that the lower energy will make things safer for everyone. Wrong. Now the guys are crowd surfing, falling, and it’s getting dangerous since we were already squeezed up front.
During a brief lull between songs, the crowd begins chanting in unison. At soccer games in Chile, the fans shout "Olé, olé, olé, olé, Chi-le, Chi-le!" to cheer on their team. This evening we get “"Olé, olé, olé, olé, The Who!” and I extol their passion. Behind Blue Eyes takes off and the crowd is cheering. When Roger begins with “Out here in the fields…”, I’m shocked by the unity with which the masses deliver lyrics in English. They may not know the meaning of every word, but they can sing the song precisely.
Join Together is well-received and I’m enjoying it so much that I get inspired to take a selfie with my mate Glen. I almost never do that, but I want to remember this South American experience. Duke’s squished a few people over and unfortunately can’t make it into the photo.
You Better You Bet starts and gets huge cheers. During this song a woman to my left is taken over the rail and she’s carried out on a stretcher. She’s conscious and looks OK. Hopefully nothing’s wrong except for exhaustion or some other minor malady. The temperature is 74 ºF with a slight overcast and light breeze. Thankfully it’s not sweltering.
I’m One is followed by Love Reign O’er Me. I look quizzically at Duke and he’s just as puzzled as me. He yells, “truncated set”. As the song progresses, Roger eventually loads his mouth with water and we get a full spit, neck back, highlighted by the stage lights, water projecting high into the air. Roger nails the word “Love” with a perfect scream and I’m simultaneously happy for him and proud of my singer.
After LROM, Pete is genuinely concerned about the fans and asks the crowd “Are you OK?” He immediately repeats this twice more while looking at different parts of the front sections. The masses start the “Olé” chant in unison again. Roger smiles, shakes his head, and makes a wanking motion with his right hand.
Amazing Journey and Sparks are visual thrillers. Pete is pounding away at his chords and does not one, but two consecutive birdman poses with a slight pause between. I don’t recall ever seeing Double Birdmen.
During Pinball Wizard, the crowd serenades along again. There’s another crush as people push forward. See Me, Feel Me and Listening to You once again elicit my devotional response as I throw my arm forward and point to Pete every time he sings the word “you”.
The synthesizer for Baba O’Riley begins and the crowd goes wild. The intensity of the patrons is unbelievable and I feel like I’m at a foreign soccer match.
During Won’t Get Fooled Again, someone lights a red flare and it’s burning on the ground in the middle of the throng. Smoke is everywhere and highlighted by the red glow. Thankfully it goes out before it’s thrown or anyone steps on it. In the front, security staff are now passing out cups of water to people near the rail.
Pete moves to the center and slams the top of the neck of his red Stratocaster into the stage floor. Not a smash, but a triumphant statement in The Who’s penultimate show on this tour. After the final sounds of the coda, the night’s performance is over and Chile has been conquered. Pete thanks the other members of the band without naming any individuals and throws in a thank you for Guns ‘N Roses.
Epilogue: Back in my hotel, I see a fan wearing a Who t-shirt getting on the elevator. I attempt to ask in my tortured Spanish what he thought of the show. As we ride up a few floors he tells me in English (far better than my Spanish) that the concert was fantastic. He explains in the most sincere way how he’s such a dedicated Who fan and didn’t care about GNR, simply leaving after The Who’s set. We’re at my floor and we hold the elevator doors open to continue our conversation. My new friend says that he’s waited his whole life to see The Who live and now his dream came true. I shake his hand and choke back tears as I say good-bye. He’s one of us.
Review by Glen Parker
I really enjoyed this concert. I was a little teary at times as this one will probably be my last.
Roger was perfect. Pete was almost perfect. At the beginning Pete’s arm twirls sometimes looked a little awkward, but as he warmed up he began looking young again I particularly enjoyed Pete’s 2 successful leaps. They were good and he knew it as he seemed happy after them. He also tried standing on the monitor speakers but looked unsteady and reversed down quickly.
Overall, Roger and Pete hit there own respective notes perfectly. This may really not be the case, but they did for me.
The crowd was difficult to deal with the pogoing and the squeeze. Being within 2 metres of the front railing made it difficult with the crowd surging and surfing. At one point, a flare went off, a very distressed girl was lifted over the railing and taken away on a stretcher. It was strange to be in a crowd of non english speakers that knew all the words to all the songs. The crowd loved The Who.
A young pickpocket got some of my riches out of a plastic bag I was holding. I was so upset to lose 2 bread rolls and one of Tim’s muffins.
I was disappointed and relieved when they finished because legs were beginning to tire from holding the crowd back.
Overall, one of the great concerts for me. I’m just sad that it was probably my last.