Rolling into the final day of weekend one of Desert Trip Indio, the grounds were noticeably far less packed than they were the first two days. Perhaps it was due to the Sunday night start, but The Who and Roger Waters seemingly don’t pack the same punch with 75,000 faithful fans as the Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney did on the 2016 festival’s first two nights. However, Sunday’s twin bill, on October 9 did their best to send out the first weekend with a proverbial bang.
The Desert Trip crowd seen from above during weekend one (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Desert Trip)
The Who’s entire set was full of hits from the band’s 50-plus-year amazing journey. Kicking off with “I Can’t Explain,” Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend tore through the songs that have encompassed the band’s recent set list. Both of the original members were in good spirits, smiling and joking with the crowd, Townshend being especially chatty.
“We were like 1967’s version of Adele,” quipped the sunglasses-wearing guitarist early in the set.
Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend (with drummer Zak Starkey) performing at Desert Trip on October 9, 2016. (Uncredited photo via The Who Facebook page)
The Who performed Maximum R&B at a decibel level that surpassed all of the event’s previous acts except for Neil Young. Yet, despite the volume, the band was in peak, post-Entwistle form.
Following the disappointment of their Super Bowl halftime show in 2010, Daltrey and Townshend managed to successfully hit the reset button on their live show and it’s proven to be a fantastic move. The Quadrophenia tour earlier this decade was a smashing success, and the recent The Who Hits 50 tour has been equally solid.
With an array of images projected on the screen behind them — most strikingly the “Refugees Welcome Here” allusion to the Syrian refugees — the band was at its theatrical best. As for the music itself, the Who pummeled through “My Generation” and “You Better You Bet”…
Watch a video from Weekend 2
… as well as the always appreciated “5:15,” “Love Reign O’er Me,” the iconic “Baba O’ Riley” and set closer “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”
Even in the desert heat, the Who managed to dazzle in a fashion that proved the power of their heavy classic rock all these years later. What the future has in store for the band may revolve around its ability to tour behind its catalog and tap into nostalgia, but make no mistake: the Who can still play as feverishly and loudly as ever, and it’s just the way fans like it.
Watch them perform “Amazing Journey,” which kicked off a Tommy set
Related: Our Desert Trip reviews of the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Neil Young and Bob Dylan
Watch the band perform “Join Together”
The Who, October 9, 2016, Setlist
I Can’t Explain
The Seeker
Who Are You
The Kids Are Alright
I Can See For Miles
My Generation
Behind Blue Eyes
Bargain
Join Together
You Better You Bet
5:15
I’m One
The Rock
Love, Reign O’er Me
Eminence Front
Amazing Journey
Sparks
The Acid Queen
Pinball Wizard
See Me, Feel Me
Baba O’Riley
Won’t Get Fooled Again
Watch them perform “Eminence Front” (despite what the clip says), at Weekend 2
Related: Review of Roger Waters’ closing night performance
- Paul McCartney Plays 2016 Desert Trip Set: Review - 10/08/2022
- Bob Dylan in Total Command in 2016 Desert Trip Set - 10/07/2022
- The Who: Loud as Ever at Solid 2016 Coachella Show - 10/09/2021
2 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationUm, this isn’t Coachella. It’s a completely different fest, that happen to take place on the same field as Coachella…..
Yeah, we know. But after 5 “Desert Trip” review headlines, we decided to mix it up, knowing that one reader would likely call us out on that. 😉 The event is being produced by the Coachella organizers, so there’s that.