For years fans of The Who have heard about the film footage of a rare live performance at the State Kilburn Theatre in northern London on Thursday, December 15, 1977. This by-invitation-only show was done at the request of director Jeff Stein, who was busy pulling together archival footage and interview segments for his feature film documentary on the band, The Kids Are Alright, which would be released the following year. Stein felt he needed new concert footage of the band performing their classics to intercut with all the other material he had amassed, so he brought in six 35 mm cameras to capture the raw energy and power of the band in its prime. While snippets and segments of some of this performance did eventually make their way into the final cut of The Kids Are Alright, most of it remained on the cutting room floor and a virtual restaging of the same show was done some five months later at the Who-owned Shepperton Film Studios. This latter show ended up being Keith Moon’s final performance with the band before his death on September 7, 1978. Most of the Shepperton gig wound up in The Kids Are Alright (like the stirring renditions of “Baba O’Reilly” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again”) and the Kilburn show became something of a forgotten holy grail for Who fans. It was often derided as being substandard and sloppy, which is allegedly why the band made Stein reshoot it.

Thankfully, all the footage of that enigmatic Kilburn show – which was Moon’s second-to-last ever performance with the band – has been meticulously restored and reassembled from the original 35 mm film sources and released on Blu-ray Disc. What’s more, the original 16-track audio recordings have also been rechanneled for a dynamic high definition audio presentation that is nothing short of amazing. Seeing and hearing this legendary The Who at Kilburn 1977 concert in all its raw and uninterrupted glory was quite a treat for this longtime Who fan. It perfectly captures the band firing on all cylinders during what was undoubtedly the pinnacle of its career. It’s also a bit bittersweet since the maniacal Keith Moon – just months shy of virtually killing himself with drugs and alcohol – hams it up and jokes about going backstage to “O.D.” while the rest of the band plays a number. Although it manages to take you out of the experience for a moment, you soon forget all about it when Moon begins thrashing away anew, drumming up a storm during the climax of “Behind Blue Eyes.”

While the Kilburn show is certainly a fascinating document and a significant performance in the history of The Who, that’s not to say it isn’t without its flaws, which is probably why it earned a reputation over the years as being subpar. But to be fair, the band readily admits before they begin ripping into the opening chords of “I Can’t Explain” that they hadn’t performed together for a year when this concert was filmed. Knowing that, it’s remarkable how good they do sound and how each subsequent number just gets better, like an unplanned jam session when the musicians gradually begin to lock into each other’s groove. What’s undeniable while watching this performance is how great bands like The Who are; it’s more about the chemistry among the band members and less about playing the songs note-for-note. That’s probably why later incarnations of The Who without drummer Keith Moon and bassist John Entwistle seemed more like half-hearted tribute bands than the real deal. The Kilburn concert, for all practical purposes, is really the swan song of the original Who lineup and it’s clear this combination of talent has never been surpassed or equaled.

The 66-minute show features several stunning performances and the highlights for me were songs like: “Baba O’Reilly,” which always sounds more powerful live than in its original studio incarnation; “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” the band’s signature anthem that never wears thin; and, the aforementioned “Behind Blue Eyes,” which features some fine, off-tempo drumming courtesy of Moon. While Roger Daltrey’s vocals are impeccable and Pete Townshend’s requisite power chords cut through loud and clear, there were also a couple of surprises, like Entwistle’s pitch-perfect vocal on “My Wife” and his booming bass licks on “Dreaming from the Waist” that made me sit up and pay attention. The show also includes a couple of the band’s standard covers – “Summertime Blues” and “Shakin’ All Over” – that they’ve pretty much put their own stamp on over the years. Other tracks include “Substitute,” “Pinball Wizard,” “I’m Free,” “Tommy’s Holiday Camp,” “My Generation,” “Join Together,” and “Who Are You.” Alas, I was very disappointed that the last two tracks were just truncated jam versions done as an outro to “My Generation” and weren’t the complete songs as recorded. Although the band starts out a bit shaky, it really hits its stride with “Baba O’Reilly” and they remain pretty tight from that point on.

As if the coveted Kilburn show weren’t enough, this BD also includes another rare gem in the form of the band’s performance on Sunday, December 14, 1969 at the London Coliseum – a show The Who itself has often cited as one of its best. While this 73-minute concert offers the same stellar audio options, the image quality leaves a lot to be desired since it was filmed by the band’s producers, Chris Stamp and Kit Lambert, on 16 mm stock. As such, it doesn’t offer the same “wow” factor as the 35 mm-shot Kilburn concert, but the performances are just as interesting and, at times, it even surpass the Kilburn show. This was part of the band’s tour following the release of Tommy during which they would do a combination show of some of their hits and then perform the rock opera in its entirety. Due to the inconsistent source material and lighting problems, this version of the 1969 show contains only highlights from Tommy, including “There’s a Doctor,” “Go to the Mirror,” “I’m Free,” “Tommy’s Holiday Camp,” and “See Me, Feel Me.” But as an added bonus, the complete performances of the band’s “mini opera” titled “A Quick One While He’s Away” and the songs from Tommy are also offered in a 70-minute, uncut version. Other highlights from the Coliseum show – most of which also appear on the band’s classic Live at Leeds album – include “Heaven and Hell,” “Fortune Teller,” “Tattoo,” “Young Man Blues,” and “My Generation.”

Both of these remarkable concerts – which, oddly enough, took place exactly eight years and one day apart, as noted in the interesting liner notes by Who friend and biographer Richard Barnes – are noteworthy bookends to the original lineup’s career. The 1969 show presents the band as it was evolving into the powerhouse live act that would dominate rock music for the next decade, and the 1977 show is a snapshot of the same band a bit older and wiser but playing like a well-oiled machine. What’s common to both, however, is how powerful and energetic this lineup was and how each player brought something unique to the mix. From Townshend’s power chord attack, to Daltrey’s animalistic howl, to Entwistle’s thunderously thumping bass notes, to Moon’s frenetic but well-timed drumming, the pieces all fit together like some magical puzzle. The Who at Kilburn 1977 is proof-positive of why the band remains one of the most influential in rock history and it confirms the legend of their talent and prowess as a tight-knit live act.

The Video: How Does The Disc Look?

The good news is the 35 mm footage of the Kilburn show’s original 1.85:1 aspect ratio has been slightly opened up to fill the 1.78:1 frame and is presented in a very good high definition transfer compressed with the AVC video CODEC. Considering this footage has been sitting on a shelf somewhere for the last 30 years, the image quality is amazingly sharp and mostly blemish-free, with only the occasional speck popping up during some of the blackouts between songs. Director Jeff Stein wisely opts for a lot of close-ups of the individual band members during the performances, and the depth and clarity of the 35 mm source material allows for a very intimate concert experience – not unlike Martin Scorsese’s recent Rolling Stones film, Shine A Light. Color balance is consistent throughout and details like the intricate spiderweb pattern on Entwistle’s custom-made bass and even the dial controls on Townshend’s Hiwatt amps all look sharp and well-defined. Black levels remain deep and dark, while flesh tones all look natural and nicely-rendered. I also didn’t notice any major compression issues, although there were a couple of instances of banding when the red stage lights were at full intensity and one of the band members would move quickly across the stage. Overall, it’s an impressive video presentation.

The bad news is the London Coliseum show offered as a bonus suffers greatly in comparison. Again, since it was originated on 16 mm film, this is likely the best this performance is ever going to look. Some of the angles taken closer to the stage are passable, but most of the wide shots are blurry and out-of-focus. Color balance also seems flat and the print appears to be a bit desaturated. Black levels also skew a bit into the gray, and there are noticeable scratches and flecks throughout on the source print. That said, I’m still glad they included this performance as a nice keepsake for fans. It’s also why I think they wisely chose to market this as a “bonus” feature and not a second main feature of the release.

The Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?

Here’s where this BD really shines. Unlike the vast differences between video quality of the two concerts, both shows are given the same superior audio upgrade. Both offer three audio options: a full and ambient DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, a compressed Dolby Digital 5.1 track, and a lossless PCM 2.0 stereo track. I’m happy to report that all three are worthy audio companions, but as expected the uncompressed DTS track is the winner in terms of greater dynamic range and a relentless and booming bottom end (courtesy of bassist Entwistle and drummer Moon) that just won’t quit. This is one of the better concert reproductions I’ve heard on home video, with a nice ambient sound that still keeps the individual instruments well-placed in the mix. Daltrey’s vocals cut through clear and clean in the center channel; Townshend’s guitar, while somewhat buried early in the Kilburn show, eventually kicks in and bounces between the right and left front channels; while Entwistle and Moon keep the subwoofer active throughout. There’s also some nice echo bleed-through to the rear channels, which is also reserved for the audience. The Dolby Digital 5.1 option is a solid offering, too, although it lacks the punch of the bottom end and the clarity of the center-channel vocals on its DTS counterpart. While I prefer a surround sound experience, the lossless 2.0 PCM track is also a keeper and is a nice option for those diehards who still enjoy listening to their music in simple stereo. Overall, a very good audio presentation.

The Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

I suppose you could argue that offering two different versions of another vintage concert is really more than just a bonus feature, but as I mentioned earlier, I think Image was wise to make the Kilburn show the main feature due to its superior video and audio qualities. As such, the aforementioned 73-minute 1969 London Coliseum performance is offered as a bonus concert on the BD. In addition, you can also view a 70-minute uncut version of The Who’s “mini rock opera” titled “A Quick One While He’s Away” and the songs from Tommy as part of a complete songs bonus feature titled A Quick One While He’s Away and Tommy: The Complete Performances. Be forewarned that although the audio is quite good on this uncut version of the show, the video quality is even worse than the already-bad 1969 concert proper, replete with drop-outs, missing footage and dimly-lit scenes. Again, it’s a nice bonus for Who completists and I’m happy it’s included here.

There’s also a short video trailer for The Who at Kilburn 1977 along with a 16-page booklet of liner notes that provides a nice history and background on the two shows.

The 66-minute Kilburn concert is divided into sixteen chapters. The 73-minute Coliseum concert is divided into seventeen chapters.

Final Thoughts

Long sought as one of the holy grails among legendary Who concerts, The Who at Kilburn 1977 is a fascinating look back at one of rock’s greatest live acts performing at their peak. This historic second-to-last performance featuring the band’s founding lineup is a must-see for Who fans and rock fans in general. With impressive video and audio presentations and no less than two versions of the bonus 1969 London Coliseum show, this BD is highly recommended.


Here’s a note about the apparent duplicate Buy Guide. Our I.T. people are still hard at work on a large project and have not yet had the time to modify the underlying site database formatting code to accommodate the new 0-to-10 rating scales. So until they do, for HD on disc, I’ll insert this note and a Buy Guide at the end of the review text and leave the conventional 0-to-5 Buy Guide blank.