Baby boomers want rock 'n' roll, but not all night long
One of these days I’m going to make a list of all the concerts I’ve attended. It’s a lot ― in the hundreds. But between ticket stubs, friends, Facebook and my freakish recollection for such matters, it’s doable.
It will be especially easy to remember the recent shows. There aren’t as many.
I still love the experience ― the community, the emotion, the energy; the gear, the hand-scribbled setlists, the anticipation. When the first note strikes, I still get chills.
But here’s the buzzkill: Headliners, especially in small to mid-size venues, usually don’t start until after 9 p.m. That means finishing after 11 p.m.
People of my ilk, who cut their teeth on punk and underground rock, are now on either side of 60. We’re not the midnight ramblers we once were. But we’re not ready to hang up our Ramones T-shirts yet.
It’s not just us. Parents of young kids, early morning runners, 8-to-5ers, and folks who are natural early birds ― we all want earlier showtimes.
And, there’s actress Jamie Lee Curtis. She championed early shows last month in an interview that went viral. “Coldplay,” she pleaded. “Do a matinee. Bruce Springsteen. You’re old! I will come to your five-hour concert … at 2 o’clock.”
We’re with you, Jamie Lee. We want to go straight from work to see Wilco, and still have time afterward for dinner. We’ll take Elvis Costello on a Saturday afternoon, while the kids are at baseball practice. If the Oklahoma City Thunder can play at 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, why can’t Jason Isbell?
We don’t want to rock 'n' roll all night. We just want to rock 'n' roll for a couple of hours, so we can be home in our pajamas by 9 p.m.
More: Guest: Imagination, recess don't have to end with childhood. It's good to feel like a kid again.
I asked my friend, Scott Booker, to shed some light. Scott manages The Flaming Lips and has spent his entire career in the music industry. As you might expect, it’s not that easy.
Much of it has to do with the daily schedule of bands on tour. After the show ends about 11 o’clock, the crew disassembles, tears down and packs. This can take several hours, depending upon how involved it is. Then it’s onto the bus, climb into the bunks, and head to the next destination. You may arrive about sunrise. Load-in and set-up starts midmorning. Sound check is between 4 and 6 p.m. Doors open at 7 o’clock, the opening act about 8, and the headliner at 9.
Wash, rinse, repeat.
If the next night’s show is earlier, then eliminating a few hours from the turnaround time cuts it close. If it’s, say, 400 miles ― roughly the distance from Austin to Oklahoma City ― it cuts even closer.
The only way for early shows to become the norm is if everyone does it. In Oklahoma City, the Tower Theatre, Jones Assembly, Criterion ― and every other venue nationwide ― would have to get in a room, stack hands and agree to a change.
Which to me sounds more painful than staying out past midnight on a weeknight.
Russ Florence lives and works in Oklahoma City. His column appears monthly in Viewpoints.
More: Russ Florence: Investments into Oklahoma's film industry pay off on a large scale
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Baby boomers want rock 'n' roll, but not all night long
