Roger Daltrey still hits the high notes, and he still makes a point. The rock legend is not interested in playing Sphere or “another residency,” a term he spits out.
The British Invasion holdover is not a fan of misery, dry heat or forcing fans to their seats.
Daltrey showed as much as he brought his solo band to Encore Theater for the first time Wednesday on his “Great Night Out Tour.” He’s back at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with acoustic-rock marvel Jeffrey Gaines opening.
Early in the show, the 80-year-old Daltrey told the buoyant Baby Boomers that The Who would likely reassemble with departed drummer Zak Starkey. The band recently rehearsed with Ringo Starr’s son and “it sounded great.”
This is massive news for Who fans. The son of Ringo Starr was the band’s dedicated drummer for nearly 30 years before being vanquished ahead of the 2025 “Farewell” tour. But the interpersonal connection is strong – the late Keith Moon was like a “surrogate father” to Starkey after his father split with his mother, Maureen.
Daltrey left open the likelihood of more shows by the Who, with Starkey, but not residencies. If there is a benefit, he said, the band would convene as a show of philanthropic force.
In a chat a couple of days before the show, I asked Daltrey about The Who headlining a series at Sphere. He qualified he’d not yet been inside the venue but already formed an opinion.
“I think the management may have had talks about playing there, but when I think about it, I don’t know whether it really interests me,” Daltrey said. “I think the Sphere’s got its place. There’s no doubt about that, and it is an extraordinary thing. But I like the energy from a show just to come from the stage. There’s something for me about just the old-fashioned stage without the cock walk. For me, the cock walk just completely disrupts the energy of the show.”
Performing without his Who bandmates, Daltrey still opened with Pete Townshend’s “Let My Love Open the Door.” He also placed two wet towels near his monitors, cooling the stage but not the passion in his performance.
“When people sing together, their hearts beat as one,” Daltrey said, as he frequently pointed the mic at the crowd as his hastily arranged choir. “Even if you are off key, it all blends together beautifully.” The refrain from “Baba O’Riley” brought chills.
Daltrey is backed on this tour by a nine-piece, quasi-acoustic band led by guitarist Simon Townshend, Pete’s younger brother. The band’s drums are electric and toned down. The result is a warm, if muted, rock experience, with Daltrey’s voice punching through the mix.
Daltrey refashioned such Who favorites as “Who Are You,” “The Kids Are Alright,” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” He strummed the acoustic, while complaining about a bandage on his right index finger that impeded his plucking.
Wearing blue jeans and a white button-down dress shirt, Daltrey was loose in movement, nearly losing his footing during a slow spin more. And when security attempted to pull fans gathered at the lip of the stage, Daltrey shouted, “Let’s put it to a vote, the whole crowd! Are these people bothering you?” “No!” was the uniform response.
“Then go f- – – off!” Daltrey shouted at the venue’s security officers, who (fairly) were just doing their jobs. Or, trying to. But the knight prevailed and the fans remained.
Highlights outside The Who’s muscular catalog included Neil Young’s “Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World,” with the front man growling, “There’s a warning sign, on the road ahead. There’s a lot of people saying we’d be better off dead.” He performed a wonderful cover of “Have You Ever Seen The Rain” by Woodstock concert mates Creedence Clearwater Revival.
Daltrey classically spun the microphone, if obligatorily, despite needing surgery for “a rotator cuff problem” on his mic-swinging shoulder.
A shining moment was also unexpected, as Daltrey unearthed “The Boy in the Bubble” from Paul Simon’s “Graceland” album, which the legend says, “Did more to end apartheid than any of the bulls- – – political rhetoric.”
In our chat, Daltrey explained his motives behind selecting that song for his “Great Night Out.”
“You think, well, Roger Daltrey is singing a Paul Simon song. What would he choose?” Daltrey said. “You might think, ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water,’ something like that. But this song is from ‘Graceland,’ a particular favorite album of mine for several reasons. Mostly, it showed the credibility of Paul Simon, who was torn to shreds for making that album. And that’s why I’m singing it while I still can.”
Cool Hang Alert
Remember “Sniglets?” Research that term, which refers to inventive word fusion. Their creator, Rich Hall, is at Laugh Factory at Horseshoe at 8:30 p.m. Monday through Sept. 6. And know that “aquadextrous” is the ability to turn a bathtub faucet on or off using your toes.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.