Thursday, August 09, 2007

Rockin' Geezers

Update: August 13 - Mr. Jazz told me I should definitely not have included Rush in the list. Because although I did say that Rush had never stopped, I didn't note that, unlike the Stones, they never went on hiatus, and have always been putting out new albums - over 25 without counting lives and retrospectives and compliations. Rush does, indeed, rock. Are not geezers and will never be geezers. I humbly apologize for the error of my ways. Mea culpa.


San Francisco had it's "Summer of Love". Montreal is in the middle of its "Baby Boomer Summer of Nostalgia".

I don't know who had the brilliant idea of pulling old 80s bands out of the mothballs, but Boomers are lapping it up.

I can just imagine the scene: "Hmmm, how about we pull all these old bands out of retirement and charge $200-$300 a ticket to see them. They can afford it now. We'll make whacks of money and so will the retired geezers! Let's do it!!"

In no particular order, some of the bands that Montreal hosted or that are still to come:

- The ubiquitous Stones (but that was before the summer)
- Def Leppard with Styx as an opening band
- The Police
- Genesis
- Deep Purple
- Meatloaf
- Rush

OK in the Stones' and Rush's defense, they never retired and how glad am I that Geddy Lee is still . And Meatloaf? I have no clue, I only know he hasn't been to Montreal in forever.

And what about Pink Floyd? Or did they already pass through and I didn't even notice because I was in bed snoring at 9:30?


The boomers rule. We are, without a doubt the most powerful, moneyed, market around. And Boomers don't want to get older, refuse to get older. They seem to have decided, in a lot of cases to streeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetch adolsecence out forever.



Now, I'm not saying that's wrong. Hell I'm on the tail end of the boom myself, so who am I to talk. I like rock shows so long as I don't have to spend $200 on a ticket.


Somehow though, I can't imagine my parent's generation going to a rock show at 55.


Imagine the scene: 2020. Bell Centre in Montreal. Grey heads lining up for a show, walkers and canes galore. Adult diapers en masse (cause there's such a long wait for the loos dontcha know).



Eventually, you'll have a Futurama like scene with live heads preserved in a jar after the rockers' bodies finally give up. They'll set up the jars on stage and the talking heads will give their show.




17 comments:

geewits said...

I'm too lazy to go to a concert. All that walking around and whatnot. I prefer to play a CD in my house and drink my ice cold beer. I DO have fond memories of the concerts of my youth and I thought I had posted about my Stones weekend, but maybe I haven't. It was crazy. I should post that.

ticknart said...

As long as tops stay on, I say all Boomers should go for it!

CS said...

I have no interest in big stadium concerts, but I still love going to outdor concerts and shows at little clubs. But it is generally current music. I don't want to be an adolescent, but I also don't want to be prematurely geezerly.

Jill said...

I like to think those bands are still around because cool is timeless (OK, except maybe for Styx). And I'm still cool for liking them. And yes, I'm still way cooler than my parents. Part of me will always be 14, I guess.

My parents did recently go see The Kingston Trio, so I guess that makes them cooler than their parents too.

Ian Lidster said...

Long live retro, ma cherie. Hasn't been a decent song since about 1987, anyway.
BTW, pneumatic (albeit fake) Pam Anderson is a nice Comox girl. I remember her when she worked at a local gym. She was cute then.
Ian

Dan said...

They'll set up the jars on stage and the talking heads will give their show.

That would actually be more entertaining! :)

Knock knock - it's cancer! said...

Ooooh - Like Dan, I look forward to 2010. that'll be one rockin' show!

Jo said...

Meatloaf????

Hageltoast said...

i recently saw Van Der Graf Generator and Jethro Tull gigs, my Dad saw them live before i was born. They may be a bit mothbally but it's still nice to see the legends, not at $200/ticket tho.

Psychotic Cow said...

I remember seeing Def Leppard years ago and it's still the best concert I've ever been to. Would have loved to have seen them again, especially with Styx opening. The jealousy pours off of me.

Evil Spock said...

Not been interested in arena shows in years. Love going to dive bars and small venues to see up-and-coming bands though.

Jocelyn said...

Ba-ha!!! I got a little hung up on Styx as an opening band--I mean, what the hell has happened to that vocal genius Dennis Deyoung? And then I got distracted when I realized you love Geddy Lee as I do.

And then I just laughed some more.

Jazz said...

Geewits - I'm getting too lazy for arena concerts too. Simply can't be bothered anymore.

Ticknart - Mwahahahahahahaaha

CS - Outdoor concerts are great. Unfortunately the season is way too short around here.

Jill - You are indeed the epitome of cool.

Ian - You old curmudgeon!

Dan - Yeah, that would be great. I love futurama's heads.

OFH - Oh yeah

Josie - You don't know Meatloaf??? Bat out of Hell???

Toast - Well Van der Graf and Tull obviously are not and will never be anything but extremely cool. So there.

PCow - Someone who went to the Def Leppard show (and didn't even like them) loved it.

Spock - Maybe when you take over the world you can make laws about arena shows.

Jocelyn - You too love Geddy Lee? My work here is done.

Too_Lively said...

I am catching up on your blog. These posts are gold, baby. You've been on quite a roll.

Unknown said...

I'm sorry but Rush is definitely full of geezers. Total geezage. Those guys are OLD.

And I say this as a great admirer of Rush. You were right the first time. They belonged on the list.

Susan Tuttle said...

I love going to jazz concerts at clubs and folksy concerts in small venues. I did go to see Dave Matthews once, when he was not yet popular, at a big venue in Atlanta--loved it!

Great blog! Thanks so much for the feedback on my new blog layout.

Susan

andrea said...

I bet Pink Floyd did play Montreal since some incarnation of Roger Waters and his little friends passed through Vancouver this summer.