''YOUR exuberance is quite exhilarating,'' intones Roger Daltrey by way of an admonishment to his boisterous audience before launching into I Don't Even Know Myself. It is delivered in the tone of a man slightly less than exhilarated but who, nevertheless, has a job of work to do.

It is an employment which he and his erstwhile colleagues, Pete Townshend and John Entwistle, tackle with a reasonable degree of vigour

and efficiency.

While Entwistle seems semi-detached in his red jackets and matching suntan, Daltrey and Townshend produce performances dignified in the light of their advancing years: the former looks young and sounds good, while the latter restricts himself to a lesser number of windmill-style guitar solos than may be expected.

It all combines to produce

an entertaining arena rock

show, though not one of

those musical content bears closer scrutiny.

Both sides of their music - the great pop band of Won't Get Fooled Again, Who Are You, and I Can't Explain and the pompous, rock operatics of Quadrophenia - are visited, and it is the most succinct efforts which stand the test of time better.

And though the originals' charms are self-evident, their extensive influence has led to some of the most turgid British rock music of the past 10 years.

Though not in strict chronological order, many of the early singles are dispensed early in the set and the hysterical pastiche, You Bet, bookends a run through some of the highlights of Who's Next.

Other endearing favourites - Magic Bus and The Kids Are All Right - are held in reserve for the encore.

Nevertheless, the performers do their reputation little damage and 10,000 mods for the night have a good time.

Theatre