Review: the Who Kick Off U.S. Tour with Uneven Show in Sunrise

Only professional athletes and rock stars get farewell tours. While proctologists and accountants retire gracefully under the cover of anonymity, those who live their childhood dreams on the biggest stages take a final bow in front of an audience judging them against their younger selves.

Under these conditions, the Who, the band that famously sang "I hope I die before I get old,"  kicked off their The Song Is Over: The North American Farewell Tour, Saturday night at Amerant Bank Arena.
A little before 9 p.m., the lights dimmed, and a sound montage of interviews the Who gave nearly sixty years ago, preceding their first American tour in the '60s, played. Then out walked surviving original members, singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist/songwriter Pete Townshend, backed by six other musicians that make up the Who's touring band.

Things started pleasantly enough with a couple of their early mod numbers in "I Can't Explain" and "Substitute". Daltrey twirled his microphone cord like a cowboy playing with his lasso. At the end of "Who Are You," Townsend unwound one of his shoulder-stretching windmill guitar strums. All seemed well for those who came to bid adieu to one of the most legendary bands in rock history.
But then, five songs in, during "I Can See For Miles," Daltrey's voice really strained. He couldn't seem to find the power that so many of their songs depend on. During "Behind Blue Eyes," he sounded even froggier. The crowd sang along, as did the backing singers, trying to lift him up. Midway through the set, I couldn't imagine his vocal chords surviving the night, much less completing the rest of the tour. I had flashbacks of my childhood sports heroes' unceremonious ends before their retirements. Dan Marino unable to throw the long, tight spirals. Michael Jordan, in a Washington Wizards jersey, no longer able to defy gravity.
To be clear, Townshend and the rest of the band sounded great. They tried their mightiest to cover for Daltrey as he found his footing. Guitarist Simon Townsend did his best impression of his older brother, Pete, as he sang lead vocals on "Going Mobile". Pete Townsend took charge of a blistering rendition of "Eminence Front," the closest the Who ever got to yacht rock.
As the concert went on, you had to respect the band's professionalism, which meant that they powered through for over two hours even on a rough night. Daltrey seemed to acknowledge his struggle to the crowd when he said, "You never remember the perfect shows, you remember the fuck-ups."

But as we heard the opening keyboard notes of "Love, Reign O'er Me" that sound like the pitter-patter of raindrops, I got worried. If there was any song in their catalog that demanded the singer to be at full strength, it was this one. This could be a train wreck.
But then something remarkable happened: Daltrey's voice came back. He was able to holler out the emotive yowl of "looooooove," even spitting out a fountain of bottled water from his mouth to emphasize the love raining on him. For "Baba O'Riley," the 81-year-old singer could channel some fountain of youth as he sang of that teenage wasteland. And then, most amazingly, for "Won't Get Fooled Again," he let out the most primal scream you could have hoped for from a Who concert.
That guttural roar was like seeing Dan Marino throw one last touchdown pass or Michael Jordan hit one final buzzer-beater of a jump shot, taking us back to their youth and ours. 

A few songs later came the Who’s supposed final bow on a South Florida stage, 58 years after their first.

Setlist:

I Can't Explain
Substitute
Who Are You
The Seeker
I Can See for Miles
Bargain
Love Ain't for Keepin'
Behind Blue Eyes
Going Mobile
Pinball Wizard
See Me, Feel Me
Eminence Front
My Generation
You Better You Bet
The Real Me
I've Had Enough
I'm One
5:15
Love, Reign O'er Me
Baba O'Riley
Won't Get Fooled Again
Tea & Theatre
The Song Is Over