Oct 27

Oct 27 Show Review: The Who Hit Back With Stunning Full Orchestra in San Jose

The Who
w/ Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs
SAP Center
San Jose, CA
October 24th, 2022

Photos and Review by Jared Stossel

At this point in their career, what more can be said about The Who? They’re one of rock’s finest acts, and their contributions to the genre can be felt decades after their 1964 inception. Vocalist Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend are still carrying the torch, burning brightly as they hit city after city and performing some of the most anthemic songs in all of music history. This past Monday night, the legendary rock act found themselves performing to a thrilled crowd in San Jose, CA for their current run dubbed The Who Hits Back. This time around, the band are being joined by members of the symphony orchestra at each tour stop, elevating some of their biggest songs to new heights with beautiful arrangements.

The show kicked off with a single opener, Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs. The acclaimed guitarist has recorded with the likes of Stevie Nicks and Bob Dylan, and was a longtime member of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, recording and performing with the late singer-songwriter for nearly fifty years. Campbell’s rock act takes inspiration from the over-driven rock of the sixties like Led Zeppelin and The Kinks, and they did an excellent job warming up the crowd (the band played a headlining performance at the San Francisco’s iconic Fillmore the following night).

A short while after, The Who took the stage for an enthralling three-part performance, the first section featuring selections like “Pinball Wizard”, “Who Are You”, and “Ball and Chain” performed with the accompaniment of an expansive orchestra. Despite having done this for so long, Daltrey and Townshend look in great spirits, with Townshend even throwing in a few of his signature “windmill” guitar stances to the delight of fans. After about nine songs, the orchestra took a brief recess as the band played a selection of tracks like “Naked Eye” and “Another Tricky Day”. The iconic synthesizer line that alerts the crowd to the start of “Won’t Get Fooled Again” rang throughout SAP Center, and a roar of applause swept through the crowd.

Prior to the orchestral accompaniment returning to the stage, the band performed a rendition of “Behind Blue Eyes”, joined by a violin, cello, and contrabass. It was a beautiful performance, and the perfect transition into the show’s third act. Townshend did most of the talking to the Bay Area crowd, and informed fans that the final part of the show would be comprised of selections from the band’s highly celebrated album Quadrophenia. That particular album is one of The Who’s finest, expansive and sprawling in scope, and it’s only further accentuated by the live orchestra. The band lineup is rounded out by drummer Zak Starkey, guitarist Simon Townshend, and Jon Button on bass, keyboardists Loren Gold and Emily Marshall, and backing vocalist Billy Nicholls.

As the show came to an end, Townshend and Daltrey introduced the lineup and made a point to introduce the tour’s conductor, Keith Levenson, along with the featured orchestral soloists, violinist Katie Jacoby and cellist Audrey Snyder. With a sly smile, Townshend remarks, “I think that’s about it.” Without missing a beat, the anthemic “Baba O’Riley’ reverberates throughout the arena. The crowd goes wild. The Who have hit back, in glorious fashion.

The Who resume their tour tomorrow evening in Anaheim, CA at The Honda Center. Tickets can be found here.

The Who Set List
Part 1: Orchestra
Overture
1921
Amazing Journey
Sparks
Pinball Wizard
We’re Not Gonna Take It
Who Are You
Eminence Front
Ball and Chain

Part 2: Band Only
You Better You Bet
The Seeker
Naked Eye
Another Tricky Day
Won’t Get Fooled Again
Behind Blue Eyes (with violin, cello, contrabass)

Part 3: Orchestra
The Real Me
I’m One
5:15
The Rock
Love, Reign O’er Me
Baba O’Riley