Smashing gig in Glasgow for Moon and The Who

Surreal happenings, Glasgow 1976.

This is The Who’s Keith Moon, smashing up a fake organ like the one used in the Tommy movie, much to the delight of watching fans.

The band was in Glasgow for its The Who Put the Boot in Tour and a crowd of 35,000 fans had turned up at Celtic’s Parkhead stadium to see them.

It was £4 a ticket (wouldn’t even cover the booking fee, probably, nowadays) and the support acts included Glasgow’s very own Sensational Alex Harvey Band and Little Feat.

Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey of The Who at Glasgow Apollo, January 1981. Pic: Herald and Times

This was an all-day event that had the lot – not least state of the art hi-tech laser beams, punching streaks of green light across the park.

The reviewer in the Glasgow Times’ sister newspaper The Glasgow Herald had a field day.

“As laser beam lighting flickered through coloured smoke, a major chapter was written in the continuing chronicle of contemporary music in Scotland,” he said.

“Now the way is clear for more and hopefully, even more ambitious, events of a like nature to be organised for Scots fans have shown themselves enthusiastic AND responsible. Only a handful caused trouble.”

He continued: “Everyone else appreciated the top-class entertainment served up by major British and American groups. Predictably, Glasgow’s own Alex Harvey and his aptly named Sensational band evoked powerful and sustained response.

“The legendary Who gave 90 minutes of high-energy rock ‘n’ roll which left the crowd ecstatic and many said eclipsed even the still-discussed Rolling Stones’ Glasgow performances.”

High praise indeed.

Then club chairman Desmond White was on the scene for the clean-up operation the next day, reported The Herald.

“I can’t see much of the ground for rubbish at the moment but from what I can find out there does not seem to have been any real damage done,” he told the reporters.

“We are perfectly happy with the way this event went off.”

According to the newspaper, ardent Celtic fans in the crowd also went home with “a little piece of turf.”

But why was Moon smashing up the stage prop?

Some reports suggest it was his frustration over the city council not allowing the band to push it off the stage during their own set.

Others say that during Alex Harvey’s set, a young boy who had won a Sunday newspaper competition helped Moon destroy the Uncle Ernie pipe organ as his prize.

Does anyone know the real story? Get in touch with Times Past to share your memories.

Our photographers also caught The Who in action at the Apollo a few years later, in January 1981.

The Herald noted they “attracted an audience which ranged from elderly hippies to latter-day Mods.

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"Long hair and Afghan coats mingled with neat trims and parkas, as if two entirely different generations had come together.

“It would have been easy for The Who to have rested on their laurels and simply played a medley of their better-known hits.

“Surprisingly, they did not sing ‘My Generation’, but seemed to concentrate on newer numbers."

It continued: "The biggest response, however, was reserved for ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’, with Roger Daltrey swinging his microphone out over the heads of the audience and Pete Townshend flailing madly at his lead guitar.”

Did you see The Who in Glasgow? What has been the best gig you've been to in the city over the decades? Get in touch to share your memories and photos.