On Stage: The Who come to Philly as part of farewell

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times

Time is running out.

Back in May, The Who announced their final tour of the United States and Canada as a truly grand finale of their illustrious six-decade career.

The legendary duo revealed the news live and Livestream during a press conference at the Iconic Images gallery in Piccadilly, London.

Time is running out to experience a vital part of rock music history.

The name of the tour is “The Song Is Over North America Farewell Tour” (named after The Who’s 1971 classic song).

Music fans – act now before time runs out.

The Who will be playing two shows in the area – August 21 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena, (3601 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, www.ticketmaster.com/xfinity-mobile-arena-tickets-philadelphia/venue) and August 23 at Boardwalk Hall (2301 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, N.J., www.boardwalkhall.com).

Time is running out to hear a band from the original “British Invasion” in the mid-1960s perform live in concert.

A review of the eight major British Invasion bands shows that the survivors are the Rolling Stones, the Hollies and The Who.

The Zombies are still together but discontinued touring this year because of Rod Argent’s health problems.

The Kinks are rumored to be re-forming with three of the four original members – Ray Davies, Dave Davies and Mick Avory — but who knows if that will ever happen.

The Beatles obviously are history as is the Dave Clark Five with Clark the only original member still alive.

The Animals have been deceased for decades.

The Yardbirds keep touring with just one original member – drummer Jim McCarthy (who never sang or wrote any of the band’s hits) while Herman’s Hermits has only Herman (Peter Noone) as a surviving original.

So, if you want to hear a live show by one of the remnants from perhaps the best era of British rock, you need to act now. If you snooze, you lose.

In the Livestream press conference with Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey, the two veteran musicians discussed the past and the present.

“I’m not crazy about touring, but whenever I walk on stage, I do my best,” said Townshend. “But being on the road is not a great way to live.”

The Who’s first experience with paying to a ticketed audience in America was the Murray the K Show in New York in 1967. The band’s first major U.S. appearance at the Monterey International Pop Festival in California in 1967.

America’s love affair with The Who live began 58 years ago when the band were part of “Murray The K’s Music in the Fifth Dimension,” a series of showcase events at RKO’s 58th Street Theatre in New York over nine days in March and April 1967.

The band played just three songs – “I Can’t Explain,” “Substitute” and “My Generation.” Other acts on the bill included Cream, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Simon & Garfunkel, and Wilson Pickett.

Later that summer, it was at the seminal Monterey International Pop Festival in California that The Who rose to prominence in a defining moment of the Summer of Love.

Daltrey remembered what it was like to be in London at that time.

“

Every young musician’s dream was to make it in America,” said Daltrey. “To have America take us to its hearts meant so much to us. They’ve been so loyal to us.”

With one final tour, Daltrey and Townshend are rewarding that loyalty.

“It will be great to do it while I can still sing the songs in the same key,” said Daltrey. “Pete is still playing great guitar, and the music still has a vitality that suits it.

“There is something about the way Pete’s music is written and the way it’s shaped and the sentiment behind it, it doesn’t seem to age like a lot of rock music does.”

The Who had many monumental moments – performing the concept album “Tommy” at the Fillmore East, playing as the sun rose behind them onstage at Woodstock, and releasing another concept album, “Quadrophenia.”

The Who, who undertook their first ‘farewell’ tour in 1982, officially split in 1983.

They occasionally re-formed for live appearances such as Live Aid in 1985, a 25th-anniversary tour in 1989 and a tour of “Quadrophenia” during 1996-1997.

The Who’s classic lineup featured lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon.

Moon, who was regarded as one of the greatest drummers in the history of rock music, died in 1978 from an overdose of clomethiazole, a drug intended to treat or prevent symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.

Entwistle’s death in 2002 was due to a heart attack induced by an undetermined amount of cocaine. Entwistle already had severe heart disease and usually smoked 20 cigarettes a day.

The current line-up for The Who is Roger Daltrey – Lead Vocals;  Pete Townshend – Lead Guitar, Vocals; Simon Townshend – Guitar; Loren Gold – Keyboards; Jon Button – Bass; Scott Devours – Drums; Jody Linscott – Percussion; and John Hogg – Backing Vocals.

Daltrey turned 81 on March 4 and Townshend hit 80 on May 19.

“Today, Roger and I still carry the banner for the late Keith Moon and John Entwistle and of course, all of our longtime Who fans,” said Townshend.

“Roger and I are in a good place, despite our age, eager to throw our weight behind this fond farewell to all our faithful fans, and hopefully to new ones who might jump in to see what they have been missing for the last 57 years.

“This tour will be about fond memories, love and laughter. Make sure you join in.”

The Who’s set list for the tour includes many of the band’s classic songs including “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” “My Generation,” “Baba O’Riley,” “I Can’t Explain,” “Who Are You,” “Behind Blue Eyes,” “See Me, Feel Me,” “You Better You Bet” and “Pinball Wizard.”

“I don’t think there is a way we can do any of the shows without ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again,’ ‘Baba O’Riley’ and ‘Behind Blue Eyes,’” said Daltrey.

“Us performing this last time is just to say thank you.”

Townshend said, “Well, all good things must come to an end.”

The tour will continue at legendary venues such as Fenway Park (Boston), Madison Square Garden (New York), United Center (Chicago), Hollywood Bowl (Los Angeles) and MGM Grand Garden Arena (Las Vegas).

Video link for The Who — https://youtu.be/LNkaExfOS3Q.

Opening for The Who in Philadelphia will be ZZ Ward.

ZZ Ward was born in nearby Abington in Montgomery County.

Surprisingly, Abington has produced a number of artists who have been successful in show business including TV host Bob Saget, actor Joey Lawrence, singer Alecia Moore (better known as Pink) and musician Steve Berlin of Los Lobos.

But Ward only lived in Abington as a young child. Later, her family relocated to the Pacific Northwest.

“I was born in Abington and then grew up in Bucks County — in Churchville,” said Ward, during a phone interview.

“My mom went to Germantown High, and my dad went to Hatboro-Horsham High.

“My mom grew up as a city girl and she wanted to get out in the open air. So, our family moved to Oregon — to Roseburg, Oregon. It was a small town, and we lived a half-hour outside town on a 23-acre farm lot.”

It was there that Ward got interested in music.

“My dad was in a blues band,” said Ward. “When I first started listening to the blues, the sincerity of the artists resonated in me. Something in their voices made me love the blues.

“I was in my first blues band when I was 12 or 13. I’d come out with my Fedora on and sing Albert King’s ‘As the Years Go Passing By.’ I was also listening to hip-hop artists and the stories they were telling.

“I went to a community college. I played hip-hop shows when I was there. I was also singing songs with my dad’s blues band. He taught me how to play harmonica. But there was no opportunity for music where I was living so I had to move to L.A.”

Once in Southern California, Ward began making her own music — starting with the “Eleven Roses” mixtape in February 2012 and the “Criminal” EP in May 2012.

Since then, she has made four albums – “Til the Casket Drops” (2012), “The Storm” (2017), “Dirty Shine” (2023) and “Liberation,” which was released this year in March — and four EPs – “Days” (2013), “Love and War” (2015), “Where Did All the Love Go” (2024) and “Mother” (2024).

“Liberation (Deluxe Edition)” will come out on September 19.

“I’m always trying to write incredible songs,” said Ward. “I don’t limit myself to how I write. It could be keyboards, guitars or tracks. If you feel the emotion — sad, angry, sexy — it’s good as long as you get emotion from the song.”

Video link for ZZ Ward — https://youtu.be/A-F44Xjunzc.

Tickets for the show at Xfinity Mobile Arena start at $38.

Opening for The Who in Atlantic City will be Booker T. Jones.

Booker T. Jones is an American musician, songwriter, record producer and arranger, best known as the frontman of the band Booker T. & the M.G.’s.

As part of the first house band for Stax Records, he formed the category-defining group Booker T. & the M.G.’s.

While still in high school, Jones co-wrote the group’s classic instrumental “Green Onions,” which was an international sensation, selling more than one million copies and winning a place among Rolling Stone’s top five hundred songs of all time.

Jones, who turned 80 last year, has also worked in the studios with many well-known musicians of the 20th and 21st centuries, earning him a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Over the years, he has recorded with Carlos Santana, Priscilla Coolidge, Otis Redding, Sheryl Crow, Eddie Floyd, Willie Nelson, Levon Helm, Albert King, Rosanne Cash and Rod Stewart.

The list also includes LeAnn Rimes, Rita Coolidge, Bill Withers, Natalie Cole, Linda Ronstadt, Richie Havens, John Lee Hooker, Elton John and Leon Russell, Neil Young, Shawn Colvin, Boz Scaggs, Rodney Crowell and Steve Perry.

Video link for Booker T. Jones — https://youtu.be/A61c4FgxZz8.

Tickets for the show at Boardwalk Hall start at $53.

Another act that is playing Philly this weekend is an act at the other end of the rock music spectrum – a local band that got rolling after the pandemic and has yet to release its debut LP as opposed to an international band whose career spans more than six decades.

That local band is Valendina – a Delaware Country band that will celebrate the release of a new EP at a show at PhilaMOCA (531 North 12th Street, Philadelphia, www.philamoca.org) on August 22.

Valendina features Ridley’s Karina Patricelli on vocals and bass, Prospect Park’s Chase Sakers on guitar and vocals, Tinicum’s Tommy Kenish on guitar and Ridley’s Eric Miller on drums and vocals.

“We’re all Delco,” said Patricelli, during a phone interview Monday night. “Tommy graduated from Interboro. Eric is from Ridley. Chase is from Prospect Park and a graduate of Malvern Prep and I graduated from Ridley.

“We met at the Let There Be Rock School. We took lessons at the school and were in their band program. We got to be friends there.

“As time went on, me and Tommy wanted to write original music. We started a band a little before the pandemic.

“It was very low key. We really started to hit the ground kicking after the pandemic.

“The lineup of the band has changed. Me and Chase and Tommy are the original members, and we all mesh so well together. When Eric joined, it still all meshed really well.”

Valendina’s first recordings were a single and an EP in 2021.

“We released a single called ‘One Reason’ and an EP titled ‘Twisted Hands of Time,’” said Patricelli.

“Next was our single ‘Thrill of the Chase’ in 2022. We put out a single – ‘Bold & Brash’ – in 2023 and an EP – ‘Soften the Blow’ later that year.

“We recorded ‘Soften the Blow’ in 2022 and put it out in November 2023. We cut the EP at Studio 4 in Conshohocken with Ron DiSilvestri pricing and mixing.”

Studio 4 Recording is a studio owned and run by Phil Nicolo, a well-respected producer, mixer, mastering engineer, studio owner and Grammy Award Winner.

Valendina’s recording output in 2024 consisted of two singles – “Sweeten the Victory” and “Break It Off.”

This year, Valendina’s recording output features two EPs – “Ricky Bobby” and “Sweeten the Victory.”

The latest EP was also recorded at Studio 4 Recording with Phil Nicolo at the helm.

“The EPs ‘Sweeten The Victory’ and ‘Soften the Blow’ are definitely related,” said Patricelli, who graduated from Temple after majoring in media studies and production.

“The new one is like a sister EP. The first one was definitely darker. I wanted to make sister album.

“The songs were definitely intertwined. ‘Sweeten the Victory’ is the older, more confident sister to ‘Soften the Blow.’

“There is a Delco vibe with our music. It comes out. We bring our roots, for sure.

“Philly is definitely reflected in this music too. I went to college in Philly – Temple University – and that added to the Philly influence.”

There are many layers to the music made by Patricelli and Valendina.

“I very much like storytelling through my music – my upbringing – watching my friends grow up,” said Patricelli.

“I have put inflections with my life in Delco, the place where I came from – watching the way life was going on through those times.

“At the end of the day, we have to do what is right and make the most of little things.”

There is also a bigger thing on the horizon – a debut album.

“We’re starting to get back into writing,” said Patricelli. “Making an album will be our next step. We have five or six songs already done.

“In our live set, we’ll play the entire new EP and some crowd pleasers. And we have a newer song to throw in the mix.”

The show on August 22 featuring Valendina with Feelsgood, Kiaura Rose and Shark Earrings will start at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $12.

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http://www.kennettflash.org) will present A Proud Monkey on August 22 and Rust on August 23 (Rooftop Series).

Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, www.uptownwestchester.org) will host Dueling Pianos with The Philly Keys on August 21 and Tell Me Lies on August 22 and 23.

Jamey’s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, www.jameyshouseofmusic.com) will have John Németh with Gabe Stillman on guitar on August 21.

The show will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Pay-Per-View streaming of this show is also available for $15.45.

Other upcoming shows at Jamey’s House of Music are Drivetime on August 22 and Akeylah Simone on August 23.

Every Sunday, Jamey’s presents “Sunday Blues Brunch and Jam.” This week’s show features The Philly Blues Kings with Clarence Spady.

The open mic jam runs from 1-3 p.m. with the featured band playing a set from noon-1 p.m.

Time is also running out for theater patrons and Parrotheads to check out the current show at the Candlelight Theatre (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware, www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org).

The popular show is the musical hit “Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville.” The show will run now through August 24.

Featuring Jimmy Buffett classics with book by Greg Garcia and Mike O’Malley, “Escape to Margaritaville” tells the story of Tully, a smooth-talking singer/bartender.

The show’s music consists of songs previously recorded by Buffett, and written by him and various other songwriters, with one exception, the original song “Three Chords.”

“Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville” show will run now through August 24 with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 1 p.m.

Elkton Music Hall (107 North Street, Elkton, Maryland, www.elktonmusichall.com) will present Thurston Howell on August 23 and Spafford on August 27.