5/30 - Where did the generation gap go?

First, a comment that has nothing to do with this blog, really.  It seems that one of my boomboxes has been invaded by a Latino spirit.  I carefully set it to my favorite rock station - move over to my favorite deck chair and start singing along to Kings of Leon when suddenly Latin dance music begins to blare....and as I try to tune back to my original song, it seems to have taken over the entire FM band.  Its quite a struggle to get it to stay tuned in - so I guess a new radio is in my future.

But indirectly, that is part of my blog - the one I've written twice already...here's hoping the third time is the charm.  I love live music, though I'm not much for stadium rock anymore (which reminds me to put my U2 tickets on Ebay this week).  I love outdoor shows when the weather cooperates - and so the DC101 Chili Cookoff is one of my favorites - lots of bands and lots of space to spread out and just enjoy the sound.

Now, its a good thing I didn't have my heart set on seeing the bands up close and personal because it was pretty packed up at the front....lots of crowd surfing going on (something I've never actually done - have any of you)....and no bigscreen closeups like so many venues offer.

But for me it was all about the experience - the music, the people watching, and this year I was lucky enough to get Stephanie to go with me - so it was about sharing as well.

Steph's a few years younger than I am, but even so, I expected that we would be among the oldest folks attending.  We were above the average age - but we weren't nearly the oldest.....and interestingly enough, we were even dressed pretty status quo in jeans and Tshirts - which is what I've been wearing to shows since I was 14.  Of course back then, I was showing more cleavage (both butt and boobs, lol)....but some things don't change - so were a lot of women including a lot that probably shouldn't have :).

We talked to a few people around us - I think Steph discussed a tattoo with a couple next to us that were probably half my age......and I happened to have some extra tissues as I waited in the portajohn line which made me an instant hit with the younger less prepared girls.  I even saw a few parents with kids.

All of this is a far cry from when I grew up in the 70s.  My folks definitely didn't listen to the same music that I did, and on the occasions when a parent drove us to a concert - they either dropped us off and came back later or spent the evening in the arena "waiting area" with the other parents....where they could watch TV and relax rather than have to listen to Bad Company or Alice Cooper or whoever was playing that night.

My musical tastes tend to rock - and what I guess they call alt-rock these days (as I type this System of a Down is playing, for example).....but I confess to having a Lady Gaga album in my collection as well as some Marvin Gaye - and I secretly love the Gorillaz even though they aren't even real.

But what I find incredibly, wonderfully awesome is there is no generation gap when it comes to rock music.  Kids young enough to be Mick Jaggers grandkids rock out to the Stones.....and I adore music by bands who are half my age.  We can all share the music together - and that ROCKS.....