Too old for Rock n' Roll?

[U2dork]

(Wasn't exactly sure where to post this...)

I?m not talking about playing music. I?m talking about being an active fan (collecting, concerts, fan boards, etc?).

A friend, who is in his 30?s, was telling me about a show he went to recently. He goes to several shows a year and always tells his coworkers and friends about them the next day. I would say that going to a rock concert is a hobby for him, sort of like how some people go to see Broadway shows. He was telling me about a strange reaction he received the other day when one of his friends asked him: ?Don?t?cha think it?s about time for you to grow up and stop going to so many shows?? He would have shrugged it off had someone else not said the same thing the day before. (These comments came from people who were in their early- to mid- 20?s.) Do younger people really feel that at some point you have to stop being an active fan in order to be an adult? I?ve always thought since most of the shows at big arenas also have big ticket prices that the average concert goer would be those ?middle aged? (terrible term) people who have some extra income. I mean, I can see how the concert thing would be weird if this guy were to show up at, say, a Britney or any other teen pop show, but I?m talking about a typical rock concert. Is it really all that strange to see people over 30 at rock shows? How about local shows in a college town where the average age is 21?

 

[Salome]

typical comment for people who only listen to music when the radio in on somewhere and bop their head along with the newest Britney single, but who have no love for music whatsoever

and Ive seen plenty of 30+ people at the shows I've gone to

 

[MrBrau1]

Rock and roll is about the spirit, the freedom of the spirit. People who are chained up inside think there are rules about it. Well, there aren't. I'll be listening and going to shows until i die.

 

[fah]

What MrBrau1 said

I feel that live music will always be the great release for me.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

I'll be going to shows when I'm 50 and hanging posters of rock stars in my house then, too.

All those people who say "get a life, grow up" can go to hell.

 

[neutral]

All those people who say "get a life, grow up" can go to hell.

Yeah, I'll be going to shows, buying music, etc, until I die too. I can't imagine my life without music, really. Are we supposed to stop enjoying it when we hit a certain age?

I get people around here occasionally making comments about me and my friends still going to local/indie shows "at our age". yeah, late 20s/early 30s is really getting up there.

 

[Bonochick]

When Dad and I went to see Ryan Adams, he was one of the few older people I saw...which I thought was pretty damn cool.

 

[HelloAngel]

Exactly to what everyone has said. If going to rock shows into your 30s and upwards is wrong, then I don't want to EVER be right. I live to go to concerts -- it's one of the most beautiful experiences in life I've ever had, and I don't intend to stop. Rock n' roll is for EVERYONE.

 

[BAW]

I'll be going to shows when I'm 50 and hanging posters of rock stars in my house then, too.

All those people who say "get a life, grow up" can go to hell.

Mr. BAW is someone over 50 who could probably give a room full of 20-somethings a run for their money in the having-a-good-time department, especially at concerts. He is FAR from ready to hang it up and go listen to soft rock in his easy chair.

And I'm only 2 short years away from 40 and my walls are still covered with posters and memorabilia. I don't plan on giving it up any time soon either.

Go to hell indeed!!!

 

[Rono]

I still pogo at concerts but i noticed that all those young people around want to offer me a chair when they see me jumping around.


O boy, i will have a lot of fun with the youngsters at the The Thermals concert in a couple off days

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

You said that comment was from someone in their mid-20s...well, coming from a 19 year old, I wouldn't say it's wrong for people to keep going to concerts regardless of their age. There were lots of people over 30 at the concerts I've been to (course, four of those concerts were for artists who have been around for quite a few years, too, so...). It doesn't bother me, it's not weird or anything. I'm just happy to be surrounded by people who love the same music that I do.

Bottom line, music has no age limit.

Angela

 

[Popmartijn]

Yeah, I'll be going to shows, buying music, etc, until I die too. I can't imagine my life without music, really. Are we supposed to stop enjoying it when we hit a certain age?

I get people around here occasionally making comments about me and my friends still going to local/indie shows "at our age". yeah, late 20s/early 30s is really getting up there.

What more is there to say when you have a comment like this?

Stick 'em up punk!

*saw a Fun Lovin' Criminals concert last week and is late 20-ish*

I saw some people at that concert over 40 or 50 or whatever. I didn't think of them as weird or wannabe, I thought they were cool. It's not as if you have to act like a 15-year-old wannabe when you're 30+, 40+ or whatever. If you enjoy it (in your way), that's fine.



Marty (currently listening to a 67-year-old (then) BB King and considering him extremely cool)

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

Too old for Rock n' Roll?

There's no such thing! I'll never stop rocking!!

 

[U2dork]

Excellent comments. I guess I am a tad sensitive toward stupid ageism comments like this lately with a HS reunion coming up . I've never thought people who were older than late 20's looked out of place at shows I've gone to because, quite frankly, we seem to make up the majority. I can't ever imagine taking down my posters and replacing them with random decorative items, nor can I ever imagine skipping my favorite band's show. In fact, when I have nightmares, this is usually what I'm dreaming about...

 

[u2popmofo]

Well, I just have to say that everyone has already said everything i could ever want to say in this thread! You all kick butt!!!


I've thought about this all before a few times. When I saw AFI in concert, I and my buddy were EASILY some of the oldest people there. (and I was only 25 and the time!) While I felt a little out of place, I cant say that I really cared. We were there to have a great time, just like everyone else. I remember some kids talking to us in line who were about 16, and they obviously thought it was cool that we were there too.

Keep on rockin' in the free world.

 

[HeartlandGirl]

to all the comments in this thread, especially this one:

typical comment for people who only listen to music when the radio in on somewhere and bop their head along with the newest Britney single, but who have no love for music whatsoever

For those of us with a passion for music in our blood, I doubt we'll ever outgrow it.

 

[Bono's shades]

I'm 37 years old and am just as passionate about music now as I was at 18 - maybe even more so! I still get excited when I find a new band or artist I like. I fully expect to be playing rock music on my stereo when I'm 80.

 

[nurse chrissi]

I'm 27 which I guess puts me in the "older" catagory (who knew?). I would have to say that I am much more into rock and roll now than I was at 18-19 for several reasons
1. Am more mature to understand meaning behind music - slightly
2. Having lived through the "boy band" (no offense) era feel entitled to now enjoy the rock and roll era
3. Have more background to judge music that is "good" as opposed to pure crap (harder to do at 18)
4. Actually have money/stable income in which to purchase ipod, songs, decent concert tickets - able to consume adult beverages at said concert

Here's the thing - If I see a person having a good time at a concert I could care if they are 18 or 80 - music is a valid art form that needs to be enjoyed by all ages - you stop growing - you die

I'm hoping to see a large age group at the u2 concert next year - in the GA area


Everybody - rock on!

 

[HeartlandGirl]

I'm 27 too. What a bunch of geezers we are!

 

[neutral]

Excellent comments. I guess I am a tad sensitive toward stupid ageism comments like this lately with a HS reunion coming up .

That's understandable. I have friends of all different ages and sometimes a younger person will make a comment like "I hope when I'm 30 I'm not still going to shows at bars/posting on music sites/hanging out at record stores/blah blah blah". I don't understand these kinds of comments at all but I can get a little sensitive to it sometimes.

Oh... I actually knew a guy who decided that it was time to "straighten up" when he turned 27, so he sold all records, CDs, turntable, everything. After a couple of months of "straightening up" and being bored out of his mind, he realized that he'd, well, done something stupid. Now I have to try not to make unbecoming comments while he tries to buy back all those rare records on Ebay.

 

[~LadyLemon~]

Shit, when April and I saw Radiohead in August, we saw a few guys sitting near us that looked to be in their 60s. We had a chuckle after realizing that that is what we'll be looking like at concerts in about 30 more years!

 

[OnFire]

Way way back in 1982 when I was 19, I recall how shocked I was at the sight of seeing parents with young children at a Rolling Stones concert. I mean it wasn't just one or two but several.

I don't feel to old for concerts, it's just the added burdens and responsibilities of life make it nearly impossible to go to more than one or two concerts a year. One of my best friends took his teenage and pre-teen daughters to a Red Hot Chili Peppers recently and I was jealous that my daughters were too young to consider taking.

 

[kellyahern]

I'm 27 which I guess puts me in the "older" catagory (who knew?). I would have to say that I am much more into rock and roll now than I was at 18-19 for several reasons

4. Actually have money/stable income in which to purchase ipod, songs, decent concert tickets

Same for me As a teenager, I had no money and no car, which meant it was difficult to see a lot of shows. Actually, I didn't go to my first concert until I was almost finished with college.

I'm 28, so I guess I out geezer you and HeartlandGirl

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Okay, so if those of you in your late 20s are already calling yourselves geezers, seeing as I'm turning 20 this year...what does that make me?

Seriously, naw, you guys aren't geezers .

Something funny I just thought about-okay, I'm going to love seeing what my kids' reactions will be when I'm, like, 40 years old and listening to the music that was popular in the 60s-80s . I'd be listening to their grandparents' music in some cases...that's going to be funny.

Anywho, yeah, I still see myself listening to music many, many years from now, too.

Angela

 

[U2dork]

Ha, Ha! Angela, I often have the same thought. I'm kinda worried I'm totally going to turn my kids off to good music without meaning to. My dad played jazz a lot growing up and I totally HATED jazz through my teen years -just because.

 

[HeartlandGirl]

(many years from now)

(crotchety old person's voice on phone)

"Yes, I'd like to preorder 25 copies of 'Radiohead's Greatest Hits Remastered.' Please send them to the Interference Old Folks Home. And we need rush shipping--we ain't gettin' any younger here!"

 

[neutral]

Ha, Ha! Angela, I often have the same thought. I'm kinda worried I'm totally going to turn my kids off to good music without meaning to. My dad played jazz a lot growing up and I totally HATED jazz through my teen years -just because.

Oh yeah....if I ever have kids, they're going to just LOOOVE U2

 

[Jack In The Box]

In some days I will go to a The Cure concert, I'm sure that there will be many people of more than 30




.

 

[IWasBored]

(many years from now)

(crotchety old person's voice on phone)

"Yes, I'd like to preorder 25 copies of 'Radiohead's Greatest Hits Remastered.' Please send them to the Interference Old Folks Home. And we need rush shipping--we ain't gettin' any younger here!"

seriously, i agree with what everyone said, rock n roll isn't a phase to grow out of.

 

[indra]

Well there is the issue of having more responsibilities as we get older, and I know that has certainly cut into my clubbing outings. Now I really have to plan in order to see shows, and what I end up doing is getting someone to stay here and take care of everything (I take care of my down's syndrome aunt -- she's not really into clubbing!) while I take a week and follow a band. So, my concert going has changed over the years, but if there is a band I really love I will find a way!

I love posting on message boards too. I enjoy discussing what I'm listening to and how a particular album or song makes me feel or helps me get through the day. I enjoy thinking (knowing, in some cases) that I'm able to "talk" to the artist when I post messages. And I hang out in chat rooms, and I've been absolutely delighted to meet my favorite musician (who's about to turn 50 himself...and ya know, the guy can still rock!) after a show, and I do my fair share of collecting too.

You know, I think that for a lot of very young people, someone in their late 30's or in their 40's is old. I mean when I was 20 a professor asked us to look 5, 10, 15 years ahead and think of what we wanted to be doing then. Five years wasn't that bad, but beyond that I found it really hard to even think that much further ahead. I mean, think about it...for me (at 40) 10 years either way isn't that much. But a 20 year old...10 years ago was ten years old. That's a big difference, and perhaps they know how much they have changed in the past ten years of their life and don't realize the difference in the next ten (20 or even more) years isn't that much.

I also think that many people now just aren't willing to give up the activities and interests they enjoy, so I think many of us will be doing the active fan thing well into the future.