There are many groups from the swinging sixties who shaped popular music, but only a select few have had a lasting impact. And of those few bands, only one act seems intent on forging new ground (rather that rehashing past glories), and that band is The Who. Whilst many of their peers are busy milking the heritage circuit, only The Who have their sights set on the future, and testament to their pioneering spirit is Live At The Eden Project. It would have been very easy for the band to release another guitar-centric live album in the vein of Live At Leeds or Who’s Last, yet this offering takes a different route and finds The Who teaming up with The Heart Of England Philharmonic Orchestra to put a fresh spin on familiar themes.

The Who were the ensemble who pretty much invented the rock opera with the albums Quadrophenia and Tommy, and as such their sound always lent itself well to orchestral interpretation, and if proof were ever needed look no further than Live At Eden Project. It’s a selection from Tommy that opens this set and perfectly illustrates how well rock and opera can fuse. There were several superfluous moments on Tommy that were included only as a means to move the story forwards, but this condensed reading makes for a far more impactful experience, ‘Amazing Journey’, ‘The Acid Queen’ and, of course, ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’ becoming far more punchy and urgent, whilst the orchestra makes ‘Overture’ and ‘1921’ all the more powerful and pronounced. Fans of the original songs needn’t worry, you won’t find these tracks acting in new, strange ways, yet they reveal different facets and that’s the element which encapsulates a good live album. Live recordings shouldn’t be mere facsimiles of their studio counterparts (we have the original albums for that), rather they should be illuminating and revelatory, and that’s exactly what these cuts are.

Those with a penchant for the more raucous side of The Who will be sated by the mid-section of this album; the Orchestra departs for a while and leaves the band to unleash a barrage of their early hits. With the benefit of hindsight it’s easy to hear why The Who had such a big impact on hard rock, metal, and punk, and these spiky, amphetamine-fuelled readings of ‘Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere’ only serve to amplify their revolutionary zest. The Orchestra return for ‘Behind Blue Eyes’ and then excerpts from Quadrophenia (perhaps The Who’s greatest rock opera), songs such as ‘The Rock’ and ‘Love Reign O’er Me’ sparkling like those from Tommy.

The double album (and triple vinyl) length of Live At Eden Project mirrors that of an actual concert, and as such it successfully recreates that vibe with the production placing the listener right in the heart of the action. Therefore, it is with a sense of sadness that ‘Baba O’Riley’ brings things to a conclusion. But thanks to Live At Eden Project, this is one concert you can enjoy again and again and again (ad infinitum).

• Live At Eden Project is released on 29th May 2026 (available here).
• The Who Official Website

Track List:

1. Overture
2. 1921
3. Amazing Journey
4. Sparks
5. The Acid Queen
6. Pinball Wizard
7. We’re Not Gonna Take It
8. Who Are You
9. Eminence Front
10. The Kids Are Alright
11. You Better You Bet
12. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
13. Substitute
14. I Can’t Explain
15. My Generation
16. Cry If You Want
17. Won’t Get Fooled Again
18. Behind Blue Eyes
19. The Real Me
20. I’m One
21. 5:15
22. The Rock
23. Love, Reign O’er Me
24. Baba O’Riley