The Who, Sheffield Arena

MEET the new Who, same as the old Who - well, nearly.

The Shepherd's Bush showmen are creaking slightly round the edges nowadays, with the raw energy coming in shorter bursts, but they can still rock with the best of them.

A sell-out crowd at Sheffield Arena last night was treated to a two-hour plus string of classics, centred around the Who's Next and Quadrophenia albums from the early Seventies, plus a smattering of early singles, and loved every minute of it.

Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros had kicked off the evening with a lively set mixing Irish, punk and reggae influences with some old Clash hits to a half-empty auditorium, but it was full to bursting when The Who ambled on with the minimum of fuss and kicked straight into I Can't Explain, followed by Substitute and a blockbusting Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere.

True, Townsend's famous leaps across stage are more of a strut after 35 years, but the old windmill chords are still there.

Daltrey remains lean and mean, trademark whirling microphone and raised arm pose in place, while Entwistle looks every inch an elder statesman, yet his thundering bass solo during 5:15 provided one of the high spots of the show.

Pete Townsend's acerbic wit remains undiminished. After suffering tuning problems he was explaining to the audience when someone shouted: ''Get on with it''. Townsend gave him a withering stare and retorted: ''You are the weakest link. Goodbye.''

The hits kept coming, with Behind Blue Eyes, Pinball Wizard, Who Are You, Baba O'Riley and Won't Get Fooled Again delivered with a thundering power which belied the advancing years.

The encore produced a frenetic version of My Generation and, judging by the reaction of the Yorkshire faithful, it still is.

Who can do it better?