1 Oct 2025
Friday 19 September 2025, Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA
Show Report: Sept 19, 2025; The Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA
The Hollywood Bowl – again. Part two.
Ok, so one down, one to go. With yesterday being an “off” day, everyone is rested. Besides, we’ve had one full run here last time, and all the gear is still unpacked so the crew (a) didn’t have to pack up all the trucks after last show and (b) not much to set up this time, so it’s an easier start today. We still come in many hours early, just in case, and there are always things to do anyway. They like to give time for things to go wrong, so we have time left to solve those issues if they arise.
Check out these great Who cupcakes including one of Roger and one of Pete! Photo by Katie Jacoby
Luckily – nothing stands out as problematic today. And the band has had no travel, only but a 10 minute ride over from the hotels wherever they are staying. Easy stuff. Besides, this is a weekend night (Friday evening) so I think we have all the indicators of a “perfect storm” show in this magic place where The Who love to play. The Hollywood Bowl is a different kind of venue; the front section is small groupings of four chairs in a fenced wooden box area, with a small table between. They actually let you bring in your own food and drink here! But they will also happily sell you nice meals and drinks from the many vendors here too. You can buy upscale bottles of wine, fancy meals, or the cheap beer and pizza too. But nice to think economics hasn’t made that change, too – it’s a nice thing to pack a picnic meal or bring your own Subway sandwiches and watch a show under the stars.
The evening VIP soundcheck still happens, although on a “normal” tour this wouldn’t work, as the previous show was a hell of a test of the stage and sound. But the band come in early anyway and play through some things, talk a bit, and the VIPers are treated to this intimate kind of experience. I remembered Roger telling us about the Everly Brothers show here, and the one thing he told me that stood out was that the smoke-bombs that they used during ‘My Generation’ were actually real military models, the ones used in Vietnam at the time for signalling (green and yellow, etc) so they were damn effective, not some cheap stage trick. They run through ‘Who Are You’ and work on ‘Another Tricky Day’; such a good choice. It’s uptempo – which helps the show in general – and brings us just one more from the Kenney Jones records, which were actually really popular.
Opening our show tonight is The Offspring. They are a SouthernCal classic band now, more than 30 years going, with a solid amount of hits – and they have built a pretty loyal following here anyway. I can tell that a good portion of the crowd are theirs. They hit the stage and BLAM! – delivered a truly amazing show. They had great visuals, a stunning drummer, and lots of catchy songs. They sound just as they always did, plus the addition of some extra guitar, keyboards, and percussion since I last saw them. I happened to walk out-front during the show and I was slammed by the sound. It was just exceptional, which is not usual for an opening act. Someone also noticed it and asked about this; evidently they are using an analog mixing board. The modern digital ones have lots of options and features, but this isn’t the only time I’ve been astounded by a sound and found it was an analog mixing desk. It’s mainly the pilot (not the plane) so it just means they have an incredible mixing person. The crowd ate it up during their energetic show. As one friend of mine said “I did not expect that I would like that so much!” I talked to some of the band and they were really happy to be asked to do this show – I think the first event of their new tour. Yes, indeed, I’d say I’m more of an Aerosmith/Joe Perry fan normally, but this was even better (and without any guest stars.) They just delivered – go see them if you can!
“Good evening – welcome to the show” . . . we’re off to the races already, and ‘I Can’t Explain’ kicks things off, as it should. Pete had spent some of soundcheck working on his guitar sounds (quite a bit of fiddling onstage at the last one) and Roger’s working with Eddie, his monitor guy, to get his sound dialled-in, as well. During Loren’s ‘Who Are You’ piano solo, I hear Jody playing along on some chiming bells, a nice touch. This song is especially powerful, it’s the point in every show where the audience really realizes what’s going on, and it always functions. This is the first “whole crowd” song in the set, and it gets our evening out of first gear for the night.
Video courtesy of Pure and Easy
Pete says that ‘I Can See For Miles’ is their first U.S. hit – but only in Detroit, where they met the MC5. The Who visited Detroit on the way to the big Monterey Pop Festival and the Smothers Brothers Show. (I’m pretty sure ‘Happy Jack’ was the first nationwide radio hit for them. So funny that the iconic ‘My Generation’ wasn’t originally a “hit”, although it built its reputation over time to be as-important as any of those early singles.
Pete discusses meeting Roger, a sheet-metal worker (yep, we all know it now) during school. Roger had been expelled the year before (“I was very naughty”). Pete remained in school, and when Roger came back to visit him in a metalwork class – where Pete said they had a great teacher – he asked Pete to join his band that evening.
‘Pinball Wizard’ starts – and then stops! Something is up with the guitar tuning, and it takes Pete nearly the whole intro to figure out what’s going wrong. So they stop it – Simon Law hands over a fresh guitar – and Pete resumes. He’s handing off the fast strum intro to Simon Townshend, who is playing acoustic guitar on this – like the record. When it stops, Roger’s posed on the ground, as he does. He exclaims “WTF?! I’m stuck down here now!! That was . . . interesting. Shall we do it again?!” and of course, it’s better. Roger is laughing, always a great sign. Pete starts to make stronger stances onstage – more powerful and aggressive, which is certainly a good sign. It’s a little more rare nowadays, but the old Townshend aggressive character shows up now and then.
“Can you hear this, Rog?” Pete asks, as he’s playing ‘Behind Blue Eyes’ on acoustic guitar and they’ve moved the sound of it over into the wedge floor-speaker nearest Roger’s position. Evidently so – and they start into it. So many changes happen during a tour, it’s hard to keep track.
“See what that is?” Pete asks the crowd before ‘Eminence Front’, while pointing to a strip on his guitar: “It’s an emery board. It turns this pick into a violin bow…” as he scrapes the side of his smooth plastic guitar pick on the rough surface; it’s instantly scratched up and scrapes when he grinds the pick edge on the strings. It does indeed work like a violin bow, no specific start/stop as when strumming or picking. He did this kind of inventive work first on ‘Anyway Anyhow Anywhere’ with a regular pick. But now it’s much more effective this way, and all his guitars have that modification. I’ve never seen anyone do it. Les Paul and Ed Van Halen seem to be the other guitarists who thought like Pete does: They create and modify and experiment ALL the time, trying out ideas and changes, rather than just playing The Same Old Things over and over. On this tour in particular, he’s really been playing some crazy stuff!
Video courtesy of Revolver
For example, at the end of ‘My Generation’, he’s doing some weird noises with the stutter switch on the guitar – with a long echo delay added on top: It’s like a computer “beep-boop-beep” set of noises from his guitar. Very unusual and I’ve never ever heard him do such a thing – always creating! There are a few guitar issues with Pete, and Simon Law is brought out a couple of times to help out. Nothing major, but always concerning. As I said, the crew is stressed a LOT during these shows, it’s just always on the edge of disaster or success. Pete changes a guitar then plays a blinding solo, just incredible.
When changing between songs, Binky brings Roger a drink, and says “Ah these waitress services!!” and someone in the crowd yells “Binky Binky Binky!” while another yells “Binky for President!”
Video courtesy of Pure and Easy
‘5:15’ the back vocals are louder – and REALLY sound beautiful on the “inside outside” parts. I love it. The “Why should I care” leads smoothly into the opening of ‘Love Reign O’er Me’ – we’re used to it now, always great – Loren starts the moody intro, silhouetted alone in the spotlight. Soon he’s joined by Jody who adds rain-stick sounds, a thunder machine, and gong/thunder. It’s quite a presentation, and shows the range this band has (not just all power chord guitars, this Townshend music is quite diverse) Tonight ‘Love Reign O’er Me’ hits so well that it’s a standout among all the great versions we’ve heard. I know Roger feels it – and can see it, too, as 18,000 people are up on their feet in lights in front of him. ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’ is right up, and we’re already on home-run territory, knowing ‘Baba O’Riley’ is next. It’s become “a moment” and when Roger starts into it – the win is assured.
Pete says ‘Going Mobile’ was “rescued from obscurity” on Roger’s solo tours, which brought it back into The Who set. Not only is Simon a great singer/player – he lights up the stage, plays a very successful Who song, and gives Rog and Pete a few minutes vocal break.
‘I Can See For Miles’ has joined the set, too – no longer just a vocal warmup, it’s a classic Who single. That means ‘Love Ain’t for Keeping’ – a fair trade, I think.
I keep wondering how shows are perceived; if where I’m standing sound amazing, I may think the show IS amazing, but the other person in the back or front or wherever doesn’t have the same good sound; they might think it’s not so good. I think the best place to see a concert is never in front, it’s hard to get good sound there. It’s right up the middle by the sound and light boards; you’ll experience the maximum show that the audio and lighting people can generate from their spots.
Video courtesy of Concerts with Katherine
The looseness is a feature of these shows, and often it works. The band are certainly masters of moving energy up and down. Certain songs have it built-it, but others they leave open to play with it. ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’ is strong and effective and immediately ‘Baba O’Riley’ kicks in and so do the crowd – home stretch for everyone. The big Katie solo happens, and then we’re back into the denouement; the closing two songs that are more reflective, quieter, and have a strong message. ‘The Song Is Over’ and ‘Tea & Theatre’ probably will always be the closing message and mood of this tour; reflective, somewhat wistful, but not sad. It’s been good . . .
These two Bowl shows have been superb: Right up there with Boston as the best nights of the tour, especially this second one was amazing. Certainly there were elements of the magic stuff both nights, and so enjoyable. Despite the reputation of L.A. as a tough “industry” type crowd – there are really thousands of intense music lovers here, so the Who fans in Southern California are as intense as anywhere in the world. Pete tells everyone that some expert has estimated they’ve done over 2,600 shows total: “I think it’s time we stop wasting your money . . .” and then he notes that they understand about ticket prices, the costs of parking and babysitters, etc etc. They know that it really costs a LOT to attend a good show nowadays, and it’s not taken for granted. “Thank you for always supporting us . . . the years are catching up” says Roger at the finish; the fans make it happen. Pete says that he and Roger will “try to work together and maybe have dinner sometime? Maybe we’ll have dinner with you? (to the audience)” Cheers follow.
They always dodge in and around around the concept of it all being “over” – given the previous “final” and “farewell” announcements and tours. I know there are different thoughts about it, despite the claim since this started. Could this tour be extended later – Pete really always loved the South American and Mexico shows we did, as well as doing Asia and Australia/New Zealand. But the troubles and distance and costs make it far less-feasible to extend the “final tour” there. And of course because this was not a very long run here, they missed a lot of the major American/Canadian cities we normally play – Phoenix, Detroit, Dallas, Cleveland, Houston, Montreal, Portland, San Diego, Denver, Memphis, New Orleans – these are not small places and usually full of rabid Who fans who get a great night of music. Well, nothing would happen in 2025, that’s for sure. Many acts “extend” the same tour further: The Who have done it for so many tours before, even one and a half years on the long Endless Wire run across 2006/2007. That was a long one, across many continents, so many memories!
Well, there may not be more like this, certainly here in Los Angeles – such a great place and experience here at the Bowl. But what strange and interesting memories this amphitheater holds for all of us.
Onward! . . .
Tonight’s set list follows this photo so if you don’t wish to know it, look no further!
Mitch Gee with Jon Button and his wife Terryn Westbrook relaxing after tonight’s show
I Can’t Explain
Substitute
Who Are You
I Can See for Miles
Long Live Rock
Pinball Wizard
See Me, Feel Me / Listening To You
Another Tricky Day
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
Check out The Who Store for exclusive tour merchandise including this Limited Edition Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA 2025 Poster 2