What is the appeal of geezers in concert?

Dr. Hess wrote: A few years ago, we saw Foghat at a free concert at FeatherFest. Actually, the band should have been called "The bass player from Foghat and 3 other guys playing Foghat songs." Still, I think it's a pretty good thing if your whole band can die on you and you can still get paid to play the free concert at a chicken festival in Springdale, Arkansas.

Back in the late 1980's my buddy called me to say Foghat was playing a local bar. We went and had fun. Today the bar is a strip club in Romeoville, Illinois.

pinchvalve wrote: Hair bands like Iron Maiden, sucked when they were new, and they still suck today.

BURN THE HERETIC!

Iron Maiden is not a hair band, and they most certainly do not suck.

Foghat rules, BTW.

Fool for the City? That's the model of what I want in a rocktastic number.

Even as old, fat unwell guys they ripped.

motomoron wrote:

ransom wrote: Bartok never did a thing for me. Since his death he's just a decomposer... Devo was awesome last time I saw them, as was X.

^Exactly^. Saw Devo 2 nights at 9:30 club in DC - "Are We Not Men" + the videos from that album first night, "Freedom of Choice + the videos second night. It's all the original members except Josh Freese on drums, which as both a Devo fan and a drummer most of my life is nothing but an improvement. X came through a couple months ago doing "Los Angeles" in it's entirety + all the hits + the X documentary. A fantastic show. Also in the "Artist does their breakout album in it's entirety" shows that were really good was Liz Phair doing "Exile from Guyville", Matthew Sweet doing "Girlfriend", and The Buzzcocks doing "Love Bites" and "A Different Kind of Tension"+ most of "Single Going Steady". The last Damned show was 3 sets w/ their 70's, early 80's, late 80's material with the relevant outfit changes. Captain Sensible in the pink fake fur trousers doing "New Rose" and "Neat, neat neat" is worth $25 by itself. Plus, most of the upper tier (non-Dischord) DC punk bands have gotten back together for one-offs or in the case of Scream, new material and tours. As mentioned, Scream, Government Issue, Marginal Man and Kingface, all back together. Hell, even my DC hardcore outfit from '81-'84, Underground Soldier is re-releasing it's album. Geezers want the old songs! (And yes, we're going to see Van Halen - REAL Van Halen w/ Dave - w/ Kool and the Gang @ Verizon Center)

Well, you have good taste in music. That makes a big difference too.

And people who think Mick Jagger has lots of energy and really puts on a show for an old guy apparently have never heard of Iggy Pop.

93EXCivic wrote: I am too young to have seen a lot of these bands when they were first around but I love the music so it is awesome to see some of them still around.

That was the reason Bruce Dickinson gave for their Somewhere Back in Time tour. We went and had a great time. I'll add that lately Maiden tickets have been fairly priced, too. I'm pretty sure I paid less for Maiden at the Garden than Tool here in Central Florida. Both were awesome shows, though.

Grizz wrote: Iron Maiden is not a hair band, and they most certainly do not suck.

I just wanted to quote this, for truths.

pinchvalve wrote: Hair bands like Iron Maiden... sucked when they were new, and they still suck today. Nothing is going to change that.

BLASPHEMY! HOW DARE YOU CALL MAIDEN A HAIR METAL BAND!

This is the Iron Maiden album titled "Poison" as I recall.

David S. Wallens wrote:

93EXCivic wrote: I am too young to have seen a lot of these bands when they were first around but I love the music so it is awesome to see some of them still around.

That was the reason Bruce Dickinson gave for their Somewhere Back in Time tour. We went and had a great time. I'll add that lately Maiden tickets have been fairly priced, too. I'm pretty sure I paid less for Maiden at the Garden than Tool here in Central Florida. Both were awesome shows, though.

When I saw them on that tour, the kid sitting next to me can't have been much more than 10 or 11 and was there with his mom - she sat in her chair, reading a book with earplugs in for the whole show.

93EXCivic wrote: I am too young to have seen a lot of these bands when they were first around but I love the music so it is awesome to see some of them still around.

I hear this from a lot of young people, regardless of what genre of music they like. It's like the decent musicians of their own generation have been swept under the carpet for the sake of Corporate Assimilation. I've heard better music in bars than on the radio for the last 20yrs.

And I'm jealous of y'all that got to see the X tour!! I'm hoping they'll release another DVD ("Live in Los Angeles" gets played about twice a week at my house)

http://www.amazon.com/X-Live-Angeles-D-J-Bonebrake/dp/B0008G273Y

I have never really been much for catching live concerts, its probably because my mom traumatized me as a child. (She took my little sister and I to a Greatfull Dead concert) At least I got to see "jerry" before he passed away.

pinchvalve wrote: The question is whether or not they were any good in the first place. Jimmy Buffet for example was excellent live when he started playing music all those years ago, and he is still excellent live today. Hair bands like Iron Maiden, Poison and Cinderella sucked when they were new, and they still suck today. Nothing is going to change that. Some performers do not age well...have you heard Bob Dylan lately? WTF? On the other hand, I saw the Rolling Stones about 10 years ago and Mick Jagger had not lost one ounce of energy from when he was 23. (Keith Richards died in 1987, so his performance is mostly animatronics) What I can't stand is when there is only original person left, but they still tour as a famous band. "I saw the Beatles live last summer! They had a new singer, drummer, bass player and guitarist, but it was the original Beatles sound engineer!"

Maiden is not a hair band.

My first show I worked professionally was the Rolling Stones "Steel Wheels" tour in 89. They rocked that show and continue to rock today. Maybe Mick can't do all the jumping around he used to be able to.. but he certainly has not slowed down much.

Willie Nelson is a gentleman.. He is one of the few performers who went in search of the crew after the show and shook everyone's hand and personally handed us a guitar pick

Otto Maddox wrote: This is the Iron Maiden album titled "Poison" as I recall.

Uh, that's not Maiden. That's Poison. A horrible hair band from the '80s.

Back OT, I do tend to turn my nose up at moldie-oldies in concert, but have gone to a couple where I had a VERY good time. Call it diminished expectations, maybe? The B-52s were just plain fun, and a Hippiefest show this summer was way better than it had a right to be. But then, it's not like Dave Mason or Rick Derringer could ever lose those chops, and no matter what you think of their discography, there's nothing like seeing truly gifted musicians live.

Margie

In reply to Marjorie Suddard:

Yeah, joke. Bad joke. My wife has seen Bret Michaels and/or Poision four times in the past few years. I've not gone with her.

As previously stated in this thread, my taste in music is unimpeachable.

That said - I simply hate a huge swath of the "critically acclaimed artists" I'm supposed to like.

Lou Reed, The Velvet Underground, Tom Waits, P.J. Harvey, most of Fugazi, pretty much anything Dischord released after 1985... I just don't get it.

So, having established my peerless credentials, I love this song.

Otto Maddox wrote: In reply to Marjorie Suddard: Yeah, joke. Bad joke. My wife has seen Bret Michaels and/or Poision four times in the past few years. I've not gone with her.

It amused me. "Metal" is generally very unappealing to me and I, too, find most of it from that era blending together.

Marjorie Suddard wrote: But then, it's not like Dave Mason or Rick Derringer could ever lose those chops, and no matter what you think of their discography, there's nothing like seeing truly gifted musicians live.

This. Dave Mason with 30 more years of practice? I'm in. I forgot who said it first, but I guess it really does matter which artist you're talking about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp5Afx_h-r0

The last "geezer" in concert I saw live was Tina Tuner. That in was 2000. She was AWESOME!!!! My niece saw her in Europe in 2009-not only did she still kick ass, she took names too.

motomoron wrote: As previously stated in this thread, my taste in music is unimpeachable. That said - I simply hate a huge swath of the "critically acclaimed artists" I'm supposed to like. Lou Reed, The Velvet Underground, Tom Waits, P.J. Harvey, most of Fugazi, pretty much anything Dischord released after 1985... I just don't get it. So, having established my peerless credentials, I love this song.

A lot of the trail blazers kind of suck. The Velvet Underground had poor recording, poor production quality, sometimes sloppy playing, sloppy singing, etc., but they were on to something good. And a slew of post punk bands made good music with VU as an influence.

I think people just claim to like Tom Waits to be cool.

I refuse to comment on Unskinny Bop.

Tina Turner is a tranny. So is Cher. Gross.

Otto Maddox wrote: In reply to Marjorie Suddard: Yeah, joke. Bad joke. My wife has seen Bret Michaels and/or Poision four times in the past few years. I've not gone with her.

Ok, whew. I didn't think you were a stupid/crazy person. But then again, I thought I had a pretty good sense of humor, and that went right by me!

Margie

mtn wrote: I've seen lots of geezers... Two of them actually qualify as geezers: Willie Nelson and Doc Watson. However, with that type of music--as far from rock as you can get--it only helps. Although Doc did do an awesome rendition of Knights in White Satin.

I with mtn here ... Ralph Stanley is still far and away my favorite band .... he's starting to show his age ( just turned 85) guess that qualifies as geezer

there are still some of the old '50's and '60's country stars that I'd go see ... Willie as mentioned ... the Hag , Possum,come to mind ... for me they still have it in spades

pinchvalve wrote: What I can't stand is when there is only original person left, but they still tour as a famous band. "I saw the Beatles live last summer! They had a new singer, drummer, bass player and guitarist, but it was the original Beatles sound engineer!"

I have seen the Misfits twice lately, and it's a similar situation as the only original member is Jerry Only. However, Dez Cadena (formerly of Black Flag) is on guitar, and Eric "Chupacabra" Arce (Murphy's Law) is drumming. In this case I see it as three old punk rockers playing a bunch of Misfits songs, so I give them a pass. Plus it was a good show.