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Videos
Highlights
Acid Queen
Pinball Wizard
Who Are You, Eminence Front
The Kids Are Alright, You Better You Bet, The Seeker, Substitute, Tattoo
Won’t Get Fooled Again
Behind Blue Eyes
5:15
LROM, Baba, Tea and Theatre
Love Reign O’er Me
Baba O’Riley
Review by Chris Elkins
If you saw the 2019 US shows as well as the 2022 The Who Hits Back shows, the show in Paris was very similar. The people who attend numerous shows every tour would probably love to see them go deeper in their catalog, but for 90%+ of the fans in attendance, this set list hits most if not all the right notes. These shows are not as hard rocking as shows 20-30-40 years (etc.) ago, but the orchestra does add additional dimensions to many songs and there are just enough songs played without the orchestra to keep most fans happy.
The set list, except for a few surprises, has been very consistent the last couple of tours. Having seen a good number of shows in both 2019 and 2022, it was the surprises that were the highlight of the evening for me. The surprises included The Acid Queen. Hearing this song could easily have been the pinnacle of the evening for me and probably was for many in the audience. In addition, The Kids are Alright, Substitute, and one of my personal favorites, The Seeker, were alone worth the price of admission. Included in the set without the orchestra, was Tattoo. A song that I am sure I've never seen them play live.
After Baba, I assumed the concert was over until Pete was handed an acoustic guitar and Roger and Pete did Tea & Theatre. It has been played much in recent years and it was a nice surprise at the end of the show. Pete and Roger hugged and smiled in a show of affection at the end. The French crowd was very into the show pretty much all night and I saw many shirts in the crowd from past European shows.
Overall, it was a good show with some very high points being Acid Queen, Substitute, The Seeker, and Tea & Theatre.
Review by Melissa and Gary Hurley
Attending many WHO shows throughout the years this gig was one with a difference. The venue was the size of an aircraft hangar. It was so huge that you could park a couple of 747’s. It’s actually a indoor Rugby stadium. The area is so wide that three stages could have been erected side by side without touching the side seats.
As for the gig. The support was a local Mod French band Arrogants. Nothing to write home about.
The Who hit the stage at 9 o’clock. The venue had a very bad echo. In fact, Roger was complaining to us about it and we said we could hear it too! It was like hearing out here in the fields, fields, fields fields……
The usual Tommy set list with the added bonus of the Acid Queen. Pete’s voice was amazing. WRU and Eminence Front followed the Tommy set with the orchestra . Pete was rapping a bit on EF and wailing on the guitar. It was the best version we have ever heard. Ball and chain was once again dropped leaving the orchestra to exit the stage a bit earlier.
Thus leaving just The WHO and allowing them to have an extended time without the orchestra. Kids Are Alright, YBYB, the Seeker which felt really spiritual, the French audience went mental hearing it, Substitute, Tattoo (great sing along), WGFA. Behind Blue Eyes acoustic with violin and cello It was very beautiful!
Back to the orchestra for the usual Quad set followed by the band introduction by Pete then the last number of the set or what we thought was the last number Baba O’Riley. Everyone left the stage but, the house lights never came on. To our surprise Roger and Pete came back on the stage to sing Tea and Theatre. It was very warming and strange at the same time. It felt like a final goodbye to Europe! At the end of the song Roger places his hand on Pete and then both of them hugged. So sweet but bitter as it felt sad too!
The down part of the gig was that a gigantic security guard started to play a jobsworth. There had been a man sitting on the floor crying watching the gig. Then another man with a young child stood by the barricade, not blocking anyone’s view. The security removed them and next the security guards started to put this red and white police tap across the barricade. How silly. They made an issue as we shouldn’t hold onto the barrier. The jobsworth pushed me a little along with Dutch fan Gitta, and he asked us to move back to our seats that were just behind us. Roger went mental and was such a help to us damsels in distress. He told the security to piss off. He was trying to straighten out this situation before it could get worse. The monster security guard said to me he’s (Roger) not my boss. I told him to piss off as everyone else did too! Anyway, after the gig Roy Lamb the production manager came out with the promoter and security head guy and hopefully that crazy security guy got the boot!
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Review by Xela Gazolin
On June 23, 2023 in Paris, I went to see The Who for the 5th time. It was hot but less hot than in 2015 during The Who's last visit to Paris at the Zénith. The heat was sweltering, but the mood and energy was excellent. The covid has passed, the years too, I hope to regain this energy.
After an energetic and fast opening act, the band arrived on stage and Tommy began. The pieces follow one another with the Orchestre de Nanterre, after an almost shy start, "We're Not Gonna Take It" transports the audience. Roger's voice is excellent. The orchestra leaves the stage, then a very powerful "Who are You". The hits follow one another. "You Better You Bet" sets the audience on fire, as Daltrey held out his microphone to spark them.
From there, the concert tipped into another dimension. Pete tells us about his love for France. Then "The Seeker", with reeling guitar solos, "Substitute" with a very present bass. A nice surprise with “Tattoo”, "WGFA", then "Behind Blue Eyes".
The orchestra returned to the stage to play "Quadrophenia". There was a moving piano intro for “Love Reign” before the energy and complicity of Pete and Roger. "Baba O'Riley" reached it’s apotheosis with the violin finale. The friendship between Roger and Pete was very palpable, and Zak Starkey played up to par with his godfather Keith Moon. "Tea and Theater" allowed a soft landing for it’s passengers who will not forget the trip or the soundtrack.
We are lucky. Thank you The Who!
Review by Aurelien Warin
A great show. Pete And Roger were in top shape and were very pleased to be there in Paris. The highlight of the gig was the Quad section with a very moving performance of The Rock and Love Reign O’er Me. Pete told us that he loves France, and has gone there for the last 30 years and still can’t speak French! We were pleased by an encore (first of that small tour) with Roger And Pete on Tea and Theater. Very good show. Vive les Who!
