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Saw The Who last night in SF... Pete's Strat

Discussion in 'Stratocaster Discussion Forum' started by drex123, Oct 10, 2019.

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  1. drex123

    drex123 Strat-Talker

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    Hey guys - finally got to see the The Who last night in SF... interesting show. They had a full 50 piece orchestra/symphony behind them which honestly was quite annoying, way too much going on at once. The crowd was pretty dead too - completely sold out at the new Chase Center but completely silent inside.

    The band really shined on the songs where the orchestra left the stage, however, and Roger and Pete sounded great.

    Still didn't hold a candle to the McCartney show I saw at Dodger Stadium a couple months back, but I digress...

    Anyways - Pete was primarily using his Red and Gold EC signature strats with the Fishman Powerbridges. you can read up on them here:
    https://guitar.com/features/exclusive-under-the-microscope-the-whos-pete-townshends-live-rig/

    One thing I noticed was that Pete seems to have a file glued to the lower bout of each strat and appeared to be sharpening his picks on it? Was hard to tell exactly but it looked like a flat metal file and he kept rubbing his pick on it. Anyone have any info on what that was?
     
    drex123, Oct 10, 2019
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  2. circles

    circles Resident Pinball Enthusiast

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    Interesting.

    Those shows with orchestras have to be expensive to stage I imagine. Probably not many venues as well? And yea I don't see it helping a Who show, but that's just me. I saw them once, back in the day.
     
    circles, Oct 10, 2019
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  3. drex123

    drex123 Strat-Talker

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    It was just really cheesy all around (I find a lot of their songs cheesy actually, but love a handful of them). Got free tickets from work so it was definitely still worth it.

    Lots of old man banter/dialog between every song too which got old fast.
     
    drex123, Oct 10, 2019
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  4. drex123

    drex123 Strat-Talker

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    Actually here's a pic I took of the file thing, it's below his bridge - you can see it on the video screen:

    IMG_3455.jpg
     
    drex123, Oct 10, 2019
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  5. Smokey3

    Smokey3 Strat-O-Master

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    It has been said that Pete Paul McCartney, and Clapton went together once to see Hendrix perform After the first song it has been told that Pete turned to them and said boys we are F…cked. Lol Now I just read this so who knows,
     
    Smokey3, Oct 10, 2019
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  6. amstratnut

    amstratnut Peace thru Music.

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    I have good friend who went to that. They are big fans.

    Any songs from Quadrophenia? There is orchestral stuff in that.
     
    amstratnut, Oct 10, 2019
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  7. amstratnut

    amstratnut Peace thru Music.

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    How did you like the venue?

    I saw Clapton there about a month ago and got food poisoning. o_O
     
    amstratnut, Oct 10, 2019
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  8. vid1900

    vid1900 Most Honored Senior Member

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    You sure it was the food?
     
    vid1900, Oct 10, 2019
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  9. drex123

    drex123 Strat-Talker

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    Yes they played a lot of Quadrophenia, Tommy, and all of the big hits. Here's the setlist (they play the same thing every night - kills me being a Phish and Dead fan):
    https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-who/2019/chase-center-san-francisco-ca-5b9c4710.html

    The venue was awesome - pretty much the premier basketball arena in the country now. Acoustics were ok, not the best. My company has a suite so I got to enjoy that and had pretty killer seats and amenities.


    I've seen all of the old guys in the past year or so (Stones, Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Dead & Co) and The Who was definitely the most boring show, haha
     
    drex123, Oct 10, 2019
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  10. crawdaddy

    crawdaddy Most Honored Senior Member

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    Funny thing you mentioned the number of guitars and the audience...

    We saw Mark Knopfler a few weeks back here in the valley and if I remember correctly, he went through 8 possibly 9 guitar changes throughout the evening....I thought it was cool seeing all his guitars

    And the audience to me seemed very subdued....not that MK is a rocker, but nobody got up to dance around during some of his more raucous tunes....I know I didn't. but I'm an old fart....

    Wish I had a chance to see The Who again....Last time I saw them was on the south side of Chicago (sounds like a song coming on...) in 1979....and I actually have a DVD of that show....

    glad you had a good time...and the price was right....
     
    crawdaddy, Oct 10, 2019
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  11. vid1900

    vid1900 Most Honored Senior Member

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    Nothing is sadder than when an aging rock band does an orchestra tour.
     
    vid1900, Oct 10, 2019
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  12. drex123

    drex123 Strat-Talker

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    drex123, Oct 10, 2019
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  13. crashbelt

    crashbelt Strat-O-Master

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    Did he smash his guitar? He busted so many SG Specials in the late 60s he had to change to Strats because they became so hard to find!!
     
    crashbelt, Oct 10, 2019
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  14. Neil.C

    Neil.C Most Honored Senior Member

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    I'd have thought The Who were the last band to want an orchestra.

    Glad I saw them when they were a proper rock band.
     
    Neil.C, Oct 11, 2019
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  15. helsinkirocks

    helsinkirocks Strat-Talker

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    Really? "A Quick One While He's Away" - they wanted a cello section, but the record company wouldn't pay for it. So we got them saying "cello" over and over again.
    Baba O Reily has a violin solo.

    Those are off the top of my head, but I'm sure there is more.
     
    helsinkirocks, Oct 11, 2019
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  16. Estibi

    Estibi Strat-Talk Member

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    I saw them in Philly on this tour. They did a ton of songs from Quadraphenia which had an orchestra on them when recorded so it was cool (for me) to hear them live that way. The orchestra did go more idle when they were done with the Quadraphenia set. I saw them maybe two years ago in a hockey arena (instead of a stadium) and I'll admit it was a better show. Daltry's voice was more powerful, he's losing it a little bit now and had to hold back on the big power screams, saving them up for just a couple of spots (Love Reign 'oer Me, Wont Get Folled Again). Townshend also seemed more into it in the arena, maybe because the crowd was more electric (smaller venue?)

    Paul McCartney is a must see for me. Every tour he's done I've said 'I'll go next time'. Stupid. I have got to see him next chance I get.
     
    Estibi, Oct 11, 2019
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  17. vid1900

    vid1900 Most Honored Senior Member

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    1. With Orchestra
    2. Overture
    3. 1921
    4. Amazing Journey
    5. Sparks
    6. Pinball Wizard
    7. We're Not Gonna Take It
    8. Who Are You
    9. Eminence Front
    10. Imagine a Man
    11. Hero Ground Zero

    12. Band Only
    13. Substitute
    14. San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)
      (Scott McKenzie cover) (A cappella snippet)
    15. I Can See for Miles
    16. You Better You Bet
    17. Won't Get Fooled Again
      (acoustic; Roger & Pete only)
    18. Behind Blue Eyes
      (with violin & cello accompanists)
    19. With Orchestra
    20. Ball and Chain
    21. The Real Me
    22. I'm One
    23. 5:15
    24. The Rock
    25. Love, Reign O'er Me
      (With band intros)
    26. Baba O'Riley
     
    vid1900, Oct 11, 2019
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  18. EC Strat

    EC Strat Senior Stratmaster Gold Supporting Member

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    Solid set list
     
    EC Strat, Oct 11, 2019
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  19. Danmax

    Danmax New Member!

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    He was also running into trouble re-setting necks, like Pete didn't own that many guitars so that probably initialized the change to Fender. Strat's on the other hand are so much easier to repair. His guitar tech talked about that same thing in an older article I read a few years back. I'm sure there was more to it but I had thought even Strat's were harder to find back in the 60's & in the Uk, according to George Harrison, when he talked about the Strat he bought & later painted at his home. As he said, I seen an ad in a paper & ran to get it before anyone else had a chance to. The Beatles were a well established band by that time. Not to be confused with the other Sonic Blue Strat that Mal Evens bought for George & John Lennon. Unless George remembers that time period differently than what really happened.
     
    Danmax, Oct 11, 2019
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  20. Danmax

    Danmax New Member!

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    Both Roger & Pete were asked by their label to think about doing some different types of venues & doing them a little out of their normal set of songs. Pete has done solo mini tours where it's just him with other players on some of the songs. Also the orchestra thing was part of their ''We're these 2 Old guys'' concerts in 2-3k seat venues....
     
    Danmax, Oct 11, 2019
    #20
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