Gig thermodynamics

I saw Suede the other night on their Antidepressants tour. They were good, and Brett Anderson shone like it was 1991.

Like me, the audience was on the older side. It was largely fans of the band from the early 90s, with a scattering of younger people. The energy at the show was okay but I found it a little lacking, which is probably because of the demographic. My energy was lacking, so it’s likely that it was the same for my fellow quintagenarians as we all stood there foot-tapping and nodding along politely.

This got me thinking about these older band tours. It’s wonderful that these bands have still got the chops to tour (and, as with Suede, are sometimes still cranking out half-decent albums), but I find I don’t enjoy the gigs as much as I used to, and I think it must be because of the energy thing, which is because of the demographic thing.

Gigs are about the energy. They’re a closed system and you get back what you put in.

I’ve been to hundreds over the years, and it’s probably nostalgia but the absolute gig chaos of Oasis at Rock City in 1993, or Black Grape, the Chilli Peppers – and probably Suede had I managed to see them back in the day – were all on another level to when I see these ageing bands today.

You need youth to provide the energy. Us oldies are too busy conserving it.