26 August 2025 (gig)
28 August 2025
The Who's performance at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, on August 25, 2025, elicited a mixture of emotions. The anticipation was high as this was The Who's first local concert appearance since 2022. There was also a feeling of sadness as this was the last concert the band will ever perform in Boston.
The Who (Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend) announced the group's final US tour earlier this year (labeled, "The Song is Over" tour) ending the road career of a band considered by millions to be the world's greatest live rock band.
Mixed emotions aside, The Who is still a tight powerhouse live. They opened with 1964's "I Can't Explain", and watching Townshend recreate the power-chord heavy opening riffs is still breathtaking. Keeping with the '60s catalog, a great version of "Substitute" followed, before Daltrey strapped on a guitar and a blistering take of "Who Are You?" elated the crowd.
Tracks from the band's 1971 record, "Who's Next", made up a good chunk of the setlist, but it was extra special to hear an extended version of the rarely played, "Love Ain't For Keeping".
A double shot from the "Tommy" rock opera album was represented by "Pinball Wizard" and "See Me, Feel Me" (where the fiery "Listening to You" refrain emoted epic fervent vibes).
A frantic "My Generation" bled into a reworked "Cry If You Want", a deep cut from 1982's "It's Hard" disc. The vibes from the '80s continued into the power-pop perfection of "You Better, You Bet".
Townshend's brother, Simon Townshend (who initially started playing guitar onstage with The Who during the "Quadrophenia" tour in 1996-'97), took over the lead vocal spot during "Goin' Mobile", a song the band never performed live until this year.
A four-song stretch from "Quadrophenia" included passionate versions of "The Real Me", "I'm One", "5:15" and culminated into an epic "Love Reign O'er Me" (which saw Daltrey blow out a phenomenal final vocal burst of "love" at the end of the song).
Other than Daltrey and the Townshend brothers, The Who was augmented onstage with Loren Gold (keyboards), John Hogg (backing vocals), Jon Button (bass), Scott?Devours (drums), and Massachusetts native, Jody Linscott (percussion).
A blistering "Baba O'Riley" electrified Fenway Park and a monumental "Won't Get Fooled Again" (possibly the best rock anthem ever) drove the Fenway crowd to a frenzied pitch.
A time curfew didn't allow for The Who to play "The Song Is Over" (it was on the band's setlist). So, onstage alone, Daltrey and Townshend played an emotional "Tea and Theatre". When Daltrey sang his last lyric and Townshend strummed his last chord, the two surviving members of The Who (pictures and clips of deceased band members, John Entwistle and Keith Moon filled the background screen throughout the night) stood together alone as brothers one last time in Boston.
As the crowd exited Fenway Park, it was surreal to comprehend that this really is the end for The Who.
Photo Credit: Sarah Boeke
