a daily breath

I used to get a chuckle when I’d catch one of those public television concert specials where they’d tramp out pop artists from the past: The Temptations or the Pips, or some of the one-hit wonders from the Woodstock era or long before that.

   The cameras would pan the audience for shiny happy people obviously having fun, or show close-ups of people clapping and singing along to the music of their youth. The blue-rinse set would be out in full force, senior citizens dancing even with their canes and walkers.

   Last Thursday I realized I was at some such event.

   Former Talking Head Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew are out on the road right now with a nine-piece backing band performing Remain in Light; a review of Talking Head hits surrounding the seminal 1980 album.

   I was 19 or 20 when the album came out.

   This was the music of my youth.

   It was also the youthful music of those older than myself at the time, there were a lot of people well into their sixties and seventies at the packed Danforth Music Hall.

   I suppose it makes sense; both Harrison and Belew are each in their mid-70s.

   We all grow up.

   The music, obviously, was ageless and it was a damn good concert (I wasn’t the only one up dancing to the hits). I suppose I’m just coming to terms with the fact that that I, like the music and musicians, am obviously getting older.

   We all grow old.

 

03/06/2023                                                                                                         j.g.l.