The Who 'Hits Back' at UBS Arena in Long Island with an Epic Night of Classics

Pop Break Live: The Who ‘The Who Hits Back!’ Tour with Stephen Page at The UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York — October 7, 2022

The Who rolled into the gorgeous UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York on Friday Night October 7 to deliver a night of epic spectacle and classic anthems that only Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend and company could deliver. Simply put, it was a classic Who concert.

Opening the show was Stephen Page, the former lead singer of Barenaked Ladies. Page has been producing solo works for nearly a decade and his golden voice was on fire all night.

The Who, currently on their ‘The Who Hits Back!’ tour, delivered a performance in four different segments. The first segment featured the band performing with a full orchestra. In this segment the crowd came unglued when the band’s all-timer “Pinball Wizard” from their rock opera The Who’s Tommy started up. The orchestra only added to the grandiosity of this classic.

The second segment featured the band, sans orchestra, performing a five-song set that included the anthem “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and the tremendous “Behind Blue Eyes.” The set finished off a longer run with the orchestra. This segment ended with arguably one of the band’s best and most epic songs ever — “Baba O’Reilly.” The band came back for a one-song encore, covering Mose Allison song “Young Man Blues.”

The crowd for the entire night was super high-energy as you could tell this was a loyal fanbase that still had the sounds and images of The Who’s famed 1979 New York performance dancing in their head. As for the band itself, Roger Daltrey remains the showman supreme. He was whipping the microphone around with the same ease and excitement of his younger days, and his voice — it’s still one of the best in the business. Pete Townshend was excellent as always, roaring through all the classics like the guitar maestro that he is.

We don’t often talk about venues in reviews, but we’ve got to say if you can see an event at the UBS Arena — make sure you do! The arena has an inviting, comfortable vibe, it’s immaculate and the sound is absolutely incredible. It definitely heightened the experience of seeing one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll bands that ever.

Stephen Page

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