The Who Delivered a Raw, Hits-Filled Masterpiece at the Royal Albert Hall Gig for Teenage Cancer Trust

Few sounds capture the essence of youth in rock and roll quite like the pounding rhythms of heavy guitar chords. The Who In 1965, The Who released their single "I Can’t Explain." Now, 60 years later, it resonates once again in London. Royal Albert Hall the band prove the track can still stir up a storm.

The audience stands up as the guitarist Pete Townshend bangs out the riff, once he, along with singer Roger Daltrey and the rest of the band make their entrance onto the stage as Daltrey declares: “Who the hell are you?”

Following it up, they play one of their iconic early hits, "Substitute," before launching into 1978's "Who Are You?" as the audience joins in with the song’s repetitive “who, who, who, who” refrain.

Only at the end of the song does the passage of time become evident for Daltrey and Townshend, as the 79-year-old guitarist mentions that "about five weeks back, I got my left knee replaced," which he humorously attributes to having danced like Sir Mick Jagger.

Following the thanks extended to the audience for attending the concert in support of Teenage Cancer Trust , and informing them "We couldn't have done this without your support; sure, we could manage it alone, but raising significant funds would be unlikely," the band proceeds to delve deeper into their collection of 1960s hit records.

First up is "The Kids Are Alright," followed by The Who In Sell Out, the song "I Can See for Miles" features a segment where Daltrey pays tribute to an 18-year-old girl whom he had visited at the hospital before she passed away. He conveys to the crowd, "an early diagnosis can make all the difference."

When 81-year-old Daltrey’s voice wavers during the performance, he jokingly refers to it as a "senior moment" afterward. He then adds without apology, "I messed up."

He subsequently remarks: "The pleasures of aging include losing your hearing. I've also started to experience deteriorating eyesight, but thankfully, I still retain my voice. Because with that, I'll embody the complete essence of Tommy (alluding to the principal figure from the band’s 1969 album)."

Even with past errors, lately the group frequently performs entire rock operas like Tommy and Quadrophenia, occasionally accompanied by an orchestra. However, on Thursday they abandoned all semblance of a structured playlist, delivering a performance where The Who shone in their unfiltered glory.

At one moment, Townshend queries the audience, "Do you long for the orchestra?" They shout back in unison, "No!"

Tonight, the viewers get to experience the music that, alongside artists similar to The Rolling Stones The Pretty Things and The Kinks inspired countless U.S. garage bands and British freakbeat acts, ultimately paving the way for the emergence of punk rock as we recognize it today.

During the event, the band's acclaimed hard rock album from 1971, "Who’s Next," receives significant attention. Iconic hits like "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" are prominently featured alongside lesser-known tracks from the same album including "Bargain," "Love Ain't For Keepin'," and "Behind Blue Eyes."

The Seeker, track 5.15, along with My Generation are included in the hit-filled collection, concluding with Daltrey informing the audience "that's all folks, I'm done" following his skyward scream at the finale of Won’t Get Fooled Again.

He concludes by addressing the crowd: "Some folks ask me, 'How the hell do you keep doing this?', and let me share with you that I've only ever had one dream in my life, and was incredibly fortunate."

And each evening, as I watch those young performers take the stage here, I find myself thinking, 'If they can handle what life has handed them, then this should be a walk in the park.'

Daltrey additionally encourages the crowd to "take care" of the NHS, stating: "We mustn't allow it to falter, not even once I'm no longer around."

The event takes place as Daltrey withdraws from his position as the curator of the Teenage Cancer Trust ’s Royal Albert Hall Concerts, after initiating the series in 2000, he will continue as an honorary patron for the charity. Next year, The Cure’s Robert Smith will take over curatorial responsibilities.

The Who are set to perform at the Royal Albert Hall again on Sunday for a concert benefiting the Teenage Cancer Trust.

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