I have been noting the fairly recent phenomenon of younger kids getting into classic music on different forums. I do maybe 10-12 gigs a year in Avalon on Catalina Island. It's a big time tourist attraction from spring to the Jazz fest in October. Cruise ships anchor just offshore and a fleet of water taxi's run people into Avalon. I'm in a classic rock band and I'll usually start things off with some funky jazz stuff then we start with the Doors, Joe Cocker, The Stones, Santana etc, etc.

The gigs are outdoors with people sitting, walking, whatever and it's all ages with a tilt towards younger. They love it. Everyone in the band has their "groupies" including me, the usually lonely keyboard player. Young people will hang around their favorite player and they seriously dig it, they're not just being polite, they really like the classic stuff. I did a gig a month ago at a nice restaurant in Marina Del Ray called Killer Shrimp with a very nice medium sized club adjacent to the restaurant part with leather couches and lounge chairs instead of bar tables and it had a dance floor. That band is different than the Catalina one, more classic soul music, Motown, War, Sly, Ohio Players, no Stones, Santana or Doors. Same thing though with young people, they loved that band as well.

Personally I'm loving it, it's giving me a whole new perspective and appreciation of young people who could be my grandchildren. I'm not talking about 40-50 year olds, more like 25-35. I've been watching what are called "Reaction" vids on YouTube where 20 somethings react to classic music they say they've never heard of before and unless they all are very good actors they are totally blown away with. It's not all rock either, it's Tom Jones, Pavoratti, Johnny Cash, Bobby Darrin, Elvis, a whole diverse plethora of singers and bands from the 50's onward. The Beatles are big with that bunch too. Those kids had no idea who any of these artists were and their reactions are fun to watch because for the most part they're very impressed. I think many of you would enjoy watching some of those. Just search YT for a singer or band with the word reaction and tons will come up.

Bob

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