Pete Townshend performed a rare solo set last weekend at a pre-Grammy party to celebrate music publisher Primary Wave Music’s 20th Anniversary. The event took place at the elegant ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills on January 31, the night before the 2026 Grammy Awards.
He joined a star-studded lineup that included John Mellencamp, Trombone Shorty, CeeLo Green, Leo Sayer, Cisco Adler, Grandmaster Flash, and Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott and Phil Collen.
Pete put together a small band of musicians for the show, which included Jon Button on bass, Brian Kehew on keyboards, and Jeremy Stacey on drums. A couple of the players were very familiar with his music, as they have worked with Pete before. Jon Button has performed bass with The Who for the past few tours, and Brian Kehew has been the bands keyboard tech for years. This was likely the first time Pete had played with Jeremy Stacey, a British born session drummer who has played with many legendary musicians over the years.
They played a short but powerful six-song set: Let My Love Open the Door, Pinball Wizard, Behind Blue Eyes, I’m One, Magic Bus, and Won’t Get Fooled Again. Pete was in a great mood throughout the performance, and had some funny banter which is always a highlight of his shows.
During Magic Bus Pete told the story, “You are starting to understand what this song’s about. I was 17 when I wrote it. I’d never had sex, and I did have some weed. I think I had an apartment in London having a party on my own, pretending I was a heroin addict or something. But I wanted a bus, and I wanted a girlfriend. And I conflated the two into this song.”
Before the show, Pete posed for a few photos on the red carpet.
Many thanks to Tina Fasbender for letting us share her lovely photos from the event!
Photo credit: Tina Fasbender
Photo credit: Tina Fasbender
