I watched this live on tv that night. Everyone was great but the 2 best acts that night were Billy Joel and The Who hands down no question about it and this really did lift everyone's spirits in the tri state area at least for a little while. It basically snapped everyone out of the shock we were in and recharged the batteries so we could at the very least start functioning again. And I think The Who should've been the closing act because, how do you follow this performance?
Ok kids make a note this is The Who in their mid 50's, 37 years into their stellar career's and still out there!!! Thank you Zach for your incredible talent, Uncle Keith would be so Proud!
The Who ruled that concert. They were the right band, with the right songs, for that moment. They channeled all the anger and the hurt and the sadness, and they turned it into a set of pure musical catharsis.
I always thought Queen at Live Aid was the greatest live performance by a band ever, but this topped it by a mile, the emotions of the moment and reactions of the band and crowd. Still moves to tears 21 years later.
I remember watching this live. Just seeing the joy on the faces of the first responders, knowing what they were still going through, still moves me whenever I watch this. What a performance!
What impressed me the most about the Who's performance here was how they simply played their biggest hits, and rocked their arses off in a way to make people happy. No new material, no proselytizing, no fluff - just a straight dose of what those people needed. For that, I call this the greatest concert I've ever seen.
So Pete Townsend takes a single coil Fender guitar, plays it through a bunch of Fender Twins, and makes everyone who plays Les Pauls or any other "hard rock" guitar through Marshalls, Mesas, and the like sound like Barry Manilow. Mad respect.
I am Ret. NYPD lived thru the attacks on September 11th 2001, I called in cpl of favors and was sitting 1st row on Pete's side - I was dumb struck by the power of THE WHO that night, Damn near tears, They blew the fffn doors off The Garden that night, ALL the bands were terrific but THE WHO stole the show,
The greatest *classic* rock band. The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and the Rolling Stones are, like, *the* classic classic rock bands, and although they don't get more credit than they deserve, it often seems like The Who gets *less*, which is a shame, since I put The Who and Who's Next as the greatest examples of classic rock band and album, respectively. Now, as far as rock as a genre (and here I am including classic rock, alternative rock, and hard rock (and including heavy metal too, maybe? Maybe not), I think there are a number of modern rock bands that kick as much ass as anything put out by any band from the '60s up to today. Say, The 1975, Angels & Airwaves, All-Amercan rejects, Nate Ruess (either solo or with fun.), Twenty-One Pilots, Goo Goo Dolls, Counting Crows, Dave Matthews Band, Queen (who should really probably be included as classic rock)... I could go on and on and on. Now, this does *not* necessarily mean that all -- or any -- of the musicians I listed are as good as or better than The Who. I could not in good conscience claim that *any* of the bands listed are *the* greatest rock band (or band of *any* kind for that matter). But, they are *all* definitely legitimate competitors for the title. That having been said, Who's Next was my absolute favorite album when it first came out (Pop Goes the World by Men Without Hats was probably a second). Now, is Baba O'Riley the Who's best *song*? Ehhhh... yeah, I'd probably say yes (if I didn't, I'd probably say Behind Blue Eyes).
Roger Ramjet yes, that's the reason cause i don't like 1989/90 tours....i prefer just the band on stage, just the original members Daltrey-Entwistle-Townshend!
@@threalismaradona9899I’ve always thought of Pete and John as one lead instrument. I know they were all leads, but Pete and John’s sounds just blended together and played off each other so well. It sounds like one godly player sometimes.
I remember the radio broadcast of this show at MSG. An emotional time in this nation’s history for sure. We got a kick in the nuts for sure on 9/11 and after we buried our dead and cleaned up the rubble, the cops and firefighters and EMTs needed a party. Just a night to drink a little too much and allow themselves to have a good time. I remember when The Who took the stage, they were like a smoking flamethrower of awesome brain shaking rock. An invisible fist grabbed me by the throat and I was frozen in place for this entire show…I didn’t move an inch. The power and anger and eventually the joy of this music held me. The greatest moment in rock and roll history.
Let’s put this into context: This is about a month after 9/11. Our nation - the world - was still extremely sad. Terribly, terribly sad. Paul McCartney had witnessed the attacks first hand - he was sitting on a plane on the runway at JFK when he saw the planes hit with his own two eyes. He wrote that song “Freedom” which he closed this concert with right then and there in his seat in the plane while it was happening. So he organized this concert to support 9/11 first responders, their families, and survivors. Paul’s dad was actually a volunteer firefighter during WWII in Liverpool which took heavy bombing from Germany. Paul’s heart was in this full tilt. Paul brought in as many pop and rock acts he could. He got everyone from The Who to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards to David Bowie and Jon Bonjiovi to Melissa Ethridge, Elton John, John Mellencamp, Eric Clapton, John Lee Hooker..... and even Destiny’s Child. Yeah, they were out of their league in this show to say the least. There were some entertainers who were better than others, some were pathetic, but in the spirit of what it was all about it was intended as a reprieve from the solemnity of the situation and as well as a fund raiser for those families. For one night, everyone could at least try to forget what was happening (again - this is one month after..... there were still uncontrollable fires at ground zero and an almost zero-visibility haze above the tip of Manhattan) But for the 4 hour concert, all the acts that night….. when The Who played to close the first half of it…. Well, as you can see here they owned it. They just fucking owned the entire show. They blew everyone else on that show out the building and that night watching it live myself I felt The Who fucking blew Bin Laden and those mother fuckers who attacked us out too. It was such a HUGE fuck you to terrorism and those animals who tried to destroy our way of life, and The Who were like a goddamned nuke on them. At least, that’s what it felt like. And then when Roger first refused the fire helmet (which a lot of the “stars” that night were wearing) and then said “we could never follow what you did”, it was so cathartic I lost it. I cried like a baby. God Bless The Who. They still might not know what they did for America that night.
@@sarahbgln Yes he did. As it unfolded he got out a pen and jotted down his thoughts at that moment, that it was obviously an attack on freedom and our way of life. Before it was over he had the song "Freedom" which you can find the video of him playing it at this concert on youtube.
This is the best damn reply on this whole thread! You put everything I felt about this band, this particular performance, and the way all of us felt inside.
NYC The Who gave you their very best, strongest 27 mins I've ever seen. No way, No way I would want to even attempt to follow that performance. Could you imagine walking on stage after that whew!! Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There are some things that cannot be f$&@& with. Michael Jordan in the finals. Secretariat at the Belmont. And the Who, live, with something to stand for. This is the greatest live band ever.
This was an astonishing evening. Some acts came in and misunderstood the moment and suffered from thinking it was about themselves. The Who gave themselves to the moment and to the heroes in attendance.
As a 9/11 survivor- while I wasn’t at this show, I watched from my apt in NYC and this performance was such an extraordinary comfort during such a horrific time.
The Who and their performance owned this event! They and the songs they played that night were the right band at the right time to play for New York and the world.
Makes me proud to be British, Lifelong fan of the boys and what a great reception from the NYC crowd, R.I.P To all the victims of 9/11 especially the NYPD, NYFD and Emergency Medical Crews, Never Forgotten🇬🇧🙏🇺🇸♥️🎸✌️X
@@WolfKing-dv6xd One of them - and what gets me is that, after this show, he took his own band to B.B. King's NY club and played another set. They called him the Ox for a reason but I wish he could have put his addictions behind him.
I watched this as it aired. I said to my father The Who stole the show. All the performers this night were great but The Who just blew the roof off of MSG. You can hear the anger and support in their playing.
This performance was badly needed. By the date of this concert things were still bleak. The clouds had not yet lifted. This show was a noble effort and featured some heavyweights. Then The Who, with a version post-the loss of Keith Moon, the purest form of the band, came out and told everybody, "Fuck it! That hurt, but you will learn how strong we are." Baba O'Rielly and New York City were born of the same spirit. That night, The Who, in front of an audience one generation younger, The Who showed them what legends are capable of!
When Daltrey said he wasn't worthy to wear the fireman's helmet, he showed true humility and respect. They then followed that with 30 minutes of rock genius. The best rock band ever and certainly one of the greatest live performances
Another one who never saw The Who, just an apparition. But without the Ox, Pete's songs had no balls and still don't. Without John to put the power in Pete's music, it's pretty ordinary.
@@petebradt While John Entwistle is simply irreplaceable, and a lot of the musical lifting that he did has since been shared by John Button (their touring Bassist since 2015), Pete and even Simon (Pete’s brother), I wouldn’t go as far as saying that Pete’s songs have no balls without him. That’s actually a bit of a lame thing to say.
This is, hands down, THE BEST performance of that evening. This entire set should go down as one of the top 3 best Who performances (in my humble opinion). We lived in a town home at the time and when I turned this up, it literally sounded like you were at the concert. I played it during the summer with my front door open and every neighbor could hear it... especially the ones on the other side of the wall in the living room.
Agreed and whoever produced it deserves to be heaped with praise. Every time Zak Starkey hit the drums, every note of Entwistle's bass, every strum of Townsend's guitar ... the sound balance and production was outstanding as was the camera work - the lights, the screen imagery, the editing - before you even start on their actual performance - they played out of their skins. There is an old saying 'cometh the hour, cometh the man'. As far as this performance goes it's a case of 'cometh the hour, cometh the band'. Just so perfect from song choice to each individual on that stage and totally in communion with that audience and the occasion. I come back to this video again and again and again.
Indeed. I'll say just a few words. In December of 1968, The Who showed John Lennon and Mick Jagger the one band in the world that their bands could never touch live...before Tommy, before Who's Next. Check out: The Rolling Stones Rock And Roll Circus
They headlined all the greatest festivals. Monterey……Woodstock…….Isle of Wight…….Live Aid Wembley…….Concert for New York. The Ultimate legendary live Rock Band, of All time!
I normally try to limit any negative commentary, but I feel compelled to say the people who gave a thumbs down don't know a fucking thing about the power of rock and roll.
The Who really stepped up and knocked it out of the park with an amazing set. "Who Are You?", "Baba O'Reilly", "Behind Blue Eyes", and "Won't Get Fooled Again", all played with incredible power and love for the very special audience of the surviving 9/11 first-responders that emotional evening. When Daltrey simply states at the end "We could never follow what you did", what an incredible tribute, indeed.
Absolutely one of their best performances post Keith moon and abt a year before John's passing. This concert did for the who what live aid did for Queen - reintroduced them to a new generation.
I watched this with my father when this aired. I felt the same exact way. After The Who walked off, I said to my father...The Who f&$king stole the show! Powerful performance and sadly Entwistle's last time at MSG.
They just effin’ killed it at this show. You can tell they gave this performance everything they had in them. Queen had their Live Aid; The Who had their Concert for New York City.
I was in the 10th MTN, getting ready to deploy, when I saw this. I used to recruit in NYC. My 3 and 5 year old boys loved it. Like everyone, they felt 9/11 personally. 90% of our division deployed in the next few months. It seemed like wherever there might be a fight, we were going. This night was special to all of us. God bless The Who.
One of The Who’s most incendiary performances. Sadly, one of the last times Entwistle played in concert. The set list and performance is absolutely mesmerising.
These guys really stole the show. At the end of their set Roger says to the crowd "We could never follow you" which is what everyone that had perform after The Who must have felt. Zach Starkey just crushes the drums, his old man taught him well.
Yep,,was thinking the same myself,imo definitely at least on par with Queen at live aid,if someone says it even better,I honestly would not argue with them
The power of rock'n roll in 27 minutes. Gave me goosebumbs watching this live in 2001 and still moves me to tears watching these cops and firemen jumping around and going crazy. Probably one of the Who's best gigs ever - they really wanted this. Amazing!
Yes! Yes! Yes! Me too! They deserved a night out. One said he expected to have his spirits lifted, instead his feet were lifted 6 inches from the floor!! Sheer joy!! That’s how music should be. NEVER FORGET- EVER!! Watch the audience.
If you have ever seen a exorcism this was it, we were there, Ox, Roger, Pete and Zach chased the demons from the the concert with one mighty scream of Roger during We won't get fooled again, the negative energy was banished and people learned to live God Bless the Who in what is one of their greatest shows ever!
The Who upstaged the Stones at their Rock Circus, and they came here decades later and upstaged McCartney at this concert. Probably the best rock performance I’ve ever seen. I remember watching this live and thinking “God help whoever has to follow this act” So damn awesome . . .
The Stones organized a huge charity concert in Toronto 18 years ago and got upstaged by AcDc. I like their music but they can’t match the energy of a Angus Young or Pete and Roger. Sadly, The Who’s most interesting guy to watch on stage was Moon.
Saw this live via satellite. The Who OWNED this concert. Outstanding performance. U2 was next on stage, and Bono’s first words on a hot mic were “How do you follow THAT? Lord almighty.”
From a hard core Stones fan - your words are 100% true - this performance was far more important and incredible than Queen...nothing else comes close not even Mick and Keith who reunited that night
I agree. Something about the combined energy of the band, euphoric energy of the audience, underlined with people's pain and loss from 9/11. Makes my eyes leak everytime I see this brilliant performance by The Who.
AKA, the finest bass guitarist who will EVER live. No other bassist even deserves mention in ROLLING STONE, or anywhere else. I miss the Ox every day and will be until I join the Great Orchestra.
@@lesliepoole8705 I saw them in the early 70s when they were going through a phase of playing smaller venues. They were at our local concert hall - which to be fair has superb acoustics but has a capacity of around 900. I was still at school, just a kid really and didn't really appreciate what I was seeing and hearing, but I do now!
The lyric was timely, "I get on my knees and pray that we don't get fooled again." The officers or firefighters at 25:42 - they got a second on the broadcast and it was very empowering to see their exuberance in the aftermath... the power of music and the power the resolve of the American people when united as one against our enemies and for our fellow American. The line from Daltry at the end is beyond perfect... and a great honor... "We can never follow what you did."
Utterly brilliant. I fell out of love with The Who for a while, just listening to Live At Leeds, and thinking they've forgotten how to be a workingman's band. I saw this and remembered how all those working-class guys from New York put their lives on the line to save other people. The firemen. The ambulance service and nurses. The ordinary Americans trying to do what they can. The police. At this concert The Who reconnected with the working class men and women who were always their fan-base. I saw them in 1975 in Manchester for £1.50. It was good to see that that they hadn't forgotten their roots.
Right band for the right time. People were feeling angry and the music was an outlet for that anger. You can't ask for a better pick me up. Well done the Who. Probably the best I have ever seen them
Really an emotional performance. The Who completely crushed it that night... a real reminder of what the band could do when playing with peak passion and intensity.
this was not just another gig for the Who. They were moved by 9/11 and their hearts went out to the lost, to their survivors, to the first responders, to the people of NYC, and to all of us in America. The Who loves America and took that attack personally. They expressed themselves by delivering one of their most electric and powerful performances ever. Also, Pete and the band are very competitive ( ala Hendrix at Monterey Festival ). There were other legendary bands there that night and the Who came out on fire to prove they are the best. Townshend was feeling it....extremely animated.
@@lesliepoole8705 I loved this performance so much. I really felt like the UK was giving us a gift that night. All the UK-origin acts were fantastic but the Who just took the roof off the Garden.
@@dvchel I remember it being a mixed bag. Jay-Z rather bombed; Melissa Etheridge had trouble getting her song started. By and large the American acts just weren’t a match for the moment with the exception of Billy Joel, whose NYC connection and cred were unimpeachable. David Bowie’s opening, where he sat crosslegged on the stage singing Simon & Garfunkel’s “America” while strumming an Omnichord and launching into his own “Heroes” was absolutely perfect. But no one could touch The Who that night.
I read that Pete Townshend came offstage worried that he overdid it in this performance, effectively having, in his words, “machine-gunned” the audience, and not showing the proper reverence for both the occasion and the First Responders. He expressed his worry to Elton John, who set him straight by having him look at the crowd from behind the curtain. Pete’s concerns were put to rest when he saw the crowd’s response to The Who’s performance. Cathartic indeed.
Still the most brilliant performance that night. Even after almost 20 years, I still FEEL this. This WAS the band of the night and the one that the audience needed.
Simply put, the greatest 30 minute live performance in the history of rock and roll. Pete's songwriting mix of snarl and vulnerability perfectly fit the moment. From Cusack's intro to the final note, pure bliss. Watching the cops, EMS and firefighters in the audience mourn but simultaneously rejoice still gives me goosebumps. Only the Who could kick ass but heal the broken spirits that night.
John Entwistle is going to fucking TOWN. Insane that he and Keith Moon got paired together. Truly the best rhythm duo in rock, even above Bonham and John Paul Jones. So legendary. R.I.P boys.
I’ve been looking for this on TH-cam for years. I think the original video of it must have been blocked. Hopefully this last. Absolutely my favorite performance by The Who.
Its gone down in rock folklore as being the best cameo gigs ever! And who cud argue on the strength of that epic performance. What a fucking brilliant band the who are!
He made his own bass guitars from scratch and put together his own rig of sound (amps, processors, compressors, effects, EQ, etc and then dialed everything in for his taste) so there is absolutely no way anyone can replicate his sound.
his bass sounds different than his usual tone here, but i still love it, especially in Baba O'Riley, sounds menacing going with the synthesizer backing track
We wont get fooled again. I saw it live and chills went up my spine when I heard those words. Possibly the most appropriate and meaningful live set ever played. EVER.
There was a moment in the beginning of this song when the drums kicked in and you knew that everything was going to be alright. From a New Yorker. God bless the memories of our fallen heroes. Gone but not Forgotten
So so true!! Ive been sick with Covid a month ago and have post covid symptoms and wanted something to boost me up...now this is my go-to performances!
The most poniagnt moment of this spectacular performance can be easily missed. Although the cameras did not capture the moment, it would appear that at the beginning of “Behind Blue Eyes”, it SOUNDS like someone must’ve tossed a cap of a deceased fireman to Roger Daltrey, and you can clearly hear him say, “I’m not worthy of wearing this.” I think Pete senses that Roger is in emotional trouble after the opening verses, so he playfully crashes into him before the “When my fist clenches, crack it open” verse to help him through it. I know Roger was quoted as saying if he could’ve seen the audience, he simply would not have been able to perform. This is the single greatest and most important rock performance of all time, and it ain’t close.
Best part of the concert.. it's like a 20 minute rock version of when us Americans really felt in tune again with our true friends across the pond not felt since WW2.. even Moonie may have felt this wherever his crazy soul went.. Dear boy's, we love ya!
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Who is still listening 🎧🎧🎧 in 2024
I watched this live on tv that night. Everyone was great but the 2 best acts that night were Billy Joel and The Who hands down no question about it and this really did lift everyone's spirits in the tri state area at least for a little while. It basically snapped everyone out of the shock we were in and recharged the batteries so we could at the very least start functioning again. And I think The Who should've been the closing act because, how do you follow this performance?
When I watched this live, as a huge who fan , it gave me goosebumps!
@gerrymcguire7521 Same here and they should've been the closing act because, how can anyone follow that.
The British Band kicked ass and supported our country. Love it
Never forget ❤
Ok kids make a note this is The Who in their mid 50's, 37 years into their stellar career's and still out there!!! Thank you Zach for your incredible talent, Uncle Keith would be so Proud!
Keith gave Zak his first kit for Zak's birthday. Ringo wanted to kick Keith's ass...
Uncle Keith *IS* proud.
The Who ruled that concert. They were the right band, with the right songs, for that moment. They channeled all the anger and the hurt and the sadness, and they turned it into a set of pure musical catharsis.
well put sir!
I LOST MY BROTHER IN LAW THAT DAY AND THIS CONCERT CONVEYS THE ANGER BUT HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
@@edbavoso7679 So sorry to hear that, Ed. It's 20 years this gone this year, but it still seems recent.
@@edbavoso7679 lost my brother and cousin I feel it man
Absolutely
One of the best bass players you are ever likely to see in your lifetime ... on that stage, right there.
I always thought Queen at Live Aid was the greatest live performance by a band ever, but this topped it by a mile, the emotions of the moment and reactions of the band and crowd. Still moves to tears 21 years later.
Both were powerful in their own right. Each band conquered their own day. One could not be compared to the other...
I remember watching this live. Just seeing the joy on the faces of the first responders, knowing what they were still going through, still moves me whenever I watch this. What a performance!
These guys simply rock !! But cameraman could have given organ player a lil love....
This was John's last performance and i think that adds to it. I agree this is the gig I always go back to. Pure greatness.
queen sucks!
What impressed me the most about the Who's performance here was how they simply played their biggest hits, and rocked their arses off in a way to make people happy. No new material, no proselytizing, no fluff - just a straight dose of what those people needed. For that, I call this the greatest concert I've ever seen.
And they clearly rehearsed their asses of just like Queen at Live Aid.
Sadly The Who at Live Aid were very under rehearsed & it showed.@@Wokko1963
The messages in their songs are perfect for that time. We are all angry and wants to take vengeance against the terrorists!
@@Wokko1963I first saw the Who in 1969 at the Fillmore east before they released Tommy. They have always been like this.
@@Gnofg Spot on. They were always amazing live, FAR better than the studio versions. They were 4 solo maestros that put it together as a band.
So Pete Townsend takes a single coil Fender guitar, plays it through a bunch of Fender Twins, and makes everyone who plays Les Pauls or any other "hard rock" guitar through Marshalls, Mesas, and the like sound like Barry Manilow. Mad respect.
I am Ret. NYPD lived thru the attacks on September 11th 2001, I called in cpl of favors and was sitting 1st row on Pete's side - I was dumb struck by the power of THE WHO that night, Damn near tears, They blew the fffn doors off The Garden that night, ALL the bands were terrific but THE WHO stole the show,
You'd never want to come on after these guys.
No backing dancers, no high tech visuals, no lip synching, ladies and gentlemen, the greatest ever rock and roll band.
well put
Damn right, the best rock band ever!
the Beatles were the greatest Pop band...but the WHO are the greatest Rock band ever!
The greatest *classic* rock band. The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and the Rolling Stones are, like, *the* classic classic rock bands, and although they don't get more credit than they deserve, it often seems like The Who gets *less*, which is a shame, since I put The Who and Who's Next as the greatest examples of classic rock band and album, respectively.
Now, as far as rock as a genre (and here I am including classic rock, alternative rock, and hard rock (and including heavy metal too, maybe? Maybe not), I think there are a number of modern rock bands that kick as much ass as anything put out by any band from the '60s up to today. Say, The 1975, Angels & Airwaves, All-Amercan rejects, Nate Ruess (either solo or with fun.), Twenty-One Pilots, Goo Goo Dolls, Counting Crows, Dave Matthews Band, Queen (who should really probably be included as classic rock)... I could go on and on and on.
Now, this does *not* necessarily mean that all -- or any -- of the musicians I listed are as good as or better than The Who. I could not in good conscience claim that *any* of the bands listed are *the* greatest rock band (or band of *any* kind for that matter). But, they are *all* definitely legitimate competitors for the title.
That having been said, Who's Next was my absolute favorite album when it first came out (Pop Goes the World by Men Without Hats was probably a second).
Now, is Baba O'Riley the Who's best *song*? Ehhhh... yeah, I'd probably say yes (if I didn't, I'd probably say Behind Blue Eyes).
Roger Ramjet yes, that's the reason cause i don't like 1989/90 tours....i prefer just the band on stage, just the original members Daltrey-Entwistle-Townshend!
Fuck I love Entwistle. The man had no equal.
Nobody sounds like him! He drove that band.
th-cam.com/video/80dsyo2Ox-0/w-d-xo.html
He was truly the lead instrumentalist in this band no dis to Pete but ffs his bass leads kicked ass
@@threalismaradona9899I’ve always thought of Pete and John as one lead instrument. I know they were all leads, but Pete and John’s sounds just blended together and played off each other so well. It sounds like one godly player sometimes.
And *NEVER* will.
Those bass lines during Won't Get Fooled Again.... My Lord.
RIP, Thunderfingers.
I love the phrase he plays leading into the key change at 21:23, after which plays so authoritatively behind the solo as a heel turn.
I remember the radio broadcast of this show at MSG. An emotional time in this nation’s history for sure. We got a kick in the nuts for sure on 9/11 and after we buried our dead and cleaned up the rubble, the cops and firefighters and EMTs needed a party. Just a night to drink a little too much and allow themselves to have a good time. I remember when The Who took the stage, they were like a smoking flamethrower of awesome brain shaking rock. An invisible fist grabbed me by the throat and I was frozen in place for this entire show…I didn’t move an inch. The power and anger and eventually the joy of this music held me. The greatest moment in rock and roll history.
One of their best ever live performances and that’s saying something
Ttue fuckin true mate
Totally agree one of the best sets ever by any band.
The Who blew all the other bands off the stage that night... #Perfection
It is their best...the time ..the place..the line up..the world watching....no one came close that night and it was....Beautiful.
Agreed ! unbelievable emotion
For anyone who was ever in doubt, here's confirmation. No other group comes near. Absolute fucking dynamite.
Let’s put this into context:
This is about a month after 9/11. Our nation - the world - was still extremely sad. Terribly, terribly sad. Paul McCartney had witnessed the attacks first hand - he was sitting on a plane on the runway at JFK when he saw the planes hit with his own two eyes. He wrote that song “Freedom” which he closed this concert with right then and there in his seat in the plane while it was happening.
So he organized this concert to support 9/11 first responders, their families, and survivors. Paul’s dad was actually a volunteer firefighter during WWII in Liverpool which took heavy bombing from Germany. Paul’s heart was in this full tilt.
Paul brought in as many pop and rock acts he could. He got everyone from The Who to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards to David Bowie and Jon Bonjiovi to Melissa Ethridge, Elton John, John Mellencamp, Eric Clapton, John Lee Hooker..... and even Destiny’s Child. Yeah, they were out of their league in this show to say the least. There were some entertainers who were better than others, some were pathetic, but in the spirit of what it was all about it was intended as a reprieve from the solemnity of the situation and as well as a fund raiser for those families. For one night, everyone could at least try to forget what was happening (again - this is one month after..... there were still uncontrollable fires at ground zero and an almost zero-visibility haze above the tip of Manhattan)
But for the 4 hour concert, all the acts that night….. when The Who played to close the first half of it…. Well, as you can see here they owned it. They just fucking owned the entire show. They blew everyone else on that show out the building and that night watching it live myself I felt The Who fucking blew Bin Laden and those mother fuckers who attacked us out too. It was such a HUGE fuck you to terrorism and those animals who tried to destroy our way of life, and The Who were like a goddamned nuke on them. At least, that’s what it felt like.
And then when Roger first refused the fire helmet (which a lot of the “stars” that night were wearing) and then said “we could never follow what you did”, it was so cathartic I lost it. I cried like a baby.
God Bless The Who. They still might not know what they did for America that night.
Holy crap, I didn't realize Paul McCartney saw the planes hit wtfff
thanks for sharing this, amazing testimony, I'm an "xennial" but grew up listening to the Who... God bless America
@@sarahbgln Yes he did. As it unfolded he got out a pen and jotted down his thoughts at that moment, that it was obviously an attack on freedom and our way of life. Before it was over he had the song "Freedom" which you can find the video of him playing it at this concert on youtube.
This is the best damn reply on this whole thread! You put everything I felt about this band, this particular performance, and the way all of us felt inside.
This and your essay here should be shared annually!
"We could never follow what YOU did" 😭❤
This is the greatest live performance any band ever gave. God bless John Entwistle. - 9-11-23
Yes, indeed, indeed. The greatest of it all.
Man, Entwistle was such a fucking beast. He's to bass what Hendrix was to guitar.
NYC The Who gave you their very best, strongest 27 mins I've ever seen. No way, No way I would want to even attempt to follow that performance. Could you imagine walking on stage after that whew!! Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There are some things that cannot be f$&@& with. Michael Jordan in the finals. Secretariat at the Belmont. And the Who, live, with something to stand for. This is the greatest live band ever.
Secretariat!!!!!!!
The greatest band ever, period.
This was an astonishing evening. Some acts came in and misunderstood the moment and suffered from thinking it was about themselves. The Who gave themselves to the moment and to the heroes in attendance.
As a 9/11 survivor- while I wasn’t at this show, I watched from my apt in NYC and this performance was such an extraordinary comfort during such a horrific time.
God bless you.
@@javajen19 thank you and unto you 🙏🏼❤️
Mom survived the north tower attacks 29 Th floor . 9of her coworkers did not.
@@rickbaier1042 so happy to hear your dear Mom made it. May those who didn’t rest in eternal peace.
I hope you are well. Best wishes.
The Who and their performance owned this event! They and the songs they played that night were the right band at the right time to play for New York and the world.
Makes me proud to be British, Lifelong fan of the boys and what a great reception from the NYC crowd, R.I.P To all the victims of 9/11 especially the NYPD, NYFD and Emergency Medical Crews, Never Forgotten🇬🇧🙏🇺🇸♥️🎸✌️X
John entwistle quietly like a boss on bass
I think that was his last performance with The Who.
@@WolfKing-dv6xd One of them - and what gets me is that, after this show, he took his own band to B.B. King's NY club and played another set. They called him the Ox for a reason but I wish he could have put his addictions behind him.
I also consider this the beggining of the comeback for The Who
@@benpezzot8805 They never left
They also had a hiatus for a while
I watched this as it aired. I said to my father The Who stole the show. All the performers this night were great but The Who just blew the roof off of MSG. You can hear the anger and support in their playing.
This performance was badly needed. By the date of this concert things were still bleak. The clouds had not yet lifted. This show was a noble effort and featured some heavyweights. Then The Who, with a version post-the loss of Keith Moon, the purest form of the band, came out and told everybody, "Fuck it! That hurt, but you will learn how strong we are." Baba O'Rielly and New York City were born of the same spirit. That night, The Who, in front of an audience one generation younger, The Who showed them what legends are capable of!
Honestly. one of the best performances in rock and roll history.
It is the best
British as well
Just incredible!!
The best 27 minutes ever!
THE WHO qui ?
Let’s not forget, on the original studio versions, Pete played all the keyboards.
When Daltrey said he wasn't worthy to wear the fireman's helmet, he showed true humility and respect. They then followed that with 30 minutes of rock genius. The best rock band ever and certainly one of the greatest live performances
Another one who never saw The Who, just an apparition. But without the Ox, Pete's songs had no balls and still don't. Without John to put the power in Pete's music, it's pretty ordinary.
@@petebradt what about PT's solo material. It kicks a different kind of ass.
Stunningly BOOtiful man...outside and inside.
@@petebradt who is the Ox?
@@petebradt While John Entwistle is simply irreplaceable, and a lot of the musical lifting that he did has since been shared by John Button (their touring Bassist since 2015), Pete and even Simon (Pete’s brother), I wouldn’t go as far as saying that Pete’s songs have no balls without him. That’s actually a bit of a lame thing to say.
This is, hands down, THE BEST performance of that evening. This entire set should go down as one of the top 3 best Who performances (in my humble opinion). We lived in a town home at the time and when I turned this up, it literally sounded like you were at the concert. I played it during the summer with my front door open and every neighbor could hear it... especially the ones on the other side of the wall in the living room.
Agreed and whoever produced it deserves to be heaped with praise. Every time Zak Starkey hit the drums, every note of Entwistle's bass, every strum of Townsend's guitar ... the sound balance and production was outstanding as was the camera work - the lights, the screen imagery, the editing - before you even start on their actual performance - they played out of their skins. There is an old saying 'cometh the hour, cometh the man'. As far as this performance goes it's a case of 'cometh the hour, cometh the band'. Just so perfect from song choice to each individual on that stage and totally in communion with that audience and the occasion. I come back to this video again and again and again.
I was at the concert
Whether it was their intention or not, they blew every other act off the stage.
Easily
They only have one speed. Full pelt.
Without a doubt.
Indeed. I'll say just a few words. In December of 1968, The Who showed John Lennon and Mick Jagger the one band in the world that their bands could never touch live...before Tommy, before Who's Next. Check out: The Rolling Stones Rock And Roll Circus
You are absolutely correct.
They headlined all the greatest festivals. Monterey……Woodstock…….Isle of Wight…….Live Aid Wembley…….Concert for New York. The Ultimate legendary live Rock Band, of All time!
1000% Mate. Case closed, case re-opened, And case closed Again. Got to see them in 2009, Mind Blowing, sadly without The Ox though.
And live 8 2005
I normally try to limit any negative commentary, but I feel compelled to say the people who gave a thumbs down don't know a fucking thing about the power of rock and roll.
The Who really stepped up and knocked it out of the park with an amazing set. "Who Are You?", "Baba O'Reilly", "Behind Blue Eyes", and "Won't Get Fooled Again", all played with incredible power and love for the very special audience of the surviving 9/11 first-responders that emotional evening. When Daltrey simply states at the end "We could never follow what you did", what an incredible tribute, indeed.
Made me tear up. Beautiful and touching. The emotion will always be here.
Spot on brother
Absolutely one of their best performances post Keith moon and abt a year before John's passing. This concert did for the who what live aid did for Queen - reintroduced them to a new generation.
superbly put
I watched this with my father when this aired. I felt the same exact way. After The Who walked off, I said to my father...The Who f&$king stole the show! Powerful performance and sadly Entwistle's last time at MSG.
They just effin’ killed it at this show. You can tell they gave this performance everything they had in them. Queen had their Live Aid; The Who had their Concert for New York City.
I was in the 10th MTN, getting ready to deploy, when I saw this. I used to recruit in NYC. My 3 and 5 year old boys loved it. Like everyone, they felt 9/11 personally. 90% of our division deployed in the next few months. It seemed like wherever there might be a fight, we were going. This night was special to all of us. God bless The Who.
God bless you and the 10th Mountain division.
This performance was right up there with Queen at Live Aid. It was 27 minutes of cathartic rock n roll perfection.
Sorry, Better then Queen at Live Aid
queen: radio ga-ga ?
give me a break!
those people would of strangled any arab in the vicinity after hearing that set!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry to disagree, but Queen don't hold a candle to these guys. The Who are on another level.
They stole the show that night.
Dude... they steal the show any night.
No doubt right up there with Queen at live aid
you know all the younger bands who watched had to be amazed at the old guys...
Charles Oliva as always
There is having a good performance and then there is putting the other bands on the card to shame. This was the latter. Absolutely stole the show.
One of The Who’s most incendiary performances. Sadly, one of the last times Entwistle played in concert. The set list and performance is absolutely mesmerising.
The Ox' very last performance.
@@petebradt No, they played gigs in the UK in 2002 before he died.
This was his last performance in America. He died the night before their first gig of their next tour in the States.
Yes! Heartbreaking that he was gone a few months later. 😭
@@joeflint7798 Was the Albert hall gig his last in the UK?
Remember watching this as a 16 year old, seeing it again now is still emotional. Can’t help but feel very proud to be British watching The Who here!
It is. It brings tears to my eyes to see this even now. So very cathartic.
One of the greatest performances in rock history.
These guys really stole the show. At the end of their set Roger says to the crowd "We could never follow you" which is what everyone that had perform after The Who must have felt. Zach Starkey just crushes the drums, his old man taught him well.
I would put it up there with Queen at Live Aid as one of the best live sets ever....
Yep,,was thinking the same myself,imo definitely at least on par with Queen at live aid,if someone says it even better,I honestly would not argue with them
Best not to compare genius vs genius or legend vs legend. Let us be eternally grateful for both of them
Class stuff yeah, really on top form
Amen brother
Also Led Zep doing Kashmir at the O2. Equally awesome.
The power of rock'n roll in 27 minutes. Gave me goosebumbs watching this live in 2001 and still moves me to tears watching these cops and firemen jumping around and going crazy. Probably one of the Who's best gigs ever - they really wanted this. Amazing!
Yes! Yes! Yes! Me too!
They deserved a night out. One said he expected to have his spirits lifted, instead his feet were lifted 6 inches from the floor!! Sheer joy!! That’s how music should be. NEVER FORGET- EVER!! Watch the audience.
Clearly a huge emotional release for all…this performance was pitch perfect…a celebration for heroes👌 🤩
yes , even I'm from China
❤❤❤❤
The Who is ALWAYS great in concert, but this night was definitely special! They owned the night!
If you have ever seen a exorcism this was it, we were there, Ox, Roger, Pete and Zach chased the demons from the the concert with one mighty scream of Roger during We won't get fooled again, the negative energy was banished and people learned to live God Bless the Who in what is one of their greatest shows ever!
Your comment brought tears to my eyes. It's absolutely true.
AMEN!
The Who upstaged the Stones at their Rock Circus, and they came here decades later and upstaged McCartney at this concert. Probably the best rock performance I’ve ever seen. I remember watching this live and thinking “God help whoever has to follow this act” So damn awesome . . .
U2.....Bono even Said it...how can we follow that. Shit.
The Stones organized a huge charity concert in Toronto 18 years ago and got upstaged by AcDc. I like their music but they can’t match the energy of a Angus Young or Pete and Roger. Sadly, The Who’s most interesting guy to watch on stage was Moon.
@@stephens9462 Yes! I saw The Who with Moon in the sixties! Wow!
Yeah they did but it was Paul McCartney who put this event up. So kudos to him too! 👏
Yes sir!!
Saw this live via satellite. The Who OWNED this concert. Outstanding performance. U2 was next on stage, and Bono’s first words on a hot mic were “How do you follow THAT? Lord almighty.”
U2 didn't play at that concert, but cool story.
Kids this is the true power of real rock and roll. Just stunning.
People talk about the queen performance at Live aid but to me this was more powerful
Just a personal view from a who fan !
From a hard core Stones fan - your words are 100% true - this performance was far more important and incredible than Queen...nothing else comes close not even Mick and Keith who reunited that night
I agree. Something about the combined energy of the band, euphoric energy of the audience, underlined with people's pain and loss from 9/11. Makes my eyes leak everytime I see this brilliant performance by The Who.
Yup!!
I was just thinking the same thing.
Totally agree. Rog. Pacific sunset records .
So surrealistically sad with the people holding up pictures. Still unbelievable 22 yrs later.
R.I.P. - John Entwistle - AKA, The Ox, Thunderfingers.
And The Quiet One.
AKA, the finest bass guitarist who will EVER live. No other bassist even deserves mention in ROLLING STONE, or anywhere else. I miss the Ox every day and will be until I join the Great Orchestra.
i am 66 years old. This is the most POWERFUL set i have ever seen!! The hairs on my arms came to life!!
I agree I am 75 , I was lucky enough to see them in the early sixties when they were starting out . Star quality even then
@@lesliepoole8705 I saw them in the early 70s when they were going through a phase of playing smaller venues. They were at our local concert hall - which to be fair has superb acoustics but has a capacity of around 900. I was still at school, just a kid really and didn't really appreciate what I was seeing and hearing, but I do now!
Fucking incredible
Almost 73. Likewise.
My son was 11 and was BLOWN away by The Who that night. Now he's 30 and every so often we remember this !!
The lyric was timely, "I get on my knees and pray that we don't get fooled again." The officers or firefighters at 25:42 - they got a second on the broadcast and it was very empowering to see their exuberance in the aftermath... the power of music and the power the resolve of the American people when united as one against our enemies and for our fellow American. The line from Daltry at the end is beyond perfect... and a great honor... "We can never follow what you did."
I love those flags together.
Yes , Yes And yes
You better you bet. A match made in Heaven.
Utterly brilliant. I fell out of love with The Who for a while, just listening to Live At Leeds, and thinking they've forgotten how to be a workingman's band. I saw this and remembered how all those working-class guys from New York put their lives on the line to save other people. The firemen. The ambulance service and nurses. The ordinary Americans trying to do what they can. The police. At this concert The Who reconnected with the working class men and women who were always their fan-base. I saw them in 1975 in Manchester for £1.50. It was good to see that that they hadn't forgotten their roots.
Right band for the right time. People were feeling angry and the music was an outlet for that anger. You can't ask for a better pick me up. Well done the Who. Probably the best I have ever seen them
They keep going on and on, and people say they do great shows still.. to me this was the old The Who doing a last encore.
Really an emotional performance.
The Who completely crushed it that night... a real reminder of what the band could do when playing with peak passion and intensity.
John Entwistle was and is still the God of bass
He will ever be, the finest, most original, most powerful bassist who ever lived. Check that (sorry John), who will ever live.
Thank God the Ox was there for this, he would be gone soon after
@John Dew John makes Jaco sound like he had his first lesson five minutes ago.
The guys were on fire that night and New York will never forget them for it.
this was not just another gig for the Who. They were moved by 9/11 and their hearts went out to the lost, to their survivors, to the first responders, to the people of NYC, and to all of us in America. The Who loves America and took that attack personally. They expressed themselves by delivering one of their most electric and powerful performances ever. Also, Pete and the band are very competitive ( ala Hendrix at Monterey Festival ). There were other legendary bands there that night and the Who came out on fire to prove they are the best. Townshend was feeling it....extremely animated.
It made me feel proud to be British seeing these boys perform for those wonderful brave men and women . I still find it very moving
@@lesliepoole8705 I loved this performance so much. I really felt like the UK was giving us a gift that night. All the UK-origin acts were fantastic but the Who just took the roof off the Garden.
Sad that you cannot find the whole concert for NYC in full on YT anymore.
@@dvchel I remember it being a mixed bag. Jay-Z rather bombed; Melissa Etheridge had trouble getting her song started. By and large the American acts just weren’t a match for the moment with the exception of Billy Joel, whose NYC connection and cred were unimpeachable. David Bowie’s opening, where he sat crosslegged on the stage singing Simon & Garfunkel’s “America” while strumming an Omnichord and launching into his own “Heroes” was absolutely perfect. But no one could touch The Who that night.
Zak is just wicked badass on those drums
I read that Pete Townshend came offstage worried that he overdid it in this performance, effectively having, in his words, “machine-gunned” the audience, and not showing the proper reverence for both the occasion and the First Responders.
He expressed his worry to Elton John, who set him straight by having him look at the crowd from behind the curtain. Pete’s concerns were put to rest when he saw the crowd’s response to The Who’s performance.
Cathartic indeed.
Possibly the greatest 30 minutes of live rock music ever. Astonishing. A fitting tribute...
No-one does Rock and Roll like the Brits, pure and simple.
Still the most brilliant performance that night. Even after almost 20 years, I still FEEL this. This WAS the band of the night and the one that the audience needed.
Pete's rhythm guitar playing is outstanding ...
Simply put, the greatest 30 minute live performance in the history of rock and roll. Pete's songwriting mix of snarl and vulnerability perfectly fit the moment. From Cusack's intro to the final note, pure bliss. Watching the cops, EMS and firefighters in the audience mourn but simultaneously rejoice still gives me goosebumps. Only the Who could kick ass but heal the broken spirits that night.
Yes Sir!!!!!
Queen @ Live Aid ? Not knocking this performance at all
Amen
I've always said that this is the best live performance I've ever seen, by any performer in any genre. Better than Queen at Live Aid.
John Entwistle is going to fucking TOWN. Insane that he and Keith Moon got paired together. Truly the best rhythm duo in rock, even above Bonham and John Paul Jones. So legendary. R.I.P boys.
Keith suivait Pete...
John lived long enough to be captured on HD... I miss him and his playing
The Shepperton Studios live version of Baba O’Riley is really good quality for 1978
I’ve been looking for this on TH-cam for years. I think the original video of it must have been blocked. Hopefully this last. Absolutely my favorite performance by The Who.
I’ve also been looking for this for years, I think the originals got removed!
Yeah the “owner” kept having them removed. Seeing this performance is contraband on here!
The Who totally stole the show
“We could never follow what you did!” Amen, Roger.
I think this was the best performance of the night. I remember being totally mesmerized
Its gone down in rock folklore as being the best cameo gigs ever! And who cud argue on the strength of that epic performance. What a fucking brilliant band the who are!
@@colingeddes2172 Not any more. John is long dead and the apparition they came up after John died, is as worthless as tits on a boar.
@@petebradt na. It was never going to be the same when 1st moon, then entwhistle sadly passed away, but pete and rog still do the band proud.
@@petebradt The Who stole the show again in 2012, for the Sandy concert. And that was without John. So, you're quite wrong.
Defo, stood out big time
Always a huge buzz to hear the Who firing on all cylinders!!
They were pushing 60 at the time and still gave one of their greatest performances ever.
Electric performance sends shivers up my spine
The Ox makes it for me. Amazing bass !
RIP to the Big man and all the victims of that awful day
Great show.
John Entwistle RIP the greatest rock bass player ever. He died that following summer.
John's bass lines are so incredible.
The best who *will ever live.*
He made his own bass guitars from scratch and put together his own rig of sound (amps, processors, compressors, effects, EQ, etc and then dialed everything in for his taste) so there is absolutely no way anyone can replicate his sound.
How about John raising his eyes when they went into Baba O'Riley.
his bass sounds different than his usual tone here, but i still love it, especially in Baba O'Riley, sounds menacing going with the synthesizer backing track
His playing was magical and mesmerizing.
We wont get fooled again. I saw it live and chills went up my spine when I heard those words. Possibly the most appropriate and meaningful live set ever played. EVER.
Mick Jagger was quoted back stage after this set - “ oh sh&t!!!
I get chills remembering this. Almost 19 years
yes it's unbelievable how time rushes by.
No band in rock history would dare follow this performance. This is a reminder of why they were the greatest rock band in history.
One of the greatest rock performances of all time.
The Who owned that stage. They literally shook the foundation that night!
There was a moment in the beginning of this song when the drums kicked in and you knew that everything was going to be alright. From a New Yorker. God bless the memories of our fallen heroes. Gone but not Forgotten
The best live performance by any band anytime anywhere.
For just a moment in time, the US was the most united place in the world.
For as long as The Who played, and never again. The US is doomed to break apart.
Easily the most epic and electrifying Who concert, ever.Townsend was on fire
Whenever you're feeling down in the dumps - just watch this for a jolt of positive power :D
You are so right!!!
I watch the same song with Keith Moon. THAT is the *REAL* Who.
So so true!! Ive been sick with Covid a month ago and have post covid symptoms and wanted something to boost me up...now this is my go-to performances!
Ain’t that the truth 👍
The most poniagnt moment of this spectacular performance can be easily missed. Although the cameras did not capture the moment, it would appear that at the beginning of “Behind Blue Eyes”, it SOUNDS like someone must’ve tossed a cap of a deceased fireman to Roger Daltrey, and you can clearly hear him say, “I’m not worthy of wearing this.” I think Pete senses that Roger is in emotional trouble after the opening verses, so he playfully crashes into him before the “When my fist clenches, crack it open” verse to help him through it. I know Roger was quoted as saying if he could’ve seen the audience, he simply would not have been able to perform. This is the single greatest and most important rock performance of all time, and it ain’t close.
Roger admitted he got very emotional at the start of BBE.
Yes Sir!!!!!!!
Tremendous observation!!!!
@@bcushing Want to hold and cuddle him and kiss his beautiful nose.
You are correct - theres a vid from a diff angle where you see the FDNY cap thrown at him .... class
Best bassist to ever play. THE OX
Have loved the Who since I was a kid back in the 70’s. They gave it everything they had that night. Epic
If you ever wonder whether magic exists, this performance is your proof. Magic exists.
being from new york we were hurting and needed this, what a performance God bless The Who
Honestly, I’m not even a huge The Who fan, but this is one of my favorite sets of all time. Absolute magic.
Best part of the concert.. it's like a 20 minute rock version of when us Americans really felt in tune again with our true friends across the pond not felt since WW2.. even Moonie may have felt this wherever his crazy soul went.. Dear boy's, we love ya!
Your comment is making me well up 💜💜💜👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻✊🏼
That’s exactly RIGHT. God bless our mother Great Britain 🇬🇧 from your son….. 🇺🇸 America !
Raw defiance and sweet communion. This is a historic performance.