THE WHO IN SAN DIEGO

By Bart Mendoza

"We're four of the nastiest, vicious bastards you could ever hope to meet in your lifetime- the scum of the earth!" So declared Keith Moon during the Who's December 8, 1971 Sports Arena concert. It was rough night with the over enthusiastic crowd crushing those up front, and Moon lost his patience hurling profanities to get the crowd to ease up the pressure at the front. Now anyone who knows much at all about Townshend knows that he's a great, if moody guy and more importantly, don't ever interfere with his stage show. But with pandemonium already taking place stage side, and the intensity growing, that's exactly when a hapless Shiela Arthur, then Keith Moon''s girlfriend was sent onstage.

"We were staying at the Playboy Hotel in San Diego and Keith had coerced one of the bunnies out of her tail and ears." Is how Shiela Arthur, remembers the events on her website. "He then gave these items to me to wear onstage to present Towser's present. I was under the impression that it was his birthday," Arthur states. "I was pushed out onto the stage with the crown and the rabbit accessories. Perhaps the joke was on me...? Pete was really pissed that they sent me onstage. I could see the rage in his eyes, and I was terrified of being struck dead by an electric guitar, but when he saw Keith and his assistant Dougal giggling after pushing me out on the stage, he suddenly understood the joke and decided not to kill me." A tape of this show was recently auctioned off, and clearly shows not only the insanity of a typical Who show of the day, but how also the popularity of the group in San Diego. And by the way, Arthur notes that Townshend wore the crown at the show in Los Angeles the next night, eventually throwing it into the crowd.

More so than many classic rockers, the Who and Pete Townshend have had a close relationship with San Diego. The Who first came across San Diegan's when they did a bout of touring with Iron Butterfly in early 1968, but wouldn't visit the city itself until August 27, 1968 when they performed at the Community Concourse. They followed this with three straight at the Sports Arena on December 8, 1971,  October 7, 1976 , and June 18, 1980. The Who next played two stadium dates on October 27, 1982 and August 22, 1989 and didn't perform here as a group again until their return to the Sports Arena August 17, 2000.

Bassist John Entwhistle appeared here on his own once, July 17, 1989 at the much missed Bacchanal, but he also appeared her twice as part of all star ensembles, Ringo's All Star's at Humphrey's in 1995 (Entwhistle alone in spending time with fans after the show), and a June 22, 2001 appearance, the infamous :- ) "Sports Arena Curse" claiming it's latest victim the following June. Entwistle's most infamous local appearance however took place in 1992 when he was a presenter at that year's San Diego Music Awards

Also particularly noteworthy is the connection between Townshend and the La Jolla Playhouse. Most famously, the multiple Tony award winning play (and iconic sixties album by the Who) Tommy had it's world premiere at the Playhouse in June of 1992, with Townshend in residence throughout the period (and Who band members quite visible at social functions). He also returned to San Diego on June 22-23 2001 for two rare solo benefit concerts at the Playhouse - the two shows netted well over a quarter of a million dollars. Amazingly for such a venture, Townshend paid his own expense's and even donated a signed guitar for the Playhouse to auction- it went for $6,250!

As for how Townshend himself feels about the city, it's notable that every time he comes through town he makes a point of complimenting the people and our city. Just one example would include the 2000 Who show at the Sport's Arena, which found him talking about our city and discussing his love of sailing here, specifically stating "San Diegan's are very, very lucky people." He's right of course.
                       
The Set Lists
 
Who 10/7/76 - Sports Arena - I Can't Explain, Substitute, My Wife, Baba O'Riley, Squeeze Box, Behind Blue Eyes, Dreaming From The Waist, Magic Bus, Amazing Journey, Sparks, The Acid Queen, Fiddle About, Pinball Wizard, I'm Free, Tommy's Holiday Camp, We're Not Gonna Take It, Summertime Blues, My Generation, Join Together, My Generation Blues, Won't Get Fooled Again.
 
 
Who 6/18/80 - Sports Arena - Substitute, I Can't Explain, Baba O'Riley, My Wife, Sister Disco, Behind Blue Eyes, Dreaming From The Waist, Drowned, Who Are You, 5.15, Pinball Wizard, I Can See For Miles, Sparks, See Me Feel Me, My Generation, Naked Eye, Won't Get Fooled Again, Dance It Away, Summertime Blues, The Real Me.
 
Who 10/27/82 Jack Murphy Stadium - Substitute, I Can't Explain, Dangerous, Sister Disco, The Quiet One, It's Hard, Eminence Front, Behind Blue Eyes, Baba O'Riley, Tattoo, Drowned, Cry If You Want, Who Are You, Pinball Wizard, See Me Feel Me, 5.15, Love Reign O'er Me, Long Live Rock, Won't Get Fooled Again, Summertime Blues, Twist And Shout
 
Who 08/29/89 Jack Murphy Stadium - Overture, 1921, Amazing Journey, Sparks, Acid Queen, Pinball Wizard, We're Not Gonna Take It, Eminence Front, Let My Love Open The Door, Face The Face, I'm A Man, I Can't Explain, Substitute, I Can See For Miles, Trick Of The Light, Boris The Spider, Who Are You, Magic Bus, Baba O'Riley, My Generation, A Little Is Enough, 5.15, Love Reign O'er Me, Sister Disco, Rough Boys, Join Together, You Better You Bet, Behind Blue Eyes, Won't Get Fooled Again, Pictures Of Lily, Twist And Shout
 
08/17/00  Sports Arena - I Can't Explain, Substitute, Anyway Anyhow Anywhere, I Don't Even Know Myself, My Wife, Baba O'Riley, Bargain, Drowned, Relay, Pinball Wizard, The Real Me, Who Are You, Magic Bus, Behind Blue Eyes, You Better You Bet, 5:15, Won't Get Fooled Again,
ENCORE: The Kid's Are Alright, Let's See Action, My Generation
 
Pete Townshend 08/04/93 - Copley Symphony Hall Cobwebs And Strange, A Little Is Enough, Face The Face, Heart To Hang Onto, Behind Blue Eyes, English Boy, Meher Baba M3, Let's Get Pretentious, Meher Baba M4, Early Morning Dreams, I Want That Thing, Outlive The Dinosaur, Meher Baba M4, Flame (Demo), Now And Then, I Am Afraid, Electronic Wizardry, Don't Try To Make Me Real, Predictable, Flame, Meher Baba M5 (Vivaldi), Fake It, Now And Then (Reprise), Baba O Riley (Demo), English Boy (Reprise), On The Borderline, Captain Walker/It's A Boy, Christmas, Sensation, Pinball Wizard, See Me Feel Me, Rough Boys, Won't Get Fooled Again
 
June 22, 2001 - La Jolla Playhouse - Pinball Wizard, Let My Love Open the Door, Heart to Hang Onto, Cut My Hair, Slit Skirts, Drowned, Greyhound Girl, Tattoo, The Sea Refuses No River, St. James Infirmary*, Eminence Front, Sheraton Gibson, Won't Get Fooled Again, I'm One, Behind Blue Eyes, Wont Get Fooled Again
 
June 23, 2001 - La Jolla Playhouse - Pinball Wizard, Let My Love Open The Door, Heart To Hang On To, Cut My Hair, Slit Skirts, Drowned, Greyhound Girl, Tattoo, Collings, Eminence Front, Sheraton Gibson, Won't Get Fooled Again, I'm One, Behind Blue Eyes, Drifting Blues, Eyesight To The Blind, Won't Get Fooled Again.

Additional Performances
 
John Entwistle July 17, 1989 Bacchanal
 
1994 Humphrey's - Presenter at the San Diego Music Awards
 
1995 Ringo All Star Humphrey's - My Wife, Boris The Spider plus
 
John Entwistle 06/22/01 Humphrey's A walk down Abbey Road