8 Sep 2025

Tuesday 2 September 2025, Toronto, ON

Show Report: Sept 2, 2025; Budweiser Stage, Toronto

And we’re back – our first Canadian show of the tour, with a longtime tradition of great/significant shows that happened here in Toronto. As Pete mentions onstage tonight, they often had either the start OR the end of major tours happen here – for no particular reason – but it did happen that way. I remember one closing show here in Toronto that was just mind-blowing, that magic of audience + band that is nearly a spiritual experience.

Tonight is a new venue for us, this Budweiser Stage, and the first of two shows to happen here. As it happens, this is also our first “shed” of the tour, the industry term for a venue that is “seats under a roof, lawn seating under the skies”. In this case, more than half the seats are under this pleated aluminum roof, and a wide section of lawn above for those with blankets/seats of their own. It’s a lovely setting too, a beautifully warm and sunny day, a slight breeze, and water all around. Even the backstage has a cool feature – those arriving as VIP guests or American Express Club visitors get to take a short boat ride over to the backstage club area, where bar and food away. Our dressing rooms are right nearby, with balconies and windows overlooking the waterways around us. Nice! (Boats, water; Pete will like it.)

Video courtesy of Kenny Clarke

Tom Cochrane is opening, the longtime singer/leader of the Red Ryder band, and a solo artist since. His band is really an asset tonight, as Tom is still full of stagemanship, running back and forth all over the stage. His band are tight and seasoned. You’ll likely remember his ‘Lunatic Fringe’ and maybe even ‘Life Is A Highway’ the Rascal Flatts covered for the Cars film soundtrack. Tom also has an ace up his sleeve, a surprise guitarist for three songs. Alex Lifeson of Rush (!) one of the most successful musicians from this great country. Since Rush’s retirement, he appears now and then on albums and shows when he (and sometimes Geddy) feel like it. The freedom to join in now and then is probably this musician’s version of “retirement”; work when you want to. The crowd are already loving the Cochrane set, and the Lifeson entrance makes them ecstatic. Tom, Alex, and the band are all cool people – hanging out with us, joking, talking about gear – good camaraderie between brothers/sisters of the road. As it turns out, their bassist Jeff Jones has a fantastic story: He was the original bass-player in Rush (Alex’s band) on their first two shows – and their first Rush gig was actually 57 years ago tonight! Last bit of Rush trivia; Alex Lifeson had only seen The Who once before tonight – opening for Herman’s Hermits in 1968!

Our own band is up next, and the sun has set, while the air stays warm and still. It’s nearly perfect weather to be outside having a concert. “Good evening, Toronto” Roger starts us off. “I’ve had some VERY good times in Toronto” Pete adds in… hinting, but not explaining. They’re just about to kick the music in, and Roger stops it – he can’t hear anything! “It’s awful how bad the hearing’s getting!” He jokes… Our stage sound man Tom Lawn runs out to help. (Tom’s been around the world, doing this stuff for many artists, including the same work for Madonna, very different to our shows!) Roger jokes that it’s embarrassing having someone behind him – trying to fix the wireless belt pack for his in-ear monitors. “Thank you! That’s much better” when the new pack fixes the problem. ‘I Can’t Explain’, the usual, is their first song.

During the solo, Pete’s a little agitated about something, and his guitar man (Simon Law) runs out to the amp to check on it. For a while, Pete keeps adjusting his Fender ToneKing amplifier slightly, maybe not to fix a problem but to nuance the sound into the perfect range. The issues don’t seem too audible to us, but he’s detailed and picky for good reason; when the sound is right, it’s a freeing thing. It lets a musician open up and the great sound supports everything they do. Small changes matter. ‘Who Are You’ continues the issue, but a lot less, and Loren Gold plays the simple-but-elegant octave piano solo – which is the perfect setup to the closing sections of the song.

Video courtesy of Jimm Symington 

Video courtesy of Pure and Easy

After the song, Pete takes off a scarf he’s been wearing, “I thought it was going to be colder . . .” Could have been, on the water, with a breeze, but not tonight. ‘Long Live Rock’ is here again, and even the security and ushers have been seen singing along to this one – that’s pretty special. It’s been such a radio hit here – probably in the top 5 biggest Who singles played here over the years. Pete explains further that the phrase used to intrigue him in old movies: “The king is dead, long live the king!” as kind of “too late for that!” kind of odd sentiment. So he applied it to rock music of the day  . . . dead or alive?

‘You Better You Bet’ has some great vintage images, and they will make you smile when you see them. It’s a great, classic Who song, one of the biggest radio hits (just pre-MTV) and probably Roger’s best connection to the audience happens during this one. I remember when one year (2009 or ??) when he started wandering all across the stage to engage the crowd on all sides. That was unusual as he’d never crossed to John’s side (too loud) or to Pete’s side (too dangerous). People do love to sing along on this one.

‘Going Mobile’ – they introduce it, saying “for some reason it just never appeared onstage.” And Roger mentions that Simon Townshend is not only a great singer, he’s a superb guitarist, “It runs in the family . . .” ‘The Real Me’ begins a short set of Quadrophenia bits – no real radio or MTV hits in much of this, but some of the best Who catalogue material there is. ‘The Real Me’ is stunning, and ‘5:15’ starts to show some of Pete’s wilder guitar side. I know the band loves this track as it’s basically a platform for jamming later-on, harkening back to the old days when the three-piece Who was very improvisational and spontaneous.

‘Love Reign O’er Me’ is perfection tonight. Pete admits it during the massive applause that followed; “This guy’s getting better and better!” Truth. Pete has a newer guitar design he uses on some songs, it’s a black Fender Stratocaster, which has the Gibson P90 pickups – the sound of the 1969-71 Who coming back on a few songs.

‘Baba O’Riley’ finishes up the bombast part of the show, with the classic violin solo played by Katie Jacoby, always a crowd favorite. Then a sweet ‘Tea and Theatre’ leaves the duo onstage alone, the spotlight isolates and highlights them. Small things in music and gesture mean more in this context. And the meaning behind it all is pretty heavy – felt by anyone paying attention.

Video courtesy of Pure And Easy 

At the end, Pete starts talking about the finality of this; he says maybe they will come back in disguises as a different band someday. Roger also jokes about “you never say never.” Confusing messages, I’ll admit – because this does feel very final. There are some obvious signs going on that this it likely the end of this. Roger and Pete thank the crowd for their years of support. The music “enriched my life so much. I hope it did for you . . .”

Onward!

Tonight’s set list follows after these photos. If you don’t wish to know it look away NOW!

I Can’t Explain
Substitute
Who Are You
The Seeker
Long Live Rock
Pinball Wizard
See Me, Feel Me / Listening to You
Love Ain’t for Keeping
Behind Blue Eyes
Eminence Front
My Generation
Cry If You Want
You Better You Bet
Going Mobile
The Real Me
I’m One
5:15
Love, Reign O’er Me
Won’t Get Fooled Again
Baba O’Riley
The Song Is Over
Tea & Theatre

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