I think Justin Bieber's had a good run

craigb
Did they reanimate Dick Clark yet? 

Can they do that yet? ... even just his head would be sufficient.

Over the hill performers are a modern tradition. We can speculate ad nauseum about why someone who presumably still has his hearing and access to his decades old recordings would humiliate himself publically. I am more sympathetic to the possibility that after buying too many mansions and bad investment advice early in his career, he finds himself facing decrepitude and dementia without the wherewithal to survive, than to the interpretation that he is sucking on the teat of self-delusion to recapture the ego-boost that sustained him through a vanished youth. 
 
What is clearly making these large scale debacles possible, however, is the soft-headedness of their aging fans. Clearly parading these mummified remains of former stars satisfies some marketable nostalgic delusion among those of us in the Viagra generation dreaming that a joint and a wrinkled hippy chick and a listen to an old fart croaking out an anthem of our youth can bring us back to life as well. Young people who find some of their early work truly valuable, and much of it is, can listen to a digital download. It is the old, and the denial of our own reality, that fuels the antique roadshow of decrepit performers and the young charlatans who pretend to be the old bands. 

Maybe it is best to be a 'crooner'.  Recently they had on TV Tony Bennett's 90th birthday celebration. He is one of the last older generation singers left. There were great performances by current generations artists saluting him. He ended the show by singing a few songs solo. Wow. He still has it. His music is not necessarily my musical cup-o' tea, but I have to appreciate a guy that has lasted all these years and still is a pleasure to watch perform. Frank Sinatra still could wow his audience in his later years. Their styles afforded long survival. Real class acts.

slartabartfast
Over the hill performers are a modern tradition. We can speculate ad nauseum about why someone who presumably still has his hearing and access to his decades old recordings would humiliate himself publically. I am more sympathetic to the possibility that after buying too many mansions and bad investment advice early in his career, he finds himself facing decrepitude and dementia without the wherewithal to survive, than to the interpretation that he is sucking on the teat of self-delusion to recapture the ego-boost that sustained him through a vanished youth. 
 
What is clearly making these large scale debacles possible, however, is the soft-headedness of their aging fans. Clearly parading these mummified remains of former stars satisfies some marketable nostalgic delusion among those of us in the Viagra generation dreaming that a joint and a wrinkled hippy chick and a listen to an old fart croaking out an anthem of our youth can bring us back to life as well. Young people who find some of their early work truly valuable, and much of it is, can listen to a digital download. It is the old, and the denial of our own reality, that fuels the antique roadshow of decrepit performers and the young charlatans who pretend to be the old bands. 

 
I'm glad the baby boomer's are nostalgic and that the baby boomer musicians are reanimating their careers.  The international market is big enough for everyone.  But I agree that there's a difference between the hype (expectations) and the reality.  As a musician, you see that what they're doing isn't really all that great, but music consumers as always have been attracted to extra-musical attributes.  I'll bet any of those pop and rock people could start a cult and they'd have many, many followers.  

slartabartfast
sucking on the teat of self-delusion

I often suck the teat of self-delusion.

Some of the artists and bands are legends and as such, who's going to tell them 'No" who wants to keep their job?
 
So we suffer through the performance, and let life roll on.

Regarding the Airplane's performance.  It wasn't horrible..... the singer wasn't Grace, and the band sounded like a night club act doing a cover song.

emeraldsoul
Slugbaby saw Bryan Ferry? I'm jealous! I think I saw Roxy Music back in the early '80's. The operative word there is "think."
 
-Tom

I've seen every Toronto show he's done since 1988, and have his portrait tattooed on my arm (along with DBowie & KRichards).  Pretty obsessive fan...  It was just sad that last time we could hear his voice failing.  His backup singers used to soar, now they sing what he sings, to give it presence.
 

Guitarhacker
Some of the artists and bands are legends and as such, who's going to tell them 'No" who wants to keep their job?
 
So we suffer through the performance, and let life roll on. 

That brings up an interesting point for a scenario that has only been relevant for the last decade or so.  If The Stones, McCartney, Airplane, etc, still want to play, who are we to tell them to stop because they're "past it?"  They're still drawing a crowd and having fun.
When I become old and irrelevant, I hope nobody shoves me back into the shadows.

Ferry came through the Portland area a couple of years ago.  Now if he played with Knopfler (who contributed some tasty stuff to his solo efforts), that would be something! 

craigb
Ferry came through the Portland area a couple of years ago.  Now if he played with Knopfler (who contributed some tasty stuff to his solo efforts), that would be something! 

I take it back - I'd DEFINITELY see him if he toured with Knopfler (or David Gilmour, who has also been a long-term studio player for him).