Classic Rockers

Last Friday Gigi and I took a friend with us to Lockport (about 30 minutes North of us) to see Queensryche at the weekly Lockport Canal Concert Series. It was a nice night, the show was outdoors and it’s free. Without getting into a concert review, the band was very good. A little too chatty at times, but musically they were solid and they played new as well as old material so I think most in attendance were happy.

As far as those in attendance…. Let’s just say that it’s been awhile since I’ve been to anything resembling a Classic Rock show, and while Queensryche can’t be confused with Skynard I think something about outdoors, free and alcohol draws the same motley crew. The first thing I noticed were the mullets. Long flowing “Joe Dirt” mullets. Mullets with perms, mullets with highlights – on guys! So many and such a variety in fact that I began to believe that they are back in style and the revival just hadn’t made it’s way back to the city of Buffalo . Where do so many of these mullet wearers work that allows for the shoulder length mud flap? I told Gigi she needed to razor my sides when we got home so I could jump on board. Wisely she disagreed with just one look.

The other fashion trend I noticed but have never taken part in is the black leather vest with no shirt on underneath. Requirements for this seem to be at least one tattoo which I don’t have, and a deep, dark red sunburn on top of peeling red sunburned skin (again no). Possible variations include a black Harley Davidson shirt underneath or of course a classic rock band shirt in black. Black boots, tight faded jeans and trucker wallets rounded out the ensemble. There I stood with my tan shorts and polo shirt. Even my moderately long hair couldn’t lend me any classic rock “street cred”. I'm a musician and a fan of the music but these people LIVE it.

Throughout the night there were plenty of devil horns, the “maloik” along with swaying hands and lit cell phones during the power ballad “Silent Lucidity”; screams of “Yeaaaaah”, and some drunken air drumming which is fun to watch as they rock back and forth in place while bashing imaginary drums that seem to be located waist high, all the while struggling to maintain their balance. In this, Scott Rockenfield would have been proud if he could have seen from atop his drum riser.

Rock on Queensryche. Rock on lizard scaled, beaver headed classic rocker. Rock and roll is alive and well and I saw people coming out of the woodwork to prove it.