With three shows under their belt, The Who and orchestra are getting tighter on the Moving On! tour.
Brian Kehew, the band's keyboard tech, has been keeping a Backstage Blog and in his latest entry he writes that "much time was spent in rehearsal getting a few rough spots hammered out."
For Brian, the onstage banter between Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend is a highlight.
"Rog and Pete talking is certainly as good as any music they play. It may seem simple to them to talk normally, but it’s never disappointing. They are funny, emotional, often brutally honest – and these moments are unique to each night. You may have heard ‘Who Are You’ 100 times in concert, but the chatter onstage will always be new and fresh – and often a highlight you’ll remember forever."
And, after bashing Daltrey for the idea of touring with an orchestra during the opening show last week in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Townshend is starting to change his tune. On Saturday in Bristow, Virginia, Brian says he "thanked Roger for having the idea of the orchestral tour. Pete said he always admired two main traits in people; 'courage and audacity' – which he says Roger has over and over, in other words, 'he’s a mad f***er!!' he explained!"
Let's see how things go tonight (Monday) as the tour plays New York's Madison Square Garden.