The Who
November 29, 1982
Rupp Arena
Lexington, Kentucky
Master* tape from the ML Archive via JEMS
Recording Gear: Aiwa CM-30 stereo microphone > Sony D6 Walkman
2021 transfer: master* cassettes > Nakamichi Cassette Deck 1 azimuth-adjusted transfer > Sound Devices USBPre 2 > Audacity 2.3.2 (24/96) capture > iZotope RX MBIT+ resample 16/44.1 FLAC > iZotope RX / Peak Pro 6 (mastering) Audacity 2.4.2 (tracking and finishing) >TLH
Run time: 2:08:10
Musicians:
Roger Daltrey (vocals, guitar, harmonica)
John Entwistle (bass, vocals)
Kenney Jones (drums)
Pete Townshend (guitar, vocals, tambourine)
with Tim Gorman (keyboards)
01_Intro
02_Substitute (brief drop-out near three-second mark)
03_I Can’t Explain
04_Dangerous
05_Sister Disco
06_The Quiet One
07_It’s Hard
08_Eminence Front
09_Behind Blue Eyes
10_Baba O’Riley
11_I Can See For Miles
12_Drowned
13_Tattoo
14_Cry If You Want
15_Who Are You
16_Pinball Wizard
17_See Me, Feel Me
18_Five-Fifteen
19_Love Reign O’er Me
20_Long Live Rock (cut)
21_Long Live Rock (source II begins, see note)
22_Won’t Get Fooled Again
23_Naked Eye
24_Squeeze Box
25_Magic Bus
26_Twist and Shout
Installment No.13 from the 1982 tour features The Who performing at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky on November 29. It’s another terrific master recording from ML, our longtime Who compatriot and one of Jared’s oldest taping friends.
Picking up after a four-week break, Lexington was the second show, and the second ’82 date for fans in the Bluegrass State. A Louisville gig on October 7 fell below the tour’s standard for excellence, where a loud, unruly crowd kept Pete Townshend off his game for most of the show.
Lexington could not have been any more different. In fact, it was Jared’s favorite show of the second leg. Playback reveals the band playing exceedingly well. That’s evident in “Dangerous,” “Behind Blue Eyes,” and “Baba O’Riley,” versions that really hit the mark; Jared mentioned “Five-Fifteen,” “It’s Hard,” and “Magic Bus” as standouts.
One song the band kept after that year was “I Can See For Miles.” Here, with no rough edges, it sounds just right. Great Who musicianship carries over into “Drowned,” in which a quirky breakdown mid-way yields to more superb lead guitar from Pete Townshend. Large and in charge, The Big T earned every vote he got as Creem magazine’s MVP that year. Roger Daltrey hit a rough patch in “Love Reign O’er Me,” but rallies in a big way through the show’s final quarter.
* Like Houston, St. Louis, and St. Paul II, the asterisk denotes an entry not containing a complete ML master. Lexington appears to end during “Long Live Rock,” but a second stereo recording, almost certainly first-generation, takes us through “Squeeze Box,” and perhaps to the end of the concert. The soundscape shifts a bit, but the quality remains excellent.
I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed bringing these recordings forward. Acquainting myself with more 1982 shows (favorites: Orchard Park; Los Angeles; Houston; Cleveland I; and now Lexington) has been a stone groove.
There’s a team to thank: ML for taping and sharing, and my old friend BK, who coordinated the project from its inception. In post, mjk5510 mastered, reshaping the low end and bringing the vocals forward, making Lexington a real jewel. There’s more to come — collect ’em all.
Finally, to our departed friends Jared and Stan, thanks for keeping us rolling all these years.
Share it freely, and for free!
- slipkid68
Images for all shows as well as full size images for this show.
Images for this show:
