On September 4, 2026, I left work early to head to Santa Rosa, California. The event for that evening was Amy Helm opening for Roger Daltrey at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts and it was a splendid show indeed.
Amy Helm went first, and she was impressive. Starting with “Didn’t It Rain”, a powerful traditional number that set the tone for what was to come. It was just the two of them up on stage, but that was all they needed. The audience showed their interest by increasing their applause with every song. When they started “Money on 7”, off her new album, that solidified for us that they were special; it was a splendid song, with tremendous harmonies in their vocals. It was a special moment between the two of them, and the audience echoed it. “If I Was King” was up next, and with its dramatic lyrics, the song spoke to us with an epiphany that stayed with us. When they started “Rescue Me,” they harmonized more with the vocals, which was awesome. The song had a great meaning, and it resonated well with the audience. Before they started their final song, which was a Bruce Springsteen song called “Atlantic City,” she told the story of her father, Levon Helm. He had throat cancer, and during his rehab he put his all into his drumming. As his voice came back, he would sing this song and set a microphone up next to his for her, in case his voice slipped out. Now she plays this song as a tribute to her dad, and she played the dickens out of it. It was truly special.
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Amy Helm – guitar, mandolin, vocals
Anthony de Costa – guitar, vocals
Setlist
1). Didn’t It Rain (Traditional cover)
2). Money on 7
3). If I Was King
4). Rescue Me
5). Atlantic City (Bruce Springsteen cover)
When Roger Daltrey and the band hit the stage, it was fantastic. He had promised a good time and a few mistakes along the way. For someone 81 years old, it’s to be expected. He started with “Let My Love Open the Door,” which he pleased the audience with. It was cool hearing the different versions of the songs we all grew up with and watching them. When he started the next song, “Freedom Rider”, he said they liked that song because it was a bouncy song. It was true, and it wasn’t long before we were all bouncing with them in unison. It was a fun song that touched the hearts of many audience members. The next song was “Who Are You,” from the Who collection. It was fabulous as the band harmonized behind Roger during the song. The band shredded it as they jammed along with the vocals. There was a huge round of applause when they finished, along with several whoops and hollers from the audience. For the next song, they played “Waiting on a Friend” by Billy Nicholls. A song that stated the obvious: they were waiting for a friend to come, and it was awesome.
The next song started with Roger receiving a package in the mail in 1982. It was a cassette from Pete Townshend, which came as a shock because they hadn’t spoken in like three years. Well, Roger played it, and it sparked a new tour. The song was “After the Fire”, and it was a touching tune that was well-suited for them getting back together and touring. “Another Tricky Day” was up next; following that song was “Days of Light”—two excellent songs. Next was a Leo Sayer song called “Giving It All Away,” and it was sultry yet powerful. It really showed how much talent he has.
Roger nailed the lyrics as he sang them, and we all wanted more. From there, he said someone had turned the air conditioning on, and that is a singer’s worst nightmare. It dries out a singer’s voice instantly. So he poured a bottle of water out on the stage and said the air conditioning was gonna dry something out. The next song was “The Boy in the Bubble” by Paul Simon from his album Graceland. He said he finally had the band to do it justice, and we all agreed. “Squeeze Box” was up next, and he said that was their biggest hit. He also had the audience sing a few lines from it, first the women, then the men, and then all together. It was an awesome way to get the audience involved and have some fun. The next song was “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” where we all had to scream at the right part, and the audience killed it. The scream was epic, and Roger agreed. The lyrics were spectacular as well. From there, Simon took the microphone and did a monstrous version of a song Pete only played once, when he recorded it. The song was “Going Mobile”, and it was an epic version, and Simon should be very proud of it.
Following that fabulous song was a Garnett Mimms song called “As Long As I Have You,” and after that was a Creedence Clearwater Revival song called “Have You Ever Seen the Rain”. That song was amazing because, for years, John Fogerty didn’t perform his songs for 45 years, but now he has them back and is singing them again, and if you can, go see him and his family. After that song, it was another Billy Nicholls song called “Without You Love”, one he wrote for a movie they put out several years ago. From there, they played “Baba O’Riley,” and it was a stunning version of the song. One of the highlights of the night for sure for me. It was excellent in every way. From there, it was their final song of the evening, and they paid tribute to Neil Young and played “Rockin’ in the Free World”. That song was amazing, and they played it with such passion you would have thought Neil was up there with them. Alas, he wasn’t, and before we knew it, it was over and time to say good night. With that being done, I went to buy a T-shirt and headed home. I was wishing I could catch him and the band again on the tour, but I can’t. So I will reminisce about the show and think of it fondly. And, by the way, Roger did AWESOME, and I am proud to have attended it.
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Roger Daltrey – vocals, guitar
Simon Townshend – guitar, vocals
Billy Nicholls – mandolin, guitar
Jody Linscott – percussion
Doug Boyle – guitar
John Hogg – bass
Katie Jacoby – violin
Steve Weston – harmonica
Geraint Watkins – keyboards, accordion
Scott Devours – drums
Setlist
1). Let My Love Open the Door (Pete Townsend cover)
2). Freedom Rider (Largo cover)
3). Who Are You (The Who cover)
4). Waiting for a Friend
5). After the Fire
6). Another Tricky Day (The Who cover)
7). Days of Light
8). Giving It All Away (Leo Sayer cover)
9). The Boy in the Bubble (Paul Simon cover)
10). Squeeze Box (The Who cover)
11). Won’t Get Fooled Again (The Who cover)
12). Going Mobile (The Who cover)(Simon Townsend on vocals)
13). As Long As I Have You (Garnet Mimms cover)
14). Have You Ever Seen the Rain (Creedence Clearwater Revival cover)
15). Without You Love (Billy Nicholls cover)
16). Baba O’Riley (The Who cover)
17). Rockin’ in the Free World (Neil Young cover)
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