Pete Townshend with Ed & CBS Orchestra
Set List: Heart To Hang Onto, Magic Bus (not televised)

On a balmy New York afternoon, anyone would be remiss to not view this historical partnering of The Who and Pearl Jam's front man in a broader moment of historical proportions that gripped a nation, the world. This was John Kennedy Jr's home, and the Big Apple was surely still stinging from the tragic loss - traversing the city en route to Broadway Avenue, the news accounts were still churning, his face still gracing front pages of newspapers and all the major magazines - the thump of his fall still enveloped a city. It was if Eddie's and Pete's performance was in a loose way the bit of spiritual lift needed, timed accidentally to take place in a rather stark backdrop.

In fact, even as of this writing the New Yorker magazine's Jamie Malanowski published a piece in the current edition on Pearl Jam's reviving Last Kiss; prior to this issue, the cover of the New Yorker cover illustrated a caricature of the statue of liberty whose face resembled JFK, Jr, his head blanketed by a black veil. Today, New York would balance that grieving with being a host of a musical-act phenomenon, and it was a truly breathtaking moment that afternoon.

Waiting in line outside the main entrance inside, the front row luckies were given their fourth pep-talk from the Late Show staff to ensure we would be energetic. Well, paying attention to these routine instructions (as if we need it!) would not have been too difficult, except blaring from deep inside the theater doorways is the unmistakable sound of Eddie and Pete warming up. We waited, and the Pearl Jam faithful concentrated to capture some of the high pitched but melodic outpour from Pete, and the soulful bellow of our own Ed. Imagine outside a keg party, and a band is playing in the basement below - except what you have is a tiny theater as big as any commercial one, and the kinks being worked out are from the greats rushing to beat the pre-taping deadline.

Like mischievous teenagers sneaking a peek at a dirty movie before being let in, the door would swing open at intervals, and HRH Pearl and I would grab each other by the arm and catch a glimpse of Eddie. Then, it happened. We saw him - green jacket, grey t-shirt, and Exxon gas station issued blue chinos. Staring intently at Pete, waving his arms at his waist, then the door swung shut and the picture dissolved.

Later, as Dave's mentioning of Pete and Eddie was again greeted by a piercing, drowning of applause and shouts, out they walked.

Eddie took a moment to acknowledge Dave. Then, he stood upright, very focused, and scanned with his eyes as if one of the several cameras scanning the entire audience. His head moved to take in the bottom rows, then as he shaded his eyes, he looked into the light at the top section, and pointed to a member or two of the audience. It just spoke respect, it spoke that, indeed, perhaps no matter how many performances you play or with whom, each one has a feel of an inaugural.

When it came time to get playing, one could not help but freeze the picture, realizing that the Late Night band was going to "help out" with Pete and Eddie's song. Freeze. It truly was as if you took an okay, not terrible wedding reception band, and just helicoptered from above these two lyrical and vocal giants. Pete and Ed overshadowed them, and that contrast heightened the wild, the intense and the energy about to implode on the stage.

Pete begins to jam, and balks - though smoothly - the beginning riff of the song. Eddie is watching, nodding his head to keep time. When Pete begins the song, Eddie begins the bouncing of the one leg, and his nods get more rhythmic, and he wraps the microphone cupping it with both hands, leans into the mic - and BAM. In the business world we call it "adding value" and it is an understatement to say that while Pete is a one of a kind, and proved his worth and fame, when Ed opened his mouth, it was a shot that could be felt, even through the chilly air, even through the bright lights and the hurried playing of the wedding reception band. It was reminiscent of the recording of "History Never Repeats," by the Split Ends when in New Zealand. Despite the Finn brothers' very respectable role in the song, the build up crescendos to Ed singing with emphatic emotion that quivered his voice, "You say I always play the fool, I can't go on if that's the rule, better to jump than hheeessiittate, I need a change and I can't wait." Owning a copy of Ed's contribution, and how it soberingly and acutely MADE the Finn brothers classic, can relate to how Eddie's relatively small role in Pete's tune at the Sullivan theater gave it the catalyst it needed, and brought emotion to what was up until then just a catchy lick.

At one point, Pete lives true to Who rebel form, looks over at the camera guy as if to say "do not interrupt or get in my way" and begins to crouch down and pull notes out if his electric it seemed, with the aggression of a 20 year old and jams, feverishly.

Throughout, Eddie's demeanor, when not concentrating and filled with pathos, was utterly respectful when looking at or motioning to Pete. I have heard the quotes by Ed that Pete was more of a father figure than his own dad was, and Ed's charmed silent communication with Pete was indeed as if a Dad decided to show his son how it's done, and Ed has never looked less cocky; it was pure. In one notably powerful gesture, Ed looked away from his jamming, arms wailing music-Dad, faced the crowd, and held his arms out toward Pete, like he had just popped the hood of a BMW, and was showing his friends how sweet the engine is. "Huh, eh" was his look and nodded his head up and down at the stunned audience.

When it all was winding down, and Dave came to shake their hands, Pete and Ed took part in an embellishment, impromptu Magic Bus. Pete set up the first line, then Ed would say dramatic things like "I don't want to ride your bus," or "This bus was not for you," or "Get me a seat on the back of the bus," or "I want to drive that bus."

The feel was that all the mediocre fans left the party, and the masters decided to mix it up for the faithful in an original, rock-rap until the beer was gone.

Not to overstate the analogy, as HRHPearl feared I might, but, before walking off, Ed gave the cheekbone grin to us all, bent down, and issued a salute with his hand on his forehead, as we have seen in concerts past. But, JFK Jr's same powerful and patented salute to his father's US flag-draped casket came to mind in a rather fitting ending for Pete's new wingman, who had just jump-started a city in 6 minutes that until then was seeing black.

At least it gave me something to think about on the plane to Chicago that same day, where a front seat pass awaited me for the House of Blues concert with Eddie and Pete, the subject of my next review. HOB Fanview