Surprising old bastards

Can you believe it? I actually went to see The Rolling Stones at Fenway Park? And I actually enjoyed myself?

Now, I'm not a huge fan of big, arena-filling bands, and "classic rock." I tend to prefer obscure, or up and coming acts, in smaller, more intimate venues (read: bars, where the beer line doesn't span 3 zip codes.) It was a lark. We had tickets, tried to sell them, couldn't make enough on them to make it worthwhile...Eh, might as well go, right? For shits and giggles. So, I went in prepared to cast my reproachful eye upon the scene, make some scornful cracks about "skeletons with guitars," and chuckle derisively at the extravagance of the staging, lights, and pyrotechnics, which I usually find wasteful and silly.

Well, I mean to say...those old fellas can still go. Yes, the staging and effects were over the top, but so is this band, so it was only fitting to have them playing on a stage the size of an airport runway, with lighting and fireworks that can be seen from space. Mick, Keith, Ron, Charlie, bless them, still seem to be enjoying what they're doing, actually having fun, playing a predictable, but varied selection of their biggest hits, for probably the eleventy billionth time in their careers... Can you imagine how many times they've played "Satisfaction"? Enough times to be sick of it, and no one would blame them. And I've seen bands one third of the respective ages of these guys, who didn't have a tenth of the energy, sense of fun, and just...joy. You've got to hand it to them. I'd be tired.

Good for you, you old bastards. Good for you!