Who Live At The Royal Albert Hall CD

First time on CD for what was previously a DVD/video only release, originally issued in 2001. This 3 CD limited edition features 25 tracks recorded live at the Royal Albert Hall on the 27th of November 2000 on discs 1 & 2, and 4 more bonus tracks recorded live at The Royal Albert Hall on the 8th of February 2002 on disc 3, 'I'm Free', 'I Don't Even Know Myself', 'Summertime Blues' & 'Young Man Blues'. Features special guests Bryan Adams, Noel Gallagher, Kelly Jones, Kennedy, Eddie Vedder & Paul Weller. Standard double jewelcase. SPV.

The Who: Pete Towshend (vocals, guitar); John Entwistle (vocals, bass); Roger Daltrey (vocals); John "Rabbit" Bundrick (keyboards); Zak Starkey (drums).
Additional personnel: Eddie Vedder, Kelly Jones, Bryan Adams (vocals); Noel Gallagher (guitar); Kennedy (violin); Paul Weller.
Recorded live on The Sanctuary Mobile at the Royal Albert Hall on November 27, 2000.
Full Title: Live At The Royal Albert Hall.
This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players.
The Who: Roger Daltrey (vocals); Pete Towshend (guitar); John "Rabbit" Bundrick (keyboards); John Entwistle (bass); Zak Starkey (drums).
Additional personnel: Eddie Vedder (vocals); Noel Gallagher (guitar); Nigel Kennedy, Kelly Jones, Bryan Adams, Paul Weller.
Recorded Live at the Royal Albert Hall (London, England), November 27, 2000.
Proceeds from the sale of the CD go the Teenage Cancer Trust.
The Who's Live at the Royal Albert Hall captures a charity concert for a cancer organization the reunited group performed in November of 2000. Given the band's spotty track record in their farewell tours and reunions of the '80s and '90s, it's easy for some longtime fans to be skeptical of the musical merits of the triple-disc hybrid SACD release of this concert, but this is an exceptional reunion concert, finding the band at their strongest since their early-'80s breakup. Supported by drummer Zak Starkey and longtime keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick, Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, and John Entwistle (in one of his last major concerts) sound reinvigorated, playing such standards as "I Can't Explain" and "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" with vigor and energy, as if they haven't played them countless times. The group also stretches out, as Townshend contributes a new bridge to "The Kids Are Alright" and the band jams through "Magic Bus," "5:15," and "Won't Get Fooled Again," showing both dexterity and muscle. While nobody would mistake this show with the careening power and unpredictability of the band at their peak in the '60s and '70s, this is an impressive mix of maturity, professionalism, and passion, finding the group regaining their sense of authority and integrity -- compare this to such rote reunions as Join Together to hear the difference. At three discs (including four bonus tracks recorded at another Royal Albert Hall show in February 2002), this is a bit long, but for those longtime fans, there's plenty to like here. After all, it's very rare for a reunion album to be this good, and it's even rarer to have one with cameos as good as those here -- Townshend's duet with Paul Weller on "So Sad About Us" and two songs fronted by Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder ("I'm One," "Getting in Tune") are as good as those songs by Daltrey, and help make Live at the Royal Albert Hall a really pleasant surprise. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Recorded at the landmark London venue in November 2000, LIVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL features the Who taking on some of their most timeless tunes to benefit the Teenage Cancer Trust. Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, and John Entwistle are joined by drummer Zak Starkey and keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick for an energetic initial set of songs that draws most heavily from the lauded WHO'S NEXT album, including "Baba O'Riley" (with violinist Nigel Kennedy), "My Wife," and "Bargain." The band also rocks through the rare "Relay," a funky eight-minute song intended for the unfinisRolling Stone (08/07/03, p.70) - 3 out of 5 stars - "...Captures [the] lineup in all its ragged glory....the Ox, like his mighty band, can be heard roaring still."
Mojo (Publisher) (9/03, p.108) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...The first half of the 200 set peaks with a thunderous version of 'Who Are You'..."