Search - The Who - Live in Boston on DVD

The Show Must Go On

Paul Ranney | Berlin, MD | 04/29/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As Roger explains during his interview on this DVD, John Entwistle died only days before this tour kicked off. Although this show in Boston was much later in the tour, it is very difficult to believe that he, Pete, and the rest of the band were able to pull it together so well. I was a little hesitant to buy this at first knowing that John would be absent, but after reading the (for the most part) great reviews, I did so. I am certainly glad I did. The many pros outweight the few cons by a large margin:

PROS
-Fantastic sound quality, especially in 5.1 Surround
-Great camera work, with just enough movement from one member to the other without going overboard
-Enjoyable interviews with Roger and Pete, although Pete really seems to take himself very, very seriously sometimes.
-The set list. Somewhat the same as Royal Albert Hall, but with some wonderful new additions (Love Reign O'er Me, Tricky Day, Sea and Sand--yes, I said Sea and Sand!!, Amazing Journey>Sparks).

CONS
-Intermittent "swishing" sound - it took me two watchings before I realized that it was coming from Roger's microphone when he swings it around. I had never heard that on other videos.
-Roger definitely seems a little down. Not that one could blame him, but it's still strange to not see him smiling all the time and interacting with the audience.

With that out of the way, I need to emphasize one more thing--the Amazing Journey>Sparks part of this concert could very well be the most explosive, exciting, and emotional performance I have ever witnessed out of Pete. Although I have only been fortunate to see The Who in concert once, I am the proud owner of every video that I believe they have released (Kids are Alright, Live in America, Tommy Reunion Tour in '89, Isle of Wight, Royal Albert Hall). Although he is (somewhat surprisingly) very active and enthusiastic during the whole show, Pete is simply out of his head great during these two songs, including what certainly appears to be a completely unplanned but genuine point where he stops playing and just gets into it with the crowd during the climax of Sparks. Absolutely beautiful. You need to get this DVD just for that performance alone."

No Entwistle, but The Who Still Rocks

J. Harig | 01/15/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I attended a concert on this tour and remember specifically purchasing a ticket in advance to be on the left side of the stage to see Entwistle up close. Needless to say there was disappointment and sadness learning of his death in Las Vegas at the beginning of the tour.

I don't agree that this was one of the best concerts from that year as I have listened to The Who box set from this tour and/or was at the concert.

My top three concerts from that year were:

1) Grand Rapids 2) New York 3) Toronto

Boston was a strong showing as well, but I got the feeling from watching this DVD that a lot of the dialogue was edited (I happen to like the dialogue between songs, it's entertaining and puts the song into a unique context).

I also agree that the video editing doesn't do justice to the live concert . . . but I really don't think any typical edit is adaquate. From watching them live I think the best way to shoot them is to just set a panoramic camera somewhere in the center and just leave it. They're up there competing for your attention and having an editor choose for you is annoying.

And what ever happened to DVD support for multi-angle functions...why couldn't they take advantage of this like they did on the Royal Albert Hall DVD?

I was also disappointed that the DVD didn't contain a long Pete solo during 5'15 such as the one he performed at the Grand Rapids concert. This is a perfect example of how good Pete was playing, and how he was stepping up his performance to keep the concert rocking. If you watch the Live at Royal Albert Hall DVD, Entwistle gave a jaw-dropping bass solo during 5'15. At the Grand Rapids concert from this year, Pete gives an incredible guitar solo at the same point in the song when John would normally come in and wow the audience.

Yes there is diappointment because Entwistle isn't there, but as Pete said at the time "I feel like I'm playing better than I have in years". You can tell this by this DVD, and it was even more evident from the live concerts. For those of us who went to some of these concerts, this is a worthwhile souvenir. Even if you weren't there this is a great DVD concert. Pete and Roger worked great together and Pete's playing and even his voice (as Roger points out on the DVD) were outstanding. Pino's bass is simple but solid nonetheless, reminiscent of John's early recordings with the Who (esp. on "My Generation"). He stands in the corner, plays the bass and plays it well, doesn't do anything showy, and provide great support as a good bass player should.

For those with no interest in the 2002 tour, I recommend Live at Royal Albert Hall for the "later years" of the Who."

The Kids are STILL Alright!

Julie A Ross | Pleasant Hill, CA United States | 10/23/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In 1982, a video came out called "The Who Rocks America," which documented the band's farewell tour. This film was shot twenty years later, and the Who can still rock. Pete does more of his classic windmill in this performance, and the band as a whole still sounds just as exciting. The inclusion of "Just Another Tricky Day" was nice; it is great to see oddities as well as old favorites. Pino Palladino is a good bass player, though he will never replace John. I've always loved the Who, and this film is a great addition to any Who collection. Also recommended is the Royal Albert Hall DVD."

The "Kids" Can Still Rock!

Grant Coatsworth | Merlin, Ontario Canada | 07/14/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I had trepidations when I purchased this DVD. I wasn't sure if Pete & Roger could pull it off. They are no longer "kids" competing in a "young mans" rock & roll world. With the recent death of original bassist John Entwhistle, (on the eve of this tour) I wondered if they would be "just going the the motions". I was highly surprised and pleased to see they both put on a subperb highly energized concert, and proved your never too old to rock & roll. Something a lot of younger bands could take note on. Rounding out the band was Zak Starkey on drums (yes Ringo's kid) and Pino Palladino on bass, and longtime keyboardist, John 'Rabbit' Bundrik. Over 2 hours of original Who songs, all of which you will know, and DVD extras. All in all this was a good purchase, and a whole lot cheaper than the ticket I bought to see the band. Buy the DVD, you will be glad you did."