The Who at Kilburn: 1977 was released last week. If you enjoyed the live stuff from The Kids Are Alright, this 2-DVD set will be a revelation.
The first DVD has the show that Jeff Stein originally filmed for TKAA–but they didn’t use the footage. The band is rusty, Keith is out of shape, and Pete is full of piss and vinegar. It all makes for a semi-sloppy, somewhat raw. but still exciting snapshot of the penultimate performance by the original lineup (including the first live performance of Who Are You).
The second DVD is really the gem, though. The London Coliseum gig was one of series of shows at “real” opera houses when Tommy was still new. The source material is less-than-optimal: only two cameras, 16mm film, the concert was not lit for filming, and there are drop outs and bits of missing video. Despite this, the restored footage is The Who on fire and playing on all cylinders. They would record Live At Leeds in two months – if you ever wondered what that might have looked like, now you have an answer.
As you can see on the link, amazon has it for $10.49. Can’t afford that?..the DVDs are available on Netflix. If you ever wondered if The Who deserved their reputation as a live act, this 2-disk set provides some compelling evidence.