Quad City Bank & Trust Presents the Riverfront Pop's “The Best of the Who" in LeClaire Park -- August 22.
Saturday, August 22, 8:30 p.m.
LeClaire Park Bandshell, 400 West Beiderbecke Drive, Davenport IA
For this year's annual Riverfront Pops concert event in Davenport's LeClaire Park, the Quad City Symphony Orchestra and Quad City Bank & Trust invite audiences to rock out with the talents of Jeans 'n' Classics and conductor Hisham Bravo Groover during the August 22 extravaganza The Best of the Who, a night under the starts featuring powerhouse hits including “My Generation,” “Behind Blue Eyes,” “Pinball Wizard,” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”
Formed in London in 1964, the classic The Who lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. Considered one of the most influential rock bands of the 20th century, their contributions to rock music include the development of the Marshall stack; large public address systems; the use of synthesisers; Entwistle's and Moon's influential playing styles; Townshend's feedback and power chord guitar technique; and the development of the rock opera. They are cited as an influence by many bands, particularly those in the hard rock, punk, power pop, and mod genres, and the musicians were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
The Who evolved from an earlier group, the Detours, and established themselves as part of the pop art and mod movements, featuring auto-destructive art by destroying guitars and drums on stage. Their first single as the Who, “I Can't Explain” (1964), reached the UK top ten, and was followed by a string of hit singles including “Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere,” “My Generation” (both 1965), “Substitute,” “I'm a Boy,” “Happy Jack Jack” (all 1966) and “Pictures of Lily” (1967). In 1967, they performed at the Momterey Pop Festival and released “I Can See for Miles,” their only U.S. top-10 single. The group's 1969 concept album Tommy included the single “Pinball Wizard” and was a critical and commercial success.
Further festival appearances at Woodstock and the Isle of Wight, along with the concert album Live at Leeds (1970), established their reputation as a respected rock act. The success put pressure on lead songwriter Townshend, and the follow-up to Tommy, Lifehouse, was abandoned. Songs from the project made up the album Who's Next (1971), including the hits “Won't Get Fooled Again,” “Baba O'Riley,” and “Behind Blue Eyes.” The group released another concept album, Quadrophenia (1973), as a celebration of their mod roots, and oversaw the film adaptation of Tommy (1975). Following the release of The Who by Numbers (1975), they continued to tour to large audiences before semi-retiring from live performances at the end of 1976. The release of Who Are You (1978) was overshadowed by Moon's death shortly after.
The Saturday-evening performance conducted by Hisham Bravo Groover, Jeans ‘n Classics has been bringing their impressive symphonic rock catalog to symphony audiences across North America for the past three decades, with a long list of crowd-pleasing shows. This tight-knit collection of top players and vocalists has become a star performer in the arts and entertainment scene. Most definitely not a tribute act, Jeans ‘n Classics faithfully interprets the music of legendary rock and pop albums and artists, with their own special and signature flair.
With the LeClaire Park gates opening at 4 p.m., the August 23 Riverfront Pops event will begin with a 6:30 p.m. pre-show featuring the QCSO Youth Symphony Orchestra. The 7:30 p.m. concert itself will conclude, as always, with rousing renditions of Tchaikovsky's “1812 Overture” and Sousa's “Stars & Stripes Forever” set to a brilliant fireworks display over the Mississippi River. Advance tickets are $5-31, reserved bandshell and park plot seating is also available, and more information on the Quad City Bank & Trust's The Best of the Who s available by calling (563)322-0931 and visiting QCSO.org.
