Search - The Who: Quadrophenia Live on DVD

Four star concert from the greatest rock band ever; this DVD

bass boy | Arkansas | 08/23/2006

(2 out of 5 stars)

"A solid performance of "Quadrophenia," although this single-disc version (like the new single-disc version of "Tommy Live" is missing the encore sets. It's a better bargain to get both concerts, plus their "hits" encores on the three-disc, "The Who Quadrophenia and Tommy Live" DVD. You spend a little bit more money, but you get ALL of the footage from both shows - that triple-disc version (that has similar cover artwork) is a four-star DVD collection). To me, the rock operas were interesting and solid here, but the encore of hits is where The Who rocked out the most on these two tours. It's true, John Entwistle's bass could have been turned up in the mix - not sure why his bass guitar is almost buried under the guitars, vocals, horns and such. And that's Pete's younger brother, Simon Townshend, on guitar, not Pete's son, as one reviewer claimed below. Simon also played on the 2002 tour, at Live 8 in 2005 and on the current tour, although he's playing rhythm guitar now, instead of lead like he did during this 1996/97 DVD. For the 1989 and 1996-97 tours, Pete mostly played rhythm. Thanksfully, Pete did all of the lead solos on the 2000 tour (the only post-1982 Who tour to feature only one guitarist (Pete!)) and on the 2002 tour, as well as the current tour.
Anyway, these videos are good to have but they're not the best of The Who because of Townshend mainly sticking with acoustic/rhythm guitar and the augmented lineup. Start with the two-disc version of "The Kids Are Alright," then get "Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 (brown cover with individual shots of Pete, Roger, John and Keith Moon on the front)," then "Live at the Royal Albert Hall (shot in Nov. 2000 and released in Sept. 2001)" and "Live In Boston (shot in 2002 and released in 2004)." Also pick up "The Concert For New York," which has one of The Who's greatest sets ever on film. Their performance of "Who Are You," "Baba O Riley," "Behind Blue Eyes" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" are incredible and will turn any casual ilstener into a big fan. When they launched into "Baba O Riley," as the firefighters, police officers and other emergency personnel jumped for joy, that is when the U.S. really started to heal after the 2001 terrorist attacks. It's a jaw-dropping performance and alone worth the price of the multi-artist DVD.
The tour that spawned this "Quadrophenia" DVD was John Entwistle's next-to-last Who tour before dying on the eve of their 2002 tour in Las Vegas. The 2000 tour, The Who's best post-Moon tour, was Entwistle's last tour. His performance in this "Quadrophenia" DVD is, of course, stellar, although his bass should have been given more "oomph" and "punch" in the mastering/mixing process.
Long live The Who, the greatest rock band in the world!"

Sort of a semi-concert

bob turnley | birmingham,al,usa | 06/16/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Don't expect a Who concert. This is a performance of a "rock opera" in which the members of the band are fused into a single entity for the good of the whole much like your typical orchestra. Whether the whole is worth minimizing the distinctive talents of this band is the question. I think not. Roger shares his microphone with three other singers. Entwistle is mixed down as if he were just another bass player. For almost the entire show Pete is on an acoustic guitar which can only be heard when he plays all alone. The film clips of the disaffected malcontent might offer thematic continuity but didn't interest me. If this is Townsend's magnum opus as he envisioned it, I don't see what all the fuss is about. It has to be seen as more than a rock concert because it isn't a very good rock concert."

Actually pretty good

floydfan | nc | 08/12/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"while the reviewer before me is right in some respects, a lot of the songs are still excellent, for instance i will admit billy idol and pj proby mostly just embarrass themselves when they make a contribution. however most of these songs are just preformed by the who such as the real me and love reign oe'r me, one slight disapointment on this dvd is pete townshend on acoustic guitar, he started playing it when he began to experience hearing loss, while this is disapointing it doesnt ruin the dvd, townshends son fills in nicely, the only huge problem with the dvd is entwhistles bass is turned down too low"