@Brian Crecente: oh nevermind, I get it, Pete's son joined them onstage.

otakuhouse

@Brian Crecente: psst, it's Pete Townshend, not Simon. P.S. I hate your guts with green seething envy. P.P.S. I know Daltrey said he was bored by music videogames, but thanks to Rock Band and DLC I actually went to iTunes and bought the single "Real Good Looking Boy" (as I have all The Who pre 80s) for actual cash money because of how much I liked it in the game. Music games: the new music videos.

otakuhouse

Later Townshend said that everyone should by their children the new Aerosmith Guitar Hero bundle

Wow, glad I'm not his son. If I was a 10 year old getting GH Aerosmith I'd probably run away from home.

KaneRobot

The Who rocks! Jealousy, I has it.

fquick

Forget the Press Conferences. This wins E3.

zacwight

@WildKnightblazer: I think one is already out (you serious?)

SAKY

What about Roger's ninja kusarigama style mic twirling? Any of that go down?

gaijira

@DanAmrich: No he didn't. He smashed a guitar at the concert I went to last year.

TheAbsoluteJay

@DanAmrich: Not really! He smashed one as recently as 2004. I believe he was going to auction the shattered body for charity.

ruslander

Sigh, yet another of the predictions I would have made had someone answered my question about the betting comes true...

Norellicus

Rock Band: The Who expansion pack confirmed!

>___>

WildKnightblazer

No instrument destruction. Pete outgrew that a long time ago.

All jabs were not douchey. They were in good fun.

It was excellent.

DanAmrich

Any instrument destruction?!

ruslander

@jackburnt: I assume you don't really know The Who if you think that. Townshend makes jokes like that every concert.

PlayingKarrde

the seeker rules. one of my fav Who tracks period.

logan528

@jackburnt: He's a funny guy, totally kidding. Nothing mean at all.

Brian Crecente

Wow, they sound like douches. Or at least Townshend.

jackburnt

Wow, seeing the remaining members of the Who perform in such a small venue with such great seats....that's just amazing.

Gray665

Very very cool! Wish I was invited....and given airfare lol

Brereton55

The Who are my all time favourite band and I'm eternally jealous.

You gotta love Pete's dry wit.

I'm more of a fan of their earlier sound, when it was more raw and less refined, but any Who is good Who and its just great they are still playing.

Live at Leeds is without a doubt the greatest live rock album of all time and I urge everyone to get it and listen to some true rock awesomeness.

The Stones are great, but The Who are where it's at for me. They are more rock n roll IMHO (bring it on).

PlayingKarrde

i saw them twice in concert last year...and they were amazing. Loudest concerts i've ever been to.

BOMxAgonyxScenex

That is *fantastic*! I so wish I were there to witness The Who live!

scumm_boy

I don't think I'd be able to watch The Who in concert without seeing at least one episode of any iteration of CSI. :)

Seriously, sounds like a good time was had by all, and chewy, delicious kudos to Brian for making the call on a celeb music game misnomer.

Or maybe Brian secretly put Pete up to it just to win. C'mon Brian, out with it. You slipped Townshend a fiver to drop Guitar Hero on stage, didn't you?

doubtful

DAMN, Brian, you have the best job in the world.

NerD!!!

Boy these game companies like to throw out tons of money, don't they....

If I was some pee-on at a game blog and they gave me front row seats to a kick ass concert, how could I ever slam them in a review? If I did, I would never be asked to come back again. No parties, no booze and no hookers.

I'm sure Kotaku is above this, but what about other blogs? Makes you think.

FrankTheCrank

OK, I admit it, I'm jealous. Especially because the Orpheum is practically in my backyard.

Seeing The Who (well, half of them) would be insane in such a small theater.

FP mind in rewind

@masterdingo: really? I would hate to see what piques your interest now.

Noks415

@waywardchemist: :| Forgot

Brian Crecente

@Brian Crecente: The Who = Win. (Coming from a 20 year old btw) You're very lucky my friend...did they play Baba O' Riley?

trogam

@Scott: You better you bet!

bzr_wzr

@Brian Crecente: Brian, you might think about editing the "stampeding" bit. Not a good word to use in connection with a concert by The Who.

waywardchemist

I call that a bargain...

Scott

I can't wait to play Pinball Wizard in RB2. And some Tenacious D, rawk.

IndustrialJones

Would it be possible for them to wear tighter trousers?

Tob3z

Those photos have some awesome HDR lighting.

Wait.

Dammit.

Cyanotic

private concerts are a sham.

Nest

@masterdingo: You need to buy yourself some taste in music. ;)

Brian Crecente

Wow, this would have piqued my interest 20 years ago or so.

masterdingo

seconded that kotaku is the best job on the planet. front row center, even.. you assholes. ;D

i'd like to know, though, what on earth kind of color scheme would have pleased him? how can you go wrong with primary colors?

geekgrrl

Also since there's Who fans around, remember to watch VH1 or MHD [if you have an HD box] tonight at 9pm for VH1 Rock Honors: The Who. It's the Who, plus Pearl Jam, and a bunch of other bands all playing Who stuff. Looks to be awesome.

scudly

When I saw the Who in concert last year, Pete was making jokes about Aerosmith the whole time. All in good fun of course, but they had come through town a week or so before, and he was sarcastically talking about being worried they would not "rock as hard as aerosmith". He said he was kidding, said something about their impact on music....and then windmilled his way into Won't Get Fooled Again. Soooo, maybe he was joking about GH:Aerosmith?

Silicis_Astrum

That singing fellow sure has a big crotch. >.>

Maltose

Alright. I am intensely jealous. Jealous in a way that goes beyond words. You got to see one of my favorite bands, and I am left sitting here going "I wonder if I ever will get to see them before they're gone?"...

Damnit!

Alaron

@Brian Crecente: I don't have problems with jokes, but to call someone out at a concert, have them get excited to be recognized, and then to say their choice sucked... seems a bit cruel.

However, I wasn't there, so I don't know the attitude of the concert. But second-hand, it seems a bit harsh.

jackburnt

@otakuhouse:
Simon Townshend being Pete Townshend's brother.

ethanlechcharles

I have not been jealous of anything UNTIL NOW.

...man you're lucky, Crecente!

and ironically enough, that lighting makes them look all heavenly-like!

Spoony Bard

@otakuhouse: Younger brother actually. He usually tours with The Who.

gaijira

I'm generally pretty content but I'm seriously envious of you getting to see The Who in such an intimate setting.

Mommar

If there's one way to show up Activision & Guitar Hero: World Tour at E3, it's this.

GHWT: "Look at our fancy new instruments and exclusive deals with Van Halen and The Eagles! Watch us fake-play a song on stage."

Harmonix/MTV Games: "Oh, that's neat. Here's Rock Band 2. Oh yeah, and The Who. Playing live. For us."

GHWT: ":("

Not to mention how much this adds to Harmonix's already fairly high "cool factor".

For God's sake, they got The Freakin' Who to play a concert and promote their game. Coolest and biggest E3-related moment I can ever remember. Yes, that includes all the surprise reveals over the years.

KenzinFive

Wow sounds like a hell of a night! Congrats.

yashichi8bit

"At one point Townshend, who insisted on saying that Viacom was throwing the party, asked who in the audience was responsible for the color selection of the fret keys of the Rock Band guitars. When the designer, who was sitting in the front row, jumped up and waved his hands around, Townshend said the colors were awful.

Later Townshend said that everyone should by their children the new Aerosmith Guitar Hero bundle, then a second later added, oh, that's the other one."

Child porn scandal or no, this is some funny stuff from the windmill master!

JudgeNutmeg

@jackburnt:
It's British Humor. They're always harsh. Remember they're the ones who came up with the term "break a leg" to tell somebody good luck.

Mommar

And if you're in Canada you have to be watching Much More Music. Here are the showtimes:

[www.muchmoremusic.com]

PlayingKarrde

@scudly: That's 9pm eastern btw. If you're on the west coast get home for 6pm. Cause i don't think it's gonna be playing at 9pm here.

PlayingKarrde

@Silicis_Astrum: haha of course he was joking. He knew he was there for Rock Band.

PlayingKarrde

@KenzinFive: How exactly is this promoting their game and making them cooler when general public Rock Band fans had no chance of attending?

I'll agree with this @FrankTheCrank as it's certainly a good way to help ensure good reviews. Which I think would have been fine otherwise but I can't find much other reason for them to throw such a PRIVATE concert.

Ghar

@CecilTheDarkKnight: Cynical much?

It's not like I ever coughed up 60 and 70 dollars a pop for cartridges before big name rock stars played at E3s or anything...

Testamonium

I would tell you how much you should cherish the opportunity to see he greatest rock n roll band ever from the front row in a venue with less than 1,000 people, but it seems like you already do.

I'm totally and utterly jealous.

I know they are doing Rock Honors in town too but I am surprised they had the full band. What a score.

*puts GH II on ebay to rasie funds for Rock Band 2

DrStrangepork

And this is why games costs $60 a pop, so that they can host these parties that have nothing to do with the game and the consumers.

CecilTheDarkKnight

@Ghar: I'm not saying it wouldn't be cool to get to go or anything. It just doesn't seem that unusual to me. The Who had previously stated that they weren't that interested in rock games, so to have them actually play a concert backed up against the release of The Who pack, the announcement of Rock Band 2, and their VH1 Rock Honors induction -today- is a pretty big combination of press events. It's pretty much guaranteed to get word out simply by association.

Testamonium

I'm extremely jealous, Brian.

Also, Viacom owns MTV which owns Harmonix, so...weren't they the ones putting up the money, and thus hosting?

josephmcklay

@CecilTheDarkKnight:
"And this is why games costs $60 a pop, so that they can host these parties that have nothing to do with the game and the consumers."

Does The Who Rock Band pack ring a bell? It's GOT EVERYTHING to do with the game.

heretrix

@Testamonium: Well they could of still let general rock band fans/fans of the Who buy some tickets to just the concert or perhaps had a sort of contest to let some fans win tickets.

But instead the only people who got to go are media people/game reviewers/etc.. Thus, it makes you wonder if they are trying to ensure some good reviews. I'm not saying they need this to get good reviews (I think they'd do well without this), but for just advertising the game I think there are better/cheaper methods. Like letting more people demo the game/test instruments etc.. Run some more commercials maybe with a popular rocker etc...

Ghar

Great setlist, experience, and raw talent make the who the best live band around. I saw them in a tent in Liverpool two years ago truly amazing.

Pete likes to sarcastically flirt with the crowd just his sense of humour.

also as a bonus of any who concert you get a Beatles son on the drums as Zak Starky is Ringo Star's son. A far better drummer than his dad ever was.

Cronhour

@blurayforever143: Affordable discs have been around long enough that it's easy to forget how much games actually cost in the late 80's and early 90's. It's funny.

@Ghar: Promotion is about getting the product out there. Most people don't get to go to E3 anyway, ergo most people don't get to go to The Who concert that played at E3. But it will be reported, and most people will hear it after the fact, and will hear that it's associated with Rock Band. Logistics are in their favor.

Testamonium

@Testamonium: Yep, I remember...$99 for Phantasy Star IV...$79 for Virtua Racing...even during the PSone and Saturn days...$59 for Ridge Racer? $69 for Battle Toshinden Saturn Remix?

blurayforever143

@trogam: I'm 19 and The Who is one of my FAVORITES!

I wish Keith Moon was still up and going. I'd totally try and give him a large hug.

Atsumi

@Cronhour: That's because Zak Starkey was taught by one of the best drummers to ever live, Keith Moon.

Also known as: the reason why drums on all Who songs in Rock Band are insanely difficult.

andregalan

Am I the only one who doesn't care any thing at all about The Who or Rock Band (or any other music game for that matter)?

In fact, I don't care so much that I just had to tell everyone how much I don't care. Well I guess I care enough to hate both, but I still don't care. Maybe I hdcare? (Hate don't care)

edgeblade

FUCK YEAH.

Lukehmuse

@waywardchemist: No kiddin'. I was in high school when one of my friends went to the Who concert in Cincinnati 1979. He said he was extremely lucky he didn't end up one of the dead (he barely kept on his feet in the rush).

relic1980

I wish I was there. That's all I, or anyone else, can say.

Acebuckeye13

Is it OK if I hate you press guys jsut a little for this? I am SOOOOO jealous!

wheezo

@edgeblade: you hate everything and yet don't care about it simultaneously! I wish i could be as cool as you, passionate apathy rocks!

Cronhour

So I just finally got to check this out now. My computer at work couldn't open this post because of all the pics and videos.

It's official: The Who has too much awesomeness for my computer to handle.

Bort

I'm so jealous.

EskimoDave

I can't believe they got TRON for their backup band.

sandwiches

@trogam: Yeah, I was there. They definitely played Baba O'Riley.

jallen

While I wish I would have been at the performance it also saddens me that The Who, the frickin' Who gosh darn it are doing a crappy little promo gig. Pete really is starved for attention.

kasplat

@Gray665:
You are correct sir, it was one of the most fucking awesome concerts I have ever seen. Pete Townsend wailed on his guitar so hard that he broke a string in the middle of "Pinball Wizard." Too bad they didn't finish the song.
As for kasplat, you are pretty naive to think that bands only enjoy doing concerts with 10,000+ fans. Your jealousy is showing.

BigWyrm

@Noks415: As far as music goes, very little piques my interest anymore. I think that the last concert I went to was Porno for Pyros back in the 90's. But, I tend to listen to (glancing at my iPod) Tool, Korn, Mozart, The Cure, MC Front-a-lot, Deathcab for Cutie, Eric B. and Rakim, Eminem, etc. I'm fairly eclectic. Then again, I don't think I'd like to see them dragging Mozart's skeleton out on stage and puppeteering it to play chopsticks.

masterdingo

@Brian Crecente: Don't get me wrong man, I love "The Who", on CD, when they were young and vibrant. Live, and on stage is a different matter. It's fairly sad and depressing. It's the same thing with the Rolling Stones, it just takes away from everything they were to see the decrepit, dessicated husks of what these musicians are now compared to what they once were. It's almost like looking at Janice Dickinson before and after pictures. Painful.

masterdingo

@kasplat: It wasn't a promo gig. It was a >2 hour set, featuring all their biggest songs.

omnibot2000XL

I was there, and it was very very awesome seeing Pete do his windmill strums.

ravnet

@PlayingKarrde: live at leeds is the shit, i totally agree with you there.

paeper

Oh man you are lucky to have gotten one of Zak's sticks! I think he actually does a good job living up to what Keith Moon used to do for The Who. I got a chance to see them a couple years ago shortly after their bassist passed away, and I was surprised at how on the ball Starkey was (despite being Ringo Starr's son I was almost sure nobody could do Moon justice).

Anyway sounds like it was a great time and to the guy who thinks Pete's a douche, it's really just his brand of humor, and you'd find it funny if could hear the way he says those things. It's all in good fun.

paeper

best concert ever. at points i closed my eyes just to appreciate the music without all the visual stimulation, but I didn't want to miss any Pete Townshend windmill strumming so that didn't last too long. and Zak Starkey is a god on drums, I spent more time watching him throughout the concert more than anyone else on stage.

ravnet