I saw The Who at Bethel Woods (the site of Woodstock). They can still play, but they aren't jumping around like they used to. Once Pete and Rog are gone, The Who is done IMHO.
The devotion to Skynyrd is borderline DSM-5.
Well, there’s the Abba model of not using real people and playing recordings over the speakers.
“The devotion to Skynyrd is borderline DSM-5.”
My biggest problem with the current Skynyrd band is that all of their new music is a cheap imitation of the original.
I enjoyed rock concerts when I was ages 15 to 21, especially with all the brilliant innovation in the 60s. Then they got boring. And more boring. And all the music sounded alike and nothing ever changed.
I use Spotify to find and listen to innovative, comparatively unknown and young folk and Americana music. Often the bands have a few smaller “hits” but then their signature sound gets repetitive. But there is some amazing music that can be found.
Mick, Keith, and Ronnie have always rotated outside musicians on their tours, as have most of the other groups.
Yes, they sorely miss Charlie, but it’s not a shell of the original group, by a long shot. Still a great show.
A friend saw that same concert, said it was great.
Age, death, and retirement have taken their tolls in classic rock, leaving many heritage groups — the Rolling Stones, the Who, the Eagles, the Temptations, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Steely Dan and ska legends the Skatalites among them — with only one or two founders in their lineups.
I'd also add the Beach Boys to this list.
I think it’s sad what has happened to music over the past few decades.
I understand that there is “good stuff out there”. But the concept of music trends sweeping the globe “British Invasion” or “Punk” or “New Wave” or even “Grunge” just seems like a thing of the past. No big trends. No huge bands. No huge concerts. It’s now a bit of a treasure hunt through the garage sale that internet music has become.
And, few people sit and really listen to music. They used to. Now, it’s a soundtrack to their lives. They have headphones at the gym, while shopping, while working. People don’t like to be alone and attentive. They need to be distracted by something while they do something else — often to avoid doing something else entirely. I don’t want to think about anything at all. Maroon 5 will do.
I couldn’t name a single current rock band. It’s all rap, country or rhythm.
We saw Foreigner in November, without Mick Jones. Similar model they described here. Longtime band members but no originals. They were fine, but at some point, none of these bands are those bands. I’m running out of concerts to be able to go to.
Holographs.
Best tribute band I ever saw was an all female AC/DC group called Thunderstruck. They all dressed like the band and they flat out brought it. They were on right before Skynyrd. That was 15 years ago.
Our local county fair that same year had Foreigner. Without Gramm, they sucked.
I’d be curious to know how many people attending a Rolling Stones, Who, or Allman Brothers concert in the last 20 years was seeing the band for the first time.
Funny to think a band like Metallica which used to be a band for rebellious teenagers is now a band for rich grandfathers.
Quite literally, eyes rolling.
What’s the point if none of the members are original? The Beatles, featuring Bob Nelson!
It’s an interesting concept. We never question orchestras or similar for not having “original members”. So what is the concept of the band, is it about they style and continuity or is about the people. Nobody questions the validity of Sons of the Pioneers. Maurice White seems to have put in a plan to make sure Earth Wind and Fire keep going, and I sincerely hope they keep finding the right people forever on that. Since the rebirth Skynyrd has mostly kept it within the family, luckily southern families get lots of people. Can’t see The Who continuing with Pete and Roger. I’m hoping when Eric and Buck decide they’re too old they hand the keys to Richie who has been a great add to Blue Oyster Cult and seems to really get it.
The root problem is that current music sucks, and has for a long time, so the public and promoters want to keep groups with members that are now in their 80s touring.
Unstated so far in this thread is that these “legacy bands” achieved their popularity during a time when there was really only one medium that everyone listened to - FM radio.
Nowadays, there are so many different media - YouTube, Spotify, Instagram, Facebook. The music scene has become so splintered and so tribal that newer acts cannot build a large enough following to justify arena-sized, much less stadium-sized, concerts.
My son sends me links to songs and concert snippets from bands that seem to have gathered a modest following, and I have never heard of them.
They should have the self-respect to simply realize they are done, retire, and move on. I’ve seen some of these bands, geriatrics. I still remember years ago going to a Chieftains concert and watching the performers helped onto the stage by assistances, walkers, and then sat in chairs to perform. Painful even if the music was still good.