On This Day in 1976: Keith Moon Played His Last Concert with The Who in Toronto
via Dylan Cameron / YouTube
End of an Era in Toronto
On October 21, 1976, The Who performed at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, marking the final public concert of drummer Keith Moon with the band on their 1976 North American tour. The show came after a challenging tour leg and preceded a long pause while the band regrouped and wrote their next studio album.
Moon, who produced his famous chaotic style behind the drum kit, was already dealing with health and substance-abuse issues. His last full tour with the Who closed with the Toronto performance before he played only two invitation-only shows in 1977 and 1978.
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The Final Show’s Highlights
According to setlists and live-recording sources, the Toronto show included key songs from their recent album The Who by Numbers—like “Squeeze Box” and “Dreaming From the Waist”—as well as the first live version of “Who Are You.” During the concert, Moon introduced a section of their rock opera Tommy saying: “I now present … the unedited version, originally as performed by … The Who.”
One media outlet observed that the show “ended with a tremendous performance … of such nerve-shattering power that not even The Rolling Stones … did for the crowd what The Who did last night.”
Moon’s Final Days and Legacy
Moon’s life took a tragic turn after the tour. He died on September 7, 1978, at age 32, from an overdose of the sedative Heminevrin, prescribed to prevent seizures caused by alcohol withdrawal. Bassist John Entwistle later said that the 1975-76 era captured the band’s live peak with Moon at his best.
Moon’s contribution to rock drumming has often been described in terms of rhythm and personality. “Keith Moon’s drumming was an expression of his personality and his ego … his theatricality and his sense of humor,” said guitarist Pete Townshend.
That October 21 show stands out as more than just another concert—it marked the end of an era for the Who and the last time Moon played with the band in front of a paying audience.
