If you were asked to list the most epic albums in the history of rock and roll, chances are Tommy by The Who would be one of the first to come to mind. That album laid the foundation for other epic albums that would follow, and redefined what a concept album could be. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust And the Spiders from Mars by David Bowie and The Wall by Pink Floyd both owe a huge debt to Tommy.
And as popular as it has been for bands to stage concerts in which they perform classic albums in their entirety, it is hard to believe The Who has never played the complete, unabridged song cycle from Tommy live on stage until 2017. That makes the release of Tommy Live At The Royal Albert Hall an essential addition to any Who fan’s collection.
The concert comes out October 13 on CD as well as DVD and bluray. Surprisingly, there are no music+video combo packs for Tommy, so many fans will end up buying both media separately. A deluxe edition including both seems like an obvious thing to offer, but… alas, no. It’s a frustrating choice we’ve seen another legendary artist make recently as well.
Here’s the complete track list. Note the song cycle for Tommy fills the first disc, while performances of seven more classic Who songs make up the track list of disc two:
Tommy Live At The Royal Albert Hall (Disc 1):
01. Overture
02. It’s A Boy
03. 1921
04. Medley: Amazing Journey / Overture
05. Sparks
06. Eyesight To The Blind (The Hawker)
07. Christmas
08. Cousin Kevin
09. The Acid Queen
10. Do You Think It’s Alright?
11. Fiddle About
12. Pinball Wizard
13. There’s A Doctor
14. Go To The Mirror
15. Tommy Can You Hear Me?
16. Smash The Mirror
17. Underture
18. I’m Free
19. Miracle Cure
20. Sensation
21. Sally Simpson
22. Welcome
23. Tommy’s Holiday Camp
24. We’re Not Gonna Take It
Tommy Live At The Royal Albert Hall (Disc 2):
01. I Can’t Explain
02. Join Together
03. I Can See For Miles
04. Who Are You
05. Love, Reign O’er Me
06. Baba O’Riley
07. Won’t Get Fooled Again
