2 years, 3 months ago
What did you think of The Who's performance at the superbowl halftime?
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M$1 Answer
The Who is my favorite rock band ever. I've seen them play live three times. I have all their albums on my computer, and quite a few of them on Vinyl and CD as well. When I discovered the Who was playing the Halftime show, I was stoked.
Then, Pete Townsend started singing.
Now don't get me wrong. I love the Who. And Pete Townsend is not only one of the finest guitarists ever to pick up the instrument, but also one of the greatest songwriters in the history of Rock and Roll. But he's never been what I would call a good vocalist, and every single time, over the years, that I'd listen to Who songs on which Townsend had vocal parts (like Baba O'Reilly, first song off the "Who's Next" album, for instance), I'd have to cringe a little bit each time Townsend started singing. (He has just that specific kind of timbre to his voice that strikes some sort of nerve in me, so that listening to him sing has always been akin to the sound of nails scratching a chalkboard.)
Other than Pete Townsend trying to do what Roger Daltrey does way better, I liked the Halftime performance. I wish they'd have played full songs instead of a medley, but I have to say it played out much as expected, since time is, apparently, very very valuable in the middle of the Super Bowl. And even though it was a medley of their songs, they still played them pretty well, I thought. Pete Townsend is still a legendary guitarist, and I didn't notice Roger Daltrey missing very many notes.
I also loved the stage they used for their performance, probably because the broadcast kept showing the stage from above.
My final verdict on the Who's performance at the Super Bowl? They did pretty good, considering they're down to only two of the original members (and try though they might, they'll most likely never find someone capable of filling the shoes of former drummer Keith Moon and former basist John "The Ox" Entwhistle, both of whom stood at the top of their craft when they were alive). They would have been better had they been younger and had their original members, but they certainly did not suck by any stretch of the imagination. Even though they played "Who Are You", one of the few Who songs I dislike.
That's just my opinion, though.
Then, Pete Townsend started singing.
Now don't get me wrong. I love the Who. And Pete Townsend is not only one of the finest guitarists ever to pick up the instrument, but also one of the greatest songwriters in the history of Rock and Roll. But he's never been what I would call a good vocalist, and every single time, over the years, that I'd listen to Who songs on which Townsend had vocal parts (like Baba O'Reilly, first song off the "Who's Next" album, for instance), I'd have to cringe a little bit each time Townsend started singing. (He has just that specific kind of timbre to his voice that strikes some sort of nerve in me, so that listening to him sing has always been akin to the sound of nails scratching a chalkboard.)
Other than Pete Townsend trying to do what Roger Daltrey does way better, I liked the Halftime performance. I wish they'd have played full songs instead of a medley, but I have to say it played out much as expected, since time is, apparently, very very valuable in the middle of the Super Bowl. And even though it was a medley of their songs, they still played them pretty well, I thought. Pete Townsend is still a legendary guitarist, and I didn't notice Roger Daltrey missing very many notes.
I also loved the stage they used for their performance, probably because the broadcast kept showing the stage from above.
My final verdict on the Who's performance at the Super Bowl? They did pretty good, considering they're down to only two of the original members (and try though they might, they'll most likely never find someone capable of filling the shoes of former drummer Keith Moon and former basist John "The Ox" Entwhistle, both of whom stood at the top of their craft when they were alive). They would have been better had they been younger and had their original members, but they certainly did not suck by any stretch of the imagination. Even though they played "Who Are You", one of the few Who songs I dislike.
That's just my opinion, though.
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M$
Everyone gets old eventually. They gave it a good try, though, and the songs still rock. Luckily, on my computer, the Who are frozen into their prime. :D