PHILADELPHIA — Octogenarian British Invasion Rock Star Week in Philadelphia began with gusto on Monday, as Roger Daltrey of the Who launched his solo tour at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside.

It was almost as if Daltrey — who fronted a 10-piece band sans Pete Townshend, but including his brother Simon Townshend on guitar — was a day early as opening act for the Rolling Stones, who play Lincoln Financial Field on Tuesday.

It was unclear whether Daltrey was aware of the Stones’ impending performance, but the Who’s old mates came up during the show. Adding a personal touch to the evening, Daltrey answered pre-submitted questions from fans between songs in the sold-out 1,300-seat Keswick Theatre.

One was, “Who’s your favorite rock-and-roll band?” The answer: “There is only one rock-and-roll band: the Rolling Stones.” He went on to marvel at Mick Jagger, who like him is 80, and remains a never-say-die showman.

Daltrey also explained the difference between a band like the Stones and a rock band like the Who. “A rock-and-roll band makes music to make love to. A rock band makes music to fight to.”

On Monday, Daltrey sang plenty of fighting words penned by Townshend, who’s taking time off from Who touring activities while "Tommy" is back on Broadway. Townshend has also been giving contradictory interviews, as has been his wont for 40 years, about whether the band has a future or not.

Meanwhile Daltrey, a former sheet metal worker, soldiers on. Fit and trim, he was in terrific voice from start of finish, with a surprise opening of Townshend’s solo hit “Let My Love Open the Door” and robust encore of John Fogerty’s “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” and a love letter to fans, “Without Your Love,” written by Billy Nicholls, who played mandolin in the band.

Six of 16 songs in the one-hour, 45-minute set were Who songs, plus one more Townshend tune, “After the Fire” — written for Live Aid in 1985 and included on Daltrey’s solo album "Under a Raging Moon."

Daltrey couldn’t leave out crowd-pleasing classic-rock warhorses like “Who Are You,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” and “Baba O’Riley.” Each were reworked slightly, with the synthesizers so effectively integrated into the Who’s 1970s sound replaced by “real musical instruments,” in Daltrey’s words.

That meant Geraint Watkins’ accordion, Steve Weston’s harmonica, and especially the violin played by Kate Jacoby, a Hockessin, Delaware, native and Downingtown School of Rock graduate.

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