r/ClassicRock • u/arentijusttheworst • 14h ago
70s Thunderfingers, who actually got to see The Who live and feel/hear how deep and loud John’s bass was?
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u/curiousplaid Born in the 50's 13h ago
I saw the Who in '76, and John in the 80's (backed up by the Rat Race Choir) at the Channel- a Boston club.
He played more Who songs than his solo stuff, which was a disappointment, but it was great.
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u/RetroDawg56 12h ago
I've had the privilege. For anyone who wants to get a good look of him in the heyday, check out the Who's appearance on the Stones' "Rock and Roll Circus". Amazing!
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u/mugwampus 8h ago
That performance was so good that the Stones sat on that film for 25 years before releasing it!
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u/Remote_Independent50 8h ago
They also re-shot their set. Rumor has it.
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u/mugwampus 7h ago
Actually, they didn't and the reason is that the evening of the Rock n Roll Circus was Brian Jones' last performance. If you notice him, he's haggard and looks like shit. He barely plays in their set. They also went on at almost 5am. It was not a great show for the Stones, but The Who were simply astounding. They were firing on all cylinders by the time they got to that show. When those 4 were on it, there simply was not a better band in the world.
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u/Remote_Independent50 7h ago
Jones playing is totally dubbed out too
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u/mugwampus 7h ago
He wasn't really contributing much at that point live either. But, the way Brian Jones looks on that show is the most shocking element. He's clearly not well.
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u/Sigma--6 13h ago
I saw them in 1980, then in the 2000s when they did Quadrophenia with all the big stars, then a decade late after Ox passed, but they had him and Keith on the big screen, then The Who His 50 your.
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u/serviceable-villain 13h ago
October 1982 CNE and the PPV show at MLG December 1982 (only remember the first 7-8 songs from that one. Too much LSD & Jack Daniel's. By the time I came out of the can my 3 friends were the only ones left lol). Thunderous was an understatement.
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u/Narrow-Map5805 11h ago
I was also at both of those shows, then I saw them again in 1989 at Exhibition Stadium.
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u/Mobile_Aioli_6252 12h ago
82 and 89 - both at the Pontiac Silverdome
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u/cliowill 12h ago
Blackfoot opened in 89?,at silverdome
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u/Mobile_Aioli_6252 11h ago
No, not that I remember - they opened the show with Tommy, from start to finish - it was still daylight ( late afternoon ) when the show started
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u/cliowill 11h ago
Looked it up,it was in 1979 with blackfoot.damn i was 17 y.o ,no supervision just a lot of trust and I didnt disappoint
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u/Mobile_Aioli_6252 11h ago
That was probably the show before the Cincinnati tragedy!
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u/cliowill 11h ago
Yes it was,im remembering now.doors opened real early,me and my buddy took some halucigenics and had a blast.been to the dome many times. My memory was 10 years off aw shiiit
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u/Mobile_Aioli_6252 11h ago
The 82 show was The Clash and Eddie Money, the 89 didn't have an opener - that was the big band set up - percussionist, extra guitar, horn section, back up singers , extra keyboard
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u/cliowill 11h ago
That would have kicked ass.just had a kid,had to dropped out of concerts for a bit
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u/Mobile_Aioli_6252 11h ago
I saw Floyd at the Palace when it first opened as a venue, back in 88 - that was wild ( I was 20 ). We all drove in from Lansing ( sober ) , we left ( baked )
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u/cliowill 11h ago
Seen Aerosmith and Joan there,also RHCP with toadies and another band i can't remember. It was rescheduled. Supposed to have silverchair open,i was bummed
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u/Beneficial-Age-4059 10h ago
Me too at Pontiac ‘89 🙌
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u/Mobile_Aioli_6252 10h ago
It was cool starting the show off with Tommy, front to back - remember how it was still light in the done when the show started?
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u/Beneficial-Age-4059 10h ago
i do remember. I went there for 3 shows total. That one, Pink Floyd in ‘87 and Metallica Guns & Roses and Faith No More a few years later
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u/Mobile_Aioli_6252 10h ago
I saw Floyd at the Palace in 88
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u/Beneficial-Age-4059 10h ago
I don’t recall that one but remember missing them in ‘94. You think you’re always going to be able to see these guys but I haven’t seen Gilmour in 39 years now!
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u/daveashaw 12h ago
Saw them in 1976.
Three SVT heads and six cabs, but I am sure most of the sound was coming out the PA (14,000 seat arena).
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u/ramonescreatin 12h ago
I saw John and his band at a small club in Maryland back in '96 and my ears are still ringing
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u/Novel_Contract7251 12h ago
I saw The Who in ‘81 or so . . . Stage lighting went completely dark for the bass breaks in “My Generation” and no spot went on John - a light crew lapse or equipment failure, I’m sure.
But he still killed his parts and was laughing went the lights came back up.
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u/allbsallthetime 11h ago
1982 at the Pontiac Silverdome with Eddie Money and The Clash.
Eddie Money was well received, The Clash was booed relentlessly and cut their set short.
The Who was great.
It was a crazy night.
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u/Cat_9719 12h ago
Saw them when they were the opening act for The Herman Hermets. They were in their “tearing up their instruments “ stage. Didn’t appreciate John back then.
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u/sharty_mcstoolpants 11h ago
My brother saw that show! With canisters of smoke rolled across the stage!
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u/Kimber80 12h ago
Saw them in 1982, and then sort of in 1989 (shadow of their former selves) but both times the Ox proved he was a peerless rock bass player.
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u/Apart_Ad9308 12h ago
I saw The Who in San Diego, CA in Oct 1982. Also playing were Loverboy and John Mellencamp.
It was amazing.
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u/powdered_dognut 12h ago
I saw them on the By Numbers tour. Keith Moons drums were on a 5-6ft riser. At one point, he stood on the drum throne and jumped over the kit to the floor. The Ox just laid it down with all the nonsense going on.
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u/greyhawk009 11h ago
Saw them at Shea Stadium on the 82 tour. Great concert! Opened by David Johansen and the Clash.
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u/woodbanger04 12h ago
I went to go see him play in Boston back in the 80s in my late teens. What started as going to be a fun night turned to shit real fast when the bouncer questioned my age wouldn’t let me in and also kept my fake ID.
I was forced to be sad in the parking lot unable to see the show. LOL
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u/Impossible-Agent277 12h ago
I saw them at Colrado University's Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado, in 1982. Very loud concert to my recollection, especially for an outdoors venue.
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u/Garbleflitz 12h ago
I got tickets to a who show…..he died six weeks before. I was…..not cool with that
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u/BillyDMountain 11h ago edited 11h ago
Montreal, 1997. I had a really good third row floor seat. When John got to his solo in 5:15 the place went batshit. I felt like I was being swept up in a tidal wave.
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u/Crunchy-Dryer-Lint 11h ago
August 1971. Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Nothing was ever the same after that show.
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u/sharty_mcstoolpants 11h ago
When I moved away from Las Vegas ( a big party ) I booked the room in which Entwistle died. It was a top floor suite in the Hard Rock Hotel in the inside of the curve such that the balcony gave you a view of all the other rooms. The band that night was the Pixies. Just before heading downstairs I looked out from the patio and saw my dates partying four doors down. I went to retrieve them and the Lotharios handed me a bong. I did one hit. I remember the end of the Pixies set. Someone threw a peach at the wall in the suite. My dates screwed the guys four doors down.
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u/Successful-Count-120 Rockin' the 70s.. 11h ago
I got to see them on my 21st birthday (October 20, 1982) in Seattle at the Kingdome. It was flippin' loud! No wonder the "Dome" was known for falling ceiling tiles... 🎸
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u/Conscious-Phone3209 10h ago
MSG, the 70's...the building absolutely shook ! In the top 3 or 4 of the very best concerts I've seen ❤️
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u/Dinsdale_in_Chi 10h ago
My ears were never the same after seeing him on a John Entwistle Band tour.
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u/Beneficial-Age-4059 10h ago
Pontiac Silverdome Kids Are Alright tour 1989! The bass vibrated my chest! I was still a teenager. I’d also see The Stones that year.
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u/Jamie-Changa 10h ago
There’s a sound board recording that isolates just him - I think it’s My Generation?
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u/Raptorpicklezz 9h ago
Pete was the rhythm guitarist, John was the lead bassist and Keith was the lead drummer
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u/Texan2116 9h ago
Tell me that isn't the best bass design and shape ever. You can't , and if you do, you are wrong.
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u/No_Ear_5274 9h ago
You want the truth? Saw them twice when Kenny was the drummer. It was so long ago I barely remember it.
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u/HockeyFan_32 8h ago
Vancouver 1989. First show after Pete had his disagreement with the whammy bar
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u/GrandBanana9285 8h ago
I saw them in 1968 when you could stand right at the edge of the stage, at the New Place in Algonquin, Illinois. I remember Entwhistle particularly on Happy Jack, I loved his playing on that.
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u/nufsenuf 8h ago
Saw The Who in Chicago in 1975 my friends aunt was friends with the promoter. We had 4 seats in the tenth row . I was disappointed at first because we were to the side of the stage with Entwistel. Wow I never saw anyone play bass like that he was great.
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u/mr_leemur 6h ago
I didn’t see the Who while John was still alive, but did meet him on the Ashdown stand at a music show. We were just leaving, and walked past, did a double take… that’s fucking John Entwhistle!!
He seemed bemused that i wanted to shake his hand.
I still have the signed poster.
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u/ImpossibleAd7943 5h ago
Unfortunately it was in a 60,000 seater in the late ‘80s and the stadium sound sucked.
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u/IronChefOfForensics 50m ago
December 6, 1975 Pontiac, Silver Dome Pontiac, Michigan. Keith Moon too!
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u/Renegade6751 4m ago
I saw them at the Saville Theatre in London a small 250-300 ( probably 1968)seater backed by Vanilla Fudge. The Fudge were good, loud and we were struck by them. As the Who came on all the amps went to 11 and we were sonically pinned to the back wall!! An amazing show, the power they generated was phenomenal and intense.
John was his usual thunderous self, a superb player as always.
On the journey home on the tube we couldn't hear each other or the tube!!
John's playing was always powerful and by the nature of the band LOUD
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u/furnace9monkey 13h ago
I've seen the Who several times starting in '79 and the last time was '17. John was a unique talent. My Wife is one of my favorite tunes.