_sysiphus_
01-07-2002, 02:09 PM
one hell of a viewing experience, that's for sure!
I saw "The Who: Live at the Royal Albert Hall" benefit concert for the Teenage Cancer Trust on tv a couple of days ago and I was so struck by the finale that I haven't been able to get it from replaying over and over again in my head. I don't know how many of you have already seen this, but I'm going to paint a picture for those who haven't. The Who started playing "See Me, Feel Me," which led directly into "Listening to You." After about a minute or so later, Eddie and Bryan Adams file onto the stage to sing as well, and four microphones are lined up at the front of the stage, from left to right: Eddie, Roger Daltrey, Bryan Adams and Pete Townshend. Next, about 20 or so cancer kids come up onstage to join in on the singing and take their places behind and around Eddie. From the moment these kids walked on, Eddie's focus shifted from looking straight out into the audience to the kids. He's looking from one side to the next, smiling and singing, while the kids are singing, jumping, waving their arms and smiling to their heart's content. Eddie eventually takes his mic off the stand and holds it out to he kids. So, the scene is basically this: Eddie, surrounded by a sea of kids clad in The Who bullseye/target shirts, and Roger Daltrey with his arm around a jubilant black girl who's singing and jumping with the biggest grin you could possibly imagine, with Roger just beaming down at her. Liesl, the boy Eddie wrote about in the last fan club newsletter was standing next to Eddie, smiling as singing as much as the others. He was the boy who ended up passing on, with Eddie remarking, "I am fortunate to have known him." (that line gets me every time) Near the end of the song, Eddie, just like he did at the Tribute to Heroes benefit and in pure Eddie fashion, slumbers to the back, allowing the kids to come into full view at the front of the stage. Roger then dedicates a round of applause for the kids, while Eddie grabs onto Liesl's hand and holds it up in the air.
It was just a phenomenal sight to see - one that I can't even articulate on too well, but Eddie comes close when he described the experience from his point of view in the last newsletter: "The night of the concert was moving to say the least. When great songs are played with a reason or cause attached to them, they become more potent. It's just the way it works - it heightens the meaning of the lyrics and even the guitar solos! At the finale...it felt like the roof was raised a few feet off its supports."
http://www.petetownshend.co.uk/media/281100022032.jpg
(There's the black girl I was talking about all the way to the right. Liesl is the one in the cap, the 2nd person to the left of her. I'm sure you can recognize Eddie directly beside him, in the purple.)
~~~
Listening to you, I get the music
Gazing at you, I get the heat
Following you, I climb the mountain
I get excitement at your feet
Right behind you, I see the millions
On you, I see the glory
From you, I get opinions
From you, I get the story
~~~
"I thank you for helping me learn how to think, but I reserve the right to determine WHAT I think."
I saw "The Who: Live at the Royal Albert Hall" benefit concert for the Teenage Cancer Trust on tv a couple of days ago and I was so struck by the finale that I haven't been able to get it from replaying over and over again in my head. I don't know how many of you have already seen this, but I'm going to paint a picture for those who haven't. The Who started playing "See Me, Feel Me," which led directly into "Listening to You." After about a minute or so later, Eddie and Bryan Adams file onto the stage to sing as well, and four microphones are lined up at the front of the stage, from left to right: Eddie, Roger Daltrey, Bryan Adams and Pete Townshend. Next, about 20 or so cancer kids come up onstage to join in on the singing and take their places behind and around Eddie. From the moment these kids walked on, Eddie's focus shifted from looking straight out into the audience to the kids. He's looking from one side to the next, smiling and singing, while the kids are singing, jumping, waving their arms and smiling to their heart's content. Eddie eventually takes his mic off the stand and holds it out to he kids. So, the scene is basically this: Eddie, surrounded by a sea of kids clad in The Who bullseye/target shirts, and Roger Daltrey with his arm around a jubilant black girl who's singing and jumping with the biggest grin you could possibly imagine, with Roger just beaming down at her. Liesl, the boy Eddie wrote about in the last fan club newsletter was standing next to Eddie, smiling as singing as much as the others. He was the boy who ended up passing on, with Eddie remarking, "I am fortunate to have known him." (that line gets me every time) Near the end of the song, Eddie, just like he did at the Tribute to Heroes benefit and in pure Eddie fashion, slumbers to the back, allowing the kids to come into full view at the front of the stage. Roger then dedicates a round of applause for the kids, while Eddie grabs onto Liesl's hand and holds it up in the air.
It was just a phenomenal sight to see - one that I can't even articulate on too well, but Eddie comes close when he described the experience from his point of view in the last newsletter: "The night of the concert was moving to say the least. When great songs are played with a reason or cause attached to them, they become more potent. It's just the way it works - it heightens the meaning of the lyrics and even the guitar solos! At the finale...it felt like the roof was raised a few feet off its supports."
http://www.petetownshend.co.uk/media/281100022032.jpg
(There's the black girl I was talking about all the way to the right. Liesl is the one in the cap, the 2nd person to the left of her. I'm sure you can recognize Eddie directly beside him, in the purple.)
~~~
Listening to you, I get the music
Gazing at you, I get the heat
Following you, I climb the mountain
I get excitement at your feet
Right behind you, I see the millions
On you, I see the glory
From you, I get opinions
From you, I get the story
~~~
"I thank you for helping me learn how to think, but I reserve the right to determine WHAT I think."