 |
| The scorcher of a line up! |
I'm a huge fan of 60s/70s music and have always wanted to see a band from that era live, The Who are one of my favourites and so this was a real treat for me. Everywhere I looked there were people with The Who merchandise, Paul Weller look-a-likes and people with Doc Martins and Harrington jackets. It felt like a real congregation of like minded people who wanted to celebrate The Who's 50 years of great music.
Luckily, it was a beautifully sunny day which made all the difference as everyone was in the summer spirit. Firstly, Johnny Marr graced the stage and it was really refreshing to hear the guitar techniques and tones that are often overlooked on The Smith's records. It soon warmed the crowd's vocal chords up when he played classics like "There's a Light That Never Goes Out".
The singing didn't stop as indie rockers Kaiser Chiefs then played their set with the anthemic hits 'Ruby' and 'The Angry Mob'. Main man Ricky Wilson's energetic stage presence also seemed to rub off on the crowd as everyone got ready for Paul Weller. Flocks of fans swarmed towards the front of the stage and as the tension peaked, the opening guitar riff to 'The Changingman' echoed around Hyde Park. As everyone expected, he also played the Jam classics 'That's Entertainment' and 'Going Underground' which made me feel proud to be British as I witnessed the admiration people had for him.
Before we knew it, the sun was setting and the atmosphere was changing as we all hunted for the best position to see the headliners. We found our spot and as The Who logo showed on stage, the opening guitar riff to "I Can't Explain" soon hit our ears and suddenly we were transported back to 1965.
The Who didn't fail in the slightest to impress me and show everyone how they can still own the stage and grasp the audience's attention 50 years on in their career. Everyone was encapsulated by the mesmerising track "See Me, Feel Me" and completely uplifted when singing our hearts out along to the classics, "Baba O'Riley", "My Generation", "Who Are You" and the climactic "Won't Get Fooled Again."
Luckily, it was a beautifully sunny day which made all the difference as everyone was in the summer spirit. Firstly, Johnny Marr graced the stage and it was really refreshing to hear the guitar techniques and tones that are often overlooked on The Smith's records. It soon warmed the crowd's vocal chords up when he played classics like "There's a Light That Never Goes Out".
The singing didn't stop as indie rockers Kaiser Chiefs then played their set with the anthemic hits 'Ruby' and 'The Angry Mob'. Main man Ricky Wilson's energetic stage presence also seemed to rub off on the crowd as everyone got ready for Paul Weller. Flocks of fans swarmed towards the front of the stage and as the tension peaked, the opening guitar riff to 'The Changingman' echoed around Hyde Park. As everyone expected, he also played the Jam classics 'That's Entertainment' and 'Going Underground' which made me feel proud to be British as I witnessed the admiration people had for him.
Before we knew it, the sun was setting and the atmosphere was changing as we all hunted for the best position to see the headliners. We found our spot and as The Who logo showed on stage, the opening guitar riff to "I Can't Explain" soon hit our ears and suddenly we were transported back to 1965.The Who didn't fail in the slightest to impress me and show everyone how they can still own the stage and grasp the audience's attention 50 years on in their career. Everyone was encapsulated by the mesmerising track "See Me, Feel Me" and completely uplifted when singing our hearts out along to the classics, "Baba O'Riley", "My Generation", "Who Are You" and the climactic "Won't Get Fooled Again."
Both Townshend and Daltrey were still able to make that connection with the crowd as they told old anecdotes of when The Who first formed and the stories behind songs. Of course, we were also treated to Pete's iconic windmill arm move as he played, along with Roger's roaring vocals.
Experiencing them live reinforced to me how irrelevant age is when it comes to music. The Who have still got that magic 50 years on and I think they always will, and that's what makes them so legendary.
Hannah Jolley
