Set #1: Magical Mystery Tour Open My Eyes Eye In The Sky Crazy On You My Wife Hello It's Me Don't Answer Me You're The Biggest Part Of Me How Much I Feel Bang The Drum The Real Me Dreamboat Annie Games People Play Baracuda My GenerationThe scene was a temporary stage at the base of an unused bunny hill at a Western Pennsylvania ski resort. Thunderstorms were looming all day, but everything was dry to that point. The subdued, middle-aged crowd waited as the band hit the stage promptly at 7:30.Set #2: Back In The USSR Lady Madonna I'm Down Fool On The Hill Here Comes The Sun Lucy In The Sky You've Got To Hide Your Love Away Maybe I'm Amazed Rain Blackbird Me And My Monkey Revolution Day Tripper Ticket To Ride I Want To Hold Your Hand Hey Jude
Encores: Birthday Golden Slumbers / The End
The first set was very enjoyable. Todd seemed to have the most fans present as he stated it was good to be back in Pennsylvania. Each of the big name band members didn't disappoint by delivering supergroup renditions of their hits. The real suprise for me was David Pack of Ambrosia. He was kind of the jack of all trades. He has a "McCartneyesque" voice which made him an integral part of this band. Besides Todd's featured songs, David Pack outshined Todd in both guitar and vocal duties the entire first set. Entwhistle was a monster as usual. For as many times as I've seen him with The Who (both live and video), his bass playing still amazes me. Todd did finish the set up strong with some searing chords on Baracuda and some Townshend-like windmills and feedback on My Generation.
The second set saw Todd as a more important part of the band. He sang lead on Lady Madonna, Hide Your Love Away, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Rain, Revolution as well as co-lead and backing vocals on most of the other songs in the set. Todd was finally aloud to cut loose a bit with his guitar lead on Weeps. There were also some nice suprises this set. Fool On The Hill was delightful. It featured dualing flutes and tin whistles between Ann and Alan. Todd also played the part of the fool very well, frolicking around the stage with a set of false Jerry Lewis teeth. Godfrey Townshend also proved to be a strong force this set. His Harrison-like vocals on Here Comes the Some and guitar work throughout the set were impressive to say the least. Parson's version of Blackbird was about as close to Paul sitting there plucking it out himself as you'll get. Ann and Todd shared some fun stage banter throughout the night. Ann joked about how she wondered what the trees are thinking of all of this. She also encouraged the fans to bust down the chincy snow fence seperating them from the band. They did about half way through the set much to the dismay of the nazi-like security types blanketing the slopes.
The encore was a fitting end to an exciting show. Birthday was fun, but it was Golden Slumbers / The End that tied it all together. The song is an epic and they did it great justice. The highlight was the three-way dualing leads between Townshend, Pack and Todd. Goosebumps! Great show. Far better than expected. Can't wait to see it again next week in New York.
