The Who's Tommy
Four out of five freakin stars!!
So, my dad took me to see the almighty rock opera, Tommy. Definitely one of his cooler moments. Ten points for dad. It was more or less what I expected. Except, I thought it was going to be, well, trippier. You know, the trademark sixties journey through psychedia and the entire length and breadth of the color wheel. But actually, I found it to be more like your run of the mill musical, but with a little umph (what's run of the mill, anyway? Email me if you know). It had it all; the minimalistic staging, the flashy dance numbers, the over-exuberant cast, and the main hearthrob with a vocal resonance that could be heard overseas. But in spite of the "normality", it hits the spot. The plot aims towards a social statement, the music is electric, and he plays pinball on a stage, for goodness sakes. And people go watch!! Makes you wonder about concerts, eh? All in all, I really enjoyed the indulgent, hearty singing and the retro feel to it all, with a British twist. The music was very close to that of the record, and I can finally accept that strange, contradictory term birthed from the creations of Pete Townshend...the rock opera. It does exist!!
- ANGELA BECERRA
