The Who Set to Rock the Consol Energy Center; Dr. Dog in Concert at Stage AE (Wed., 3/16/16)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=594WLzzb3JI

1) The Who are one of the quintessential rock bands of our time, emerging on the mod scene in England in 1964. Although they were Mods they rocked hard with Pete Townshend’s windmill power chords, Roger Daltrey’s dynamic vocals, Keith Moon’s amazing drumming, and John Entwistle’s stand out bass lines. Unfortunately, Moon and Entwistle have joined the great rock band in the sky. The Who in their formative years were known for destroying their instruments and equipment on stage in a power meltdown. This reflected the auto-destructive wing of the pop art movement. On a more constructive note The Who were pioneers in another art form—the rock opera—creating Tommy (’69) and Qudrophenia (’73). Those rock operas spawned the hits respectively “Pinball Wizard,” “We’re Not Going to Take It” and “The Real Me,” “The Punk and the Godfather.”

The Who performing at the Rotterdam Ahoy’ in 2007. photo: Joep Vullings and Wikipedia.

Subsequent years saw additional hits including “Who Are You.” Ringo Starr’s son Zak Starkey (his godfather was Keith Moon) very capably handles the drumming duties for The Who and Pete Townshend’s brother Simon contributes on guitar, mandolin, and backing vocals. Pino Palladino plays bass guitar for the group. This is a nice opportunity to see one of the best, and maybe slightly under-rated, rock bands in the world. The Who Hits Fifty! tour. Tal Wilkenfeld opens. 7:30 p.m. Consol Energy Center, 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown.

2) The doctor is in this month at Stage AE—Dr. Dog that is. The group hails from West Grove, Pennsylvania, and specializes in rock music with strong crystalline vocals and tight harmonies like those that can be heard on “Broken Heart.” Psychedelic Swamp their latest release, out earlier this month, features some of their oldest music. Dr. Dog originally started working on the album in 2001 and put it aside to work on other projects. Now in 2016 it is finally done. Opening for Dr. Dog are The Districts. Doors open at 7 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore.

3) Hello My Name is Doris – Have you had it up to here with movies about, shall we say, mature men who inexplicably managed to romance women young enough to be their grand daughters? Well, the orthopedic pump’s on the other foot with this comedy from Michael Showalter. Something of a legend in the alternative comedy scene, Showalter is the creator behind such TV shows as “Stella” and “The State” as well as Wet Hot American Summer. In this latest movie, Sally Field plays a 60-something mousy office worker who takes a self-help seminar and decides to shake up her life. And in doing so she begins a highly complicated relationship with a 20-something man in her office, played by Max Greenfield. Tyne Daly, Peter Gallagher, Stephen Root also appear. And I don’t want to hear any complaining; if it didn’t bother you when Woody Allen was cradle snatching, it shouldn’t bother you now. Check Fandango for screens and times. (TH)

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