These came out in 2004 – or at least that’s when I got ’em. Here’s what I said about them back then (with some minor editing):
All Who DVDs are not created equal — especially not these two. In fact, Live At The Isle Of Wight and Live In Boston sit at opposite ends of the fan-satisfaction spectrum.
The former captures the original band in full, breathtaking flight at a U.K. rock festival, blasting through a fiery 85-minute set that includes most of their then-latest album Tommy. Despite the dodgy production, if you’re a Who fan — and who isn’t? — it’s essential. Which is more than you can say for Live In Boston, filmed in 2002 just weeks after the drug-fuelled death of bassist John Entwistle. You’d think watching Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey carry on in the wake of tragedy could be powerful and moving. But mostly it’s just depressing — like watching two shipwreck survivors clinging together on a liferaft, paddling like hell but getting nowhere. Hearing them plod through a sluggish set with replacement bassist Pino Palladino is bad enough; hearing them snipe at each other in the interviews (Roger’s first thought at John’s death: “F—! I’m stuck with the miserable one!”) is worse. I still have hopes for a new Who album someday; as for DVDs, not so much.
