The Who – Live at the Isle of Wight 2004
Eagle Vision
www.eagle-rock.com
www.thewho.com

Rating: B

The Who returned to the Isle of Wight in 2004 for a hit packed set that featured Pete Townshend bitching out the festival’s sound crew for keeping the volume too low.  After saying that the audience members parents – who were only a little bit younger than him – were making them turn the volume down Pete exclaimed, “Turn the fucking volume up!”  The Who are just awesome aren’t they?  That is sooooo rock ‘n’ roll!

When The Who played the same festival in 1970 they put on a show that is still considered legendary today.  The festival was inactive for years but in 2002 it came back to life and in 2004 The Who took them up on their offer to return.

This concert, featuring a 21-song set, has been released as a combination 2-CD/Blu-Ray.  It is an amazing set of huge hits like “I Can’t Explain,” “Substitute,” “Behind Blue Eyes,” “Bargain,” “Who Are You,” “Eminence Front” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”  Deeper album cuts and fan favorites like “The Punk and the Godfather” and “Drowned” are also played.  Even new-at-the-time songs like “Real Good Looking Boy” are trotted out making this a trip through time with one of the best bands in music history.

This occasion marked the first UK performance since original bassist John Entwistle unexpectedly passed away.  Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend were joined onstage by guitarist Simon Townshend, bassist Pino Palladino, drummer Zak Starkey and keyboardist John “Rabbit” Bundrick.

It is a classic concert by one of the most classic bands of all time.  They were getting older but they were certainly not yet getting mellow.  The band played hard and the visual aspects are captured well.  The sounds is impeccable.  This one rocks.

Add it to your collection.  Go ahead…you have my permission!

Track Listing
I Can’t Explain
Substitute
Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
Who Are You
Behind Blue Eyes
Bargain
Baba O’Riley
The Punk And The Godfather
5:15″
Love, Reign O’er Me
Eminence Front
Drowned
Naked Eye
Real Good Looking Boy
You Better You Bet
My Generation
Old Red Wine
Won’t Get Fooled Again
Medley: Pinball Wizard / Amazing Journey / Sparks
Medley: See Me, Feel Me / Listening To You
Magic Bus

By Jeb "Feel Me" Wright