Performance

The Who and Toots and the Maytals At Ponmet Stadium , December 6th

Contrary to the local coverage of the Who concert ai the Pontiac Stadium, not everything was as it should have boon for such an occasion. The overall atmosphere of the Stadium is not conducive to concert use, for one thing; the blaring sound system was distorted, echoes bounced off the concrete walls which made it hard to understand what was being said and sung, and the seating arrangement was most hideous with an estimated 76,000 fans jammed in tight. People on the main floor, who had waited outside since the night before to get a main-floor spot, were packed together so closely that there was scarce room to boogie, or even to move. Those who sat near the leakable roof trembled with chattering teeth throughout the show, and only those who sat directly in front of or behind the stage could see the band prancing around a long distance away.

The unfavorable concert conditions were not in the best interests of the fans but were primarily in the interest of game promoters and the stadium authority, who knew that the drawing power of the Who could fill the stadium to bring in massive profits. The only concession made to the fans' sense of sight, a large screen over the stage upon which images of the band were intermittently projected by front-stage video units, only occasionally managed to show the Who as they must've looked from out in front. When the spotlights were low the action on the screen was barely visible but when the lights were bright the group as a whole was an exciting experience.

A charge of energy struck the fans Iike the zap of a wizard's spell when the Who began their set with the sixties classic "I Can't Explain." The equally aged "Substitute" followed, and then they were into an entree of hits from their ten-year career, including "Baba O'Reilly," "Won't Get Fooled Again," John Entwhistle's "Boris the Spider," and a 45-minute medley of music Irom the infamous Tommy oratorio which brought the fans to their feet for the familiar flash.

The Who worked hard, looked good. and projected their show well even in the monstrous arena they chose for their Detroit-area appearance. Far from a decadent band, their energy and versatility impressed everyone. Absolutely tight, ever so daring, the Who's show combined the best elements of their classic Detroit-area performances with stuff that hadn't been done here before. Watching Peter Townshend whip through the air playing hls axe look me hack some years, and it was a good trip too.

Still and all, with all the discomforts mentioned, the concert at times became a gigantic bore. Even the over-flowing energy which filled the air couldn't block out what many people felt, that there was something strange about straining to see four little figures bounding on a stage far away, and a lot of people left before the show ended. Most remained for the last triumphant leaps of the distant pop stars, however, ecstatic to have been present at yet another historic rock event and thrilled at the sight, however microscopic, of a real old-fashioned rock and roll band in the home of the Lions. Let there be no doubt about it - they were hot!

- Bernadette Marris

A word or two should be said here about some aspects of the historic Who concert which brought "rock" to the Pontiac Stadium for the first time. First. the show was obviously the largest concert production ever mounted by rock promoters in this area, and it was equally obvious that Bamboo and Belkin Productions had prepared well for the event. The massive sound and lighting system assembled for the occasion by Showco did as much as anything could do to ameliorate the miserable conditions imposed on the show by the sheer size of the stadium and its total inappropriate-ness as a musical venue.

The video projection crew left much to be desired, however, as their desperately needed magnifications on the huge screen above the stage lacked in definition and consistency throughout the Who's performance. What's worse, the video team failed to provide any coverage of Toots & the Maytals whatsoever, which left the Jamaican reggae stars literally in the dark as far as the audience was concerned.

The social aspects of the event were most intriguing - totally different from the football crowd, the young rock and roll fans turned the stadium into a vast replica of the Grande Ballroom, with the floor area packed shoulder to shoulder with people and the three tiers of promenades teeming with folks standing, stumbling, strolling, and stepping around and around throughout the night.

The feeling in the crowd was incredible - there were some 76,000 people present at this particular show, and the size alone raised the trip to a whole 'nother level. Folks were visibly and audibly flashing on the reality of so many similarly-inclined people in one place at the same time, and tho strength and energy one feels in a unified house at Cobo Hall was magnified more than the 6 times the number count wouId indicate. Plus tlic Who put on a classic performance, rising happily to the occasion, and their audience warmly and roundly appreciated every minute of it - a factor which made everything else that was good in the evening, even better.

- John Sinclair