Happy Birthday Roger Daltrey: The Who Performs At 1967 Monterey Pop Festival

Iconic rock ‘n’ roll frontman Roger Daltrey celebrates his 73rd birthday today. The lead singer of the legendary British rock band The Who, Daltrey and his fellow surviving founding member, guitarist Pete Townshend, recently embarked on The Who Hits 50! World Tour honoring the influential group’s 50th anniversary. For Roger’s birthday today, here’s a look back at an infamous The Who performance held almost 50 years ago at the stellar 1967 Monterey International Pop Festival.

The Who was on the stacked lineup of the final day of the three-day festival staged on June 18, 196 at Monterey County Fairgrounds in Monterey, California. Additional acts that also performed that day included the Grateful Dead, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Buffalo Springfield, The Mamas & The Papas, Janis Joplin with Big Brother & The Holding Company, Ravi Shankar and others.

While making their American debut, Daltrey, Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon performed “Substitute,” a cover of Eddie Cochran’s “Summertime Blues,” as well as early favorites “Pictures of Lily,” “A Quick One, While He’s Away” and “Happy Jack.” The set ended with Townshend and Moon notoriously smashing their instruments, to be followed by later in the evening by Hendrix setting his guitar on fire.

Below is video of “Substitute,” “Summertime Blues” and “My Generation” as well as complete audio of The Who’s set at the 1967 Monterey International Pop Festival:

[Substitute]

[Summertime Blues]

[My Generation]

[Full Set Audio]