Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Roll Over, Beethoven!

Today, I met the world's oldest (average age: 82) cover band, Young@Heart. (Note: Cover bands typically play a mix of songs from different decades and different styles. Some cover bands play material from particular decades, for example a 1980s cover band. Others focus exclusively on a single group, and are called tribute bands: it is not uncommon to find Led Zeppelin cover bands, Pink Floyd cover bands, or U2 cover bands. Cover bands are very popular for weddings and corporate events, as well as in bars and clubs because they play many songs familiar to the guests.) A group of senior citizens from Northampton, MA perform songs from a diverse range of musicians and bands such as Jimi Hendrix, Coldplay, Sonic Youth, the Ramones, James Brown, and more. In a newly-released documentary ("Young@Heart") by British filmmaker Stephen Walker, we meet a civic chorus of (mostly) octogenarians who peform the gamut of rock and roll music under the direction of Bob Cilman. The rendition of Bob Dylan's "Forever Young" in a concert at a local correctional facility was a high point. Until Stephen Walker made this film, Young@Heart was known only in western Massachusetts. If this is a (fair & balanced) epiphany, so be it.

[x Young@Heart site]



Copyright © 2007 Young@Heart

[x MSNBC.com]



Copyright © 2008 NBC


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