28 Sep 2025
Friday 12 September 2025: Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ
Show Report: Sept 12, 2025; Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City
Ah, this old place. We were just here – almost. The Atlantic City, NJ show scheduled was postponed from illness, but they still sent us ahead here (on the day of the previous Philadelphia that was also cancelled) so we had three days to kill back then. Walking around the shoreline (some sand, mostly concrete), eating, gambling, movies. That’s the business here – and concerts are usually just a way to bring people here to gamble. Probably the best thing some of us did was to visit the daily free recital on the massive organ, the monster pipe organ that’s been installed here for about 100 years. It’s reputedly the largest musical instrument in the world, and certainly is the largest pipe organ ever built. So on that day off, about 20 people wandered in and saw the concert with that exceptional instrument. Look it up if you can.
Today, it sits behind us on the big wooden stage, silent. That’s tempting, for those of us who play keyboards, but we’ve never been allowed to jump up and play . . . ‘Jump’, or ‘Mr Crowley’, ‘Subdivisions’, or even ‘Baba O’Riley’? Not yet, at least. On the last show here, we ourselves were up on the big wooden stage, about twice the size of what we need. But today – maybe for lighting rig and screen reasons, we’re out on the floor. We’ve built our stage(s) – which is actually three stages: the main platform that holds The Who and two slightly lower side platforms that hold the crew for monitor systems and guitars. All are on wheels, so they are built and stacked with our gear, then rolled into place and interconnected today – that’s not how we usually do it all. It looks like it will be a good show – the room itself is a high arched ceiling, and they always light it to make such a great visual everywhere you look.
Video courtesy of Christian Pflaumer
Again, because of the short notice, Leslie Mendelson is back opening up, and again gets a warm reception. She’s definitely more song-based than a loud rocker, but she has great rapport with an audience, big or small, which won a lot of people over. It sounds good and clear in this space, with the room adding all kinds of natural ambience, the biggest warmest reverb sound ever.
Binky and Roger at soundcheck
However, back in the early evening, our Who VIP’s soundcheck happened. Each day brings new situations: Loren has a new Korg keyboard, they’ve just sent it out, so a few minutes were spent comparing it to the current one, also a Korg. Loren played through some Who classics on piano. Robert, our soundman, has OK’d it at least equal to the one we have, so we may upgrade soon. Pete was here but far away in the dressing rooms. Roger wanted to start right away, so he called for a ‘Who Are You’ rehearsal. Pete’s not out yet, so Simon Law wisely doesn’t play as Pete will walk out soon, which he does. “What a dreadful place, built for elephants!” Roger seems to find the room unpleasant, despite its vintage Deco look. Not his style. The sound is very roomy, lots of echo, which can be great or not, depending on what you like/want. Pete does his famous one-note solo during ‘I Can See For Miles’, which we seem to rehearse every day, even though it’s not IN the set! Pete has recently said this is his best stage-tone ever, with a lot of slight changes like newer Lace pickups on the Fender Strats, and the Allessandro amp working alongside the Fender. We run through ‘You Better You Bet’ at Roger’s request – he’s been having trouble following the track with the band noises, so that’s done and adjusted. During the run-through, Pete’s guitar cuts out briefly, but Simon Law sorts it out. Better to have these issues at soundcheck than the show! At the end, Roger tells the small crowd “Thank you for supporting us, see you later, I’m off to bed!” Pete realizes he’s not said a word; “Thank you from me, too. Thanks for coming.”
The show: Our opening film is a new thing this year. It’s a series of vintage-looking words on the screen, matching audio from old interviews of The Ox, Pete and Rog, etc sort of detailing their first arrival on these shores back in 1967. The Murray the K shows in NYC, Monterey Pop Festival in, um . . . Monterey! The backing band sneak onstage in the dark during this, and Pete and Roger take their sweet time coming out when it ends; not really the ideal timing as the cheers start to die down after the film ends, but it is what it is – they’re used to coming on casually, rather than a big Michael Jackson dramatic entrance. Casual is cool. But – Pete senses their slowness and walks up to the microphone… “Nag, nag, nag, nag, nag!!” and laughs at their lateness. He mentions flying in today and seeing the beautiful waterways and greenery (not here on the gambling front) and says if you’re from here you’re very lucky.
Video courtesy of Gene Montecalvo
We’re very lucky, cause Pete’s in a good mood: He does ten windmills in a row during the solo for ‘I Can’t Explain’, that’s a lotta energy for anyone. Later he says that if anyone couldn’t make the show because of the schedule changes, for family reasons or whatever, to “send our apologies. It was ill health, but we’re back now.” Roger’s laughing, sort of about their health situation – it’s gotta be a challenge to do a Who show at any age. They are not phoning it in, as you can tell.
Video courtesy of Whofanray
Hey – ‘I Can See For Miles’ enters the setlist! It replaced ‘The Seeker’, but it’s so hard to say what to play when a band has so many strong songs, but the variety is good too . . .
For ‘Pinball Wizard’, Pete plays the famous intro part, but Simon is on acoustic Gibson and does the core strumming bit. It was certain that the part would become an issue, as Pete was having more and more trouble with the speed of that bit on past tours, and having Simon cover the bit on acoustic leans back toward the old sound and covers the part nicely. Pete hits the big ‘duh-dun’ part (originally John’s bass) but now with Button, Gold, and himself pounding it out. Simon’s been superb on this tour, really playing well and that kind of “support team” makes it possible for us to have Who shows. (Yeah – we all know they started with just four people; that is more than half-a century ago, so not likely now.) It also add some dimension and power to have Jody on percussion – who’s physical presence is always a huge asset to any concert. I always say her playing is like adding an exclamation point to a sentence – like on that ‘Pinball Wizard’ part, it makes it SO much more powerful. And John Hogg is a great support member as well, giving doubling higher harmonies and doubling key vocal parts. Even if it’s just psychological support, we’re glad Roger chose him to come along – he’s a great guy and someday we’ll even see his musical talents on instruments.
After ‘Listening To You’ ends with a big finish, I sense the change – this is a point when the show changes a bit. ‘Love Ain’t For Keeping’ is next, which certainly is not a single or a hit, but it gives a downturn in the pacing, a break from the intensity of previous parts. They know how to build a show – and inserting a change point is a re-start, a place to build the show again, and it does. Pete says that this is one of the few actual love songs he’s written.
Then ‘Behind Blue Eyes’ – and it’s suddenly a big singalong song. This audience is the most audible of any so far. Maybe it’s the room, but there are a LOT of voices ringing out along with Roger. Pete’s acoustic guitar sound is exceptional – it’s hard to do that, without feedback onstage – but they’ve dialled in such a great combination of microphone inside the guitar blended with the bridge pickup that many acoustic guitars have; all into high-quality studio gear that most bands wouldn’t even take on tour.
Video courtesy of Mark Fintz
Rog skips the first line of ‘My Generation’, leaving a big hole, but just waits and catches up on the next one, then the song is off to the races. Jon Button nails the bass solo, and even sticks his tongue out at the end, as Pete has been watching him very closely at this point. ‘Cry If You Want’ is the best one we’ve had so far – soundcheck rehearsal has paid off. (I remember many years ago when they resurrected the whole ‘Cry If You Want’ song, a rather unheralded track from 1982’s It’s Hard. It’s was a stunning song to hear live, so much better than the dry studio track. But it seems to have become a favorite moment for Roger this way during these shows.)
Pete does a funny skipping dance across the stage during ‘You Better You Bet’, so his good mood is ongoing. ‘Going Mobile’ really starts to build up the show again, the slow climb to the end. Roger’s wailing on the harmonica solo, and Pete tries a solo that gets so bizarre. It’s almost free-jazz or whatever “out there” musical form you want. It’s quite different and some of the jamming goes on much longer than usual. At the end, Roger yells, “Simon Townshend!!” and Pete admits that Simon’s really strong, “I get left behind!”
‘The Real Me’ is interrupted by the whole PA going off for a few seconds. From the stage, it’s not obvious what happened, as they still hear the instruments in their monitors and amps, but the whole hugeness of the sound just shrinks to nothing immediately. Then back on, such a weird feeling. Of course, the audience knows what just happened – they’re relying on the system to deliver the whole show. But I’m told it was some kind of software glitch – and the backup system kicked right in – well, not immediately, but before anyone could do anything about it!
Someone yells from the front row area, and Pete says “NO, we’re not gonna play that tonight. There’s probably some band out there that will. We did rehearse it though!” Roger says “What song did they call for?” Roger asks (he can’t hear the audience with some of his in-ear monitors, whereas Pete is all open-ears… “’I’ve Had Enough’” says Pete. “Oh. . . . I’ve had enough!” Rog jokes. “It was just one fucker down in the front” Pete tells everyone, and it gets a big laugh. OK then, into Quadrophenia stuff.
In ‘Love Reign O’er Me’, when Roger sings “the beach gets kissed by the sea”, he gestures just outside, as the ocean is right out-front of this big space. Yeah, never forget the sea is as much a character in Quadrophenia (I do sometimes miss ‘I Am the Sea’ opening those special Quadrophenia and More tour shows). Daltrey’s adding in all kinds of vocal swoops and glides to his parts, he’s not often doing that, but they are working well here. At the end, I have to say the biggest sound was that audience roaring after the song ends. Every night, it’s reliably big, but this was next-level response, that must feel good.
For the closer, ‘Tea & Theatre’, Pete stops and says “this is a very peculiar tuning” playing each open string one at a time, definitely a setup not common even among guitarists. The tuning probably inspired the song, and then they proceed to do it well, especially in this big ambient space that adds gorgeous reverb to almost everything. Many studios fake their reverb with digital or other devices – yet this is the real thing, with a giant pipe organ that USED to be the biggest sound you could ever hear (inside; aside from volcanoes and explosions) until loud rock bands came along . . .
Video courtesy of Pure and Easy
OK – Now we get a break, band and crew have about ‘alf a week before the next shows – on the West Coast. California here we come!
Onward!
Tonight’s set list follows. Look away NOW if you don’t wish to see it!
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
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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