Rock of ages
IT was all my sister’s idea. The Good Times Tour was rock rollin’ into town and wouldn’t it be nice for us siblings, now all 60-ish, to get together there. Why not, indeed. My last pure rock concert was ELO (that’s Electric Light Orchestra for anyone born after 1980) at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl way back in 1978 so, as you can see, dear reader, I am a rather irregular rock roller.
Get Ready to Party is the tour’s subtitle, headlining fabulous musos Brian Cadd, Marcia Hines, Russell Morris, Leo Sayer and John Paul Young.
With an impressive average age pushing 70 and all music legends in their own right, they’re on a demanding Australia-wide 16-concerts-in-one-month tour, not that these ebullient septuagenarians seemed worried by that.
And so it was last weekend — rather balmy fortunately for ageing bones — that a broad cross-spectrum of Geelong’s Baby Boomer cohort gave their carers the night off and came out to party, reliving the music of their adolescence.
In the foyer, there was a notable dearth of walking frames as we Boomers stoically defied the progress of time, although the handrail on the stairs was a welcome sight.
Having bought tickets rather late to this sold-out concert, our seats were in the very back row of Costa Hall’s top deck.
Any further back, we’d be watching from the Hygeia (although it is a party boat).
And being so far back, we pondered whether we’d need the top setting on our hearing aids.
That said, our seats in Costa Hall’s upper atmospherics not only afforded a panoramic view of the stage but also allowed a fascinating insight into the crowd.
First thing one noticed was the plethora of mobile phones being furiously worked on — all with alarmingly large font — confirming that our generation really has embraced technology, if only to keep track of our kids.
Scanning the assembled throng also revealed an eclectic wardrobe choice.
The blokes fashion choice de jour seemed to be leather jackets drawn from the musty depths of wardrobes, unopened for decades, found alongside pastel patterned body shirts and long-lost purple, round-toed elevator shoes. What were we thinking back then?
The Good Times Tour is sponsored by APIA — aka Australian Pensioners Insurance Agency — giving a none too subtle indication of the target audience.
Yes, much of the Baby Boomer generation did enjoy free university education but later got our comeuppance with 18 per cent home interest rates.
Before the music started, we were treated to not one but two APIA ads, featuring grey-haired parents selling family heirlooms in a garage sale, a harbinger of what’s to come maybe.
Finally, the backing band — who turned out to be sensational — wound up the sound, and Brian Cadd ambled on stage to rapturous applause.
The crowd was soon shimmying in their seats, no doubt throwing a few shoulders out in the process — Geelong’s physios would have been busy that Monday.
Each legend sang the classics for which they are most famous, remastered to a new age.
Accompanying every song, were psychedelic patterns on multiple screens, transporting us back to the crazy brown orange wallpapers of our youth. Flower Power was definitely still alive and well that night.
Costa Hall’s layout doesn’t allow much of a mosh pit, let alone slam dancing. But given the antics of numerous adoring fans, they would have no doubt invaded the stage to touch their idols — Leo Sayer seemed particularly popular — if only they could handle the stairs.
Apart from Marcia’s testy achilles, all five performers seemed remarkedly agile and have lost none of their mojo.
Russell lamented that the group was on more drugs than they were in the ’60s, but none were of the recreational variety.
All over by a respectable 10pm, the crowd was left yearning for more even though it was well past their bedtime.
Yet, for a few hours, over a thousand of Geelong’s Baby Boomers were musically transported to the euphoric days their youth.
Nothing deep and meaningful, no earth-shattering learnings, but simply marvellous nonetheless.
Now, I just need to remember where I parked the car.