The Who were at the peak of their powers as a live act and had just released one of their most enduring albums, 1971's
Who's Next, when they played a benefit show for famine relief in Bangladesh at the Oval Cricket Ground in South London's Kensington district. The group played a fiery 75-minute set for an enthusiastic audience, and a mobile recording truck with
Glyn Johns at the controls was on hand to record the show. The tapes were shelved after the concert, but in 2025
the Who dusted them off and prepared them for release, with
Bob Pridden and
Richard Whittaker giving the material a fresh mix. 2025's
Live at the Oval 1971 is a raw, invigorating document of
the Who casually sharing their combustible brilliance, with
Pete Townshend's razor-sharp guitar,
John Entwistle's thunderous but melodic bass,
Keith Moon's frantic drumming, and
Roger Daltrey's strutting vocals coalescing into a wondrous rock & roll assault. Nearly every live album from this era demonstrates the violently artful power of
the Who on-stage;
Live at the Oval 1971 stands in that fine tradition, and serious fans will certainly want this in their collections. ~ Mark Deming
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