Review: The Who were seen, heard, and felt at powerful Fenway Park farewell show
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Review: The Who were seen, heard, and felt at powerful Fenway Park farewell show

Concert Reviews

The Who didn’t act their age at Fenway Park Tuesday night, playing some of their greatest hits with the energy and passion of men half of Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend’s age.

The Who perform at Fenway Park on Tuesday, August 26.
The Who perform at Fenway Park on Tuesday, August 26. Ben Pennington for The Boston Globe

After postponing the two most recent shows on their farewell tour due to illness, there was justifiable concern heading into The Who’s concert at Fenway Park Tuesday night.

All of those fears were swiftly allayed when Roger Daltrey, all of 81 years old, lit into a full-throated rendition of “I Can’t Explain,” kicking off a tight, high-energy set of the band’s greatest hits.

So much of The Who’s discography hinges on Daltrey’s voice, and the frontman didn’t disappoint. From the larynx-shredding screams of “Love, Reign O’er Me” to the meme-able YEEEAAAHHHH that punctuates “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” Daltrey never shied away from pushing his vocal cords to the limit. (It’s a good thing he got them treated at MGH back in 2009.)

Roger Daltrey, co-founding member and lead singer of The Who, sings during the band’s performance of “Substitute” at Fenway Park on Aug. 26, 2025.
Roger Daltrey, co-founding member and lead singer of The Who, sings during the band’s performance of “Substitute” at Fenway Park on Aug. 26, 2025. – Ben Pennington for The Boston Globe

But it wasn’t just the scream-able moments where Daltrey shined. Playing behind a video backdrop of images from the band’s ’60s heyday, Daltrey turned back the clock on songs like “Who Are You” and “Pinball Wizard.” When the band quieted down to let Daltrey sing a perfectly on-pitch “See Me, Feel Me,” more than a few tears were shed in my section.

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The only moment Daltrey got out over his skis was when he attempted to play the harmonica during the outro of “Baba O’Reilly,” giving up halfway through and waving off the crowd with a rueful laugh.

“We had a fiddle player on our last tour, and we loved her,” Pete Townshend quipped.

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Of the two remaining founding members of The Who, it was Townshend, 80, who occasionally showed his age during the show – but only briefly.

The guitarist invited the crowd to take their seats whenever he did, and also passed singing duties for “Going Mobile” to his younger brother, Simon. A couple of his guitar solo showcases were a bit muted as well, but Townshend still had plenty of windmills in his arsenal, and happily took on lead vocals for “I’m One” and “Eminence Front,” among others.

The Who's Pete Townshend performs at Fenway Park on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025.
The Who’s Pete Townshend performs at Fenway Park on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025. – Ben Pennington for The Boston Globe

Playing into the nostalgic feel of the evening, Daltrey told a story of how the band almost didn’t make it to their 1973 Boston Garden show after spending the night in a Montreal jail. Despite feeling like a shell of himself on that December day, Daltrey credited the Boston crowd for providing the “soul” needed to nourish the band’s performance.

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“I’m getting on a plane, feeling absolutely exhausted. I’ve been in jail thanks to a prank by Keith Moon, and I was feeling like death warmed up,” Daltrey said. “And I’m sure Pete was too. But then we got on the stage at Boston Garden, and I still remember that gig.”

(Speaking of Boston and nostalgia, opener The Joe Perry Project fought through audio issues to play a competent set backloaded with some of Aerosmith’s biggest hits. Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson did a particularly strong job of matching Steven Tyler’s energy on “Last Child,” while Perry nailed the solos on “Walk This Way” and “The Train Kept A-Rollin’”.)

The Who wrapped up just after 10 p.m., with Townshend apologizing that they would have to cut their set short due to Fenway’s weekday noise curfew. Instead of “The Song Is Over” (which has bookended other concerts on their recent tour), the band finished with a muted acoustic version of 2006’s “Tea & Theatre.” 

It was a notable anticlimax after the preceding run of “Love, Reign O’er Me,” “Baba O’Reilly,” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” But it was nevertheless heartwarming to see Daltrey and Townshend, alone on stage after the rest of the band had stepped away, performing a song they created more than 40 years into their partnership.

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And after worries about illness and postponement, it was affirming to see these elder statesman of rock ‘n’ roll provide a nearly flawless 110-minute set of decades-spanning hits.

The Who Fenway Park setlist

I Can’t Explain

Substitute

Who Are You

The Seeker

Love Ain’t for Keepin’

Pinball Wizard

See Me, Feel Me

Behind Blue Eyes

Eminence Front

My Generation

Cry If You Want

You Better You Bet

Going Mobile

The Real Me

I’m One

5:15

Love, Reign O’er Me

Baba O’Riley

Won’t Get Fooled Again

Tea & Theatre

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