The Who at the Riverside in Chester-le-Street on UK tour

"It's been a great ride," yelled a full-throated Roger Daltrey at the end of an electric show at the home of Durham County Cricket Club.

Whether he was talking about the evening's entertainment or reflecting on the band's incredible near 60-year career, it was impossible to argue.

Singer Daltrey is 79 now, but you wouldn't know it by the way he belted out classic after classic in a high energy and (of course) accomplished set, which spanned all aspects of The Who's incredible career.

Songwriter and guitarist Pete Townshend is 78, but he plays his instrument with the verve of a much younger man - complete with his trademark windmill move.

This tour - titled The Who Hits Back - comes complete with an orchestra, the Heart of England Philharmonic, which Townshend and Daltrey deployed to full effect.

With Zak Starkey pounding the drums and a host of accomplished other musicians providing more than able backing, this was The Who at their very best.

This show was split into three parts, starting with tracks from Tommy, the rock opera album, which was a perfect vehicle for orchestra backing.

"This show is a slow burner," announced Townshend to the crowd, one of a number of comments peppered throughout the set by the band's leader - many of them referencing the members' advancing ages.

And indeed it was a slow burner as the largely seated audience listened appreciatively and respectfully to the opening numbers.

It took Pinball Wizard to draw the first real reaction, but it was Who Are You which first got the audience out of their seats.

When the orchestra took a breather, Daltrey and Townshend powered on through a selection of their best-known songs through the ages - The Kids Are Alright, Substitute, You Better You Bet and the seminal My Generation particular highlights.

The crowd were well and truly warmed up by the time of the first hairs-on-the-back-of-the-neck moment. Won't Get Fooled Again was written more than 50 years ago, but it's lost none of its power and Daltrey's guttural scream halfway through is truly spine-tingling.

Back came the orchestra for the final part of the set, consisting mainly of tracks from mod classic Quadrophenia, ramping up towards the show's crescendo.

The closing three tracks were truly incredible. The Rock, an instrumental track, was accompanied by a big screen montage of major historcal events of the last 60 years, plus touching tributes to former members Keith Moon and John Entwistle.

Love Reign O'er Me, a concert staple for years, was a Daltrey tour de force, showcasing his amazing vocals, still on point after all these years.

Baba O'Riley, one of the greatest rock songs of all time, was the perfect way to close the show, with the orchestra's lead violinist Katie Jacoby taking a starring role as a spectacular light show brought the curtain down on a truly memorable evening.

Read more:

• Price of a pint at The Who, Riverside Chester-le-Street
• In pictures: The Who play Chester-le-Street Cricket Ground
• The Wonder Stuff to play at the Newcastle Boiler Shop

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How The Who, one of the UK's most successful, most innovative and most influential bands of all time have managed to sustain their power and presence over six tumultuous decades is a mystery.

But they've done it with power, panache and much aplomb, all of which were in evidence at Chester-le-Street.

It's been a great ride? It certainly has.