17,000 poured through the gates of the Hollywood Bowl to hear a King and a troubadour – on three successive sell out nights.
No sit-ins, demonstrations, confrontations, free speech riots, protests, snake lines, peace symbols. No police columns, National Guard with fixed bayonets, mounted officers charging protesters, tear gas nor S.I. Hayakawa ripping the wires out of the speakers on a protest van.
Just a generation listening to its music.
Don McCain was wrong; the music never died.
The Last Hurrah of the baby Boomers before they send us off to the home.
Have we mellowed!
But they still don’t trust us; they don’t trust the children of the 60’s.
Unlike the normal admissions policies for the Hollywood Bowl, signs said: “No cans, glass bottles, or alcohol.” It didn’t say anything about “No grass,” but the 17,000 were here to hear the music.
Age Requirement: No one was carded, but the Teeny Boppers were down Fairfax at a Jonas Brothers Concert. What are the odds that the Jonas Brothers will have a 40 year reunion concert 4 decades from now?
How many of our young even know what a troubadour is?
A few in Hollywood might recognize it as the name of a club.
Carole King and James Taylor, just a few of the great musical artists of our generation, ranging from Folk to Rock with Blues, Country and Jazz mixed in, with some leftover pop.
Listening to most of today’s artists makes you realize why music sales are diving. Don’t blame it on iTunes and file sharing. We could pay $2.50-$3.00 for a LP with 11-12 wonderful songs. What do you get today?
Dress Code: Blue jeans, preferably Levis. No gaudy dead or dying band shirts.
How did the men look?
Some gray hair, some no-hair, some combovers, some toupees, and some caps.
How about the women?
My memory isn’t what it used to be, but I don’t remember all those blonds 4
decades ago. Some Botox, implants, and plastic surgery, but mostly incredible, natural beauty which still shines.
Some of the audience limped, were in wheel chairs, or had oxygen masks. Many of the nascent seniors displayed some weight gain. Who knows what legal medications were flowing through their veins?
We have aged well, but then again, we are the survivors. We’re not ready yet for social security.
Carole and James have certainly aged well.
We dipped into our retirement funds to support their retirement, but what a small price to pay for 2 ½ hours of great music. Today’s performers can learn something from that.
2 ½ hours of pure music. No large production numbers, no large backup band, no extensive song and dance diversions, no fireworks, just music featuring vocals and lyrics. What a novel concept?
One major change in today’s arena seating. The seats have shrunk.
One major technological change - Instead of lifting candles or cigarette lighters to request an encore or two, today’s geezers host and light cell phones.
We have aged well, and so has our music
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