Sympathy for the Crusty Punks

Posted over 2 years ago

When I was a young close-minded musichead, I was often confused by a certain genre of concertgoer. Mid-30s and up, balding (for guys) or with graying hippie hair (for girls), they dressed in faded concert Ts of dead bands and jeans of an indeterminate age. They bopped to bands 20 years younger than them, drank good beer and hit on the college kids. They were the crusty punks.What do you make of a 40-year-old guy with a balding Mohawk that starts at the top of his head pogoing in the front of the club? Naturally, nihilistic clods that we were, we resented them for being at OUR concerts in OUR bars. How dare they walk around imposing their oldness on us? Didn’t they know they were supposed to be playing solitaire and listening to Kenny G. by now?You can see where this is going. I noticed that I was the oldest guy at the show a few years ago, the guy the cool kids were edging away from near the bar. I can’t blame them: the “scene” wasn’t built for middle-age ex-punks who can’t mosh due to their lumbago. Still, from all of the withered back row listeners at the next concert, all we ask is a little space to hold our beer (the only one we’ll be having) and a head start for the restroom. In exchange, we’ll stop crapping on your taste in clothing and save the stories about the great concerts we saw 20 years ago for our MOGs. Can’t we all just get along?And I promise i'll never be "that old guy" at your house party.

Comments (12)

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tomiiko says i first started going to shows in my small socially incscestious town of cedar falls iowa...and the product of that strange social experiment was that the elder hippies w/ strong arrested development actually cohabitated the ONE club where you could catch a show of interest. Crusty punks were considered more desireable and had no trouble getting laid. being the "old lady at the club" is slightly less brutal but still kinda hurts. like when a cutie is clocking you hard and you're just drunk enough not to know if he's giving you the eye or trying to figure out if you actually have crow's feet. that sux. i don't go to nearly as many shoes as i'd like to and there are enough of us that we can comingle w/ each other to maintain some dignity. and if i really really HAFTA go to a show where i know i'll have zero compatriots, i wear my hair in my face and don't make eye contact. if you don't have that hair option, wear a skull cap or something. if it's summer...ur fucked!

Permalink posted 02/22/2007
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River Lethe says I'm with ya on that one! Seems like I'm often one of, if not THE, oldest guy at the show. Especially since I still like metal and hardcore and whatnot. I've retired from the pit; would rather just watch, thank you very much. I want to see how they're playing or how they use electronic or multimedia stuff. And since pits seemed to have turned from fairly friendly I'll-pick-you-up-if-you-get-knocked-down kind to the I'm-in-a-Jet-Li-movie variety, I'd rather have the memory of a good show as opposed to the fuzzy memory of getting my ass handed to me and a trip to the ER. Mind you, I don't feel old or unwelcome at said gigs, but it's definitely something I've noticed over the past few years. Luckily, my music tastes are varied enough that this is not always the case.

Permalink posted 02/22/2007
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chucky says ...all we ask is a little space to hold our beer (the only one we’ll be having) and a head start for the restroom hear, hear. Although (knock on wood) if you don't get close enough to see the wrinkles and if I keep my hair dyed, I can still pass for 18 in a dimly lit room.

Permalink posted 02/22/2007
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elketerbentzadik says My friends and I are creeping into this category I guess. We're usually the oldest people at most of the shows/parties we go to. If you're lucky enough to be in a major city like a New York or Boston you have far less of a chance being that guy though, as the larger, more diverse population means there's more folks of varied age into the various scenes. Here in Western Massachusetts though the majority of the events are geared towards the students at the local colleges, so this means most of the folks out at shows are barely legal. What's sort of infuriating though is that when I was younger most of the shows were 21+ so the crowds weren't as young and for the most part I couldn't get in. Granted, there were times I managed to talk my way into shows ( "my wallet was stolen earlier today, I don't have my ID" worked a couple of times ) but for the most part I was denied. Then, for whatever reason once I was legal the local bars and clubs got hip to the fact that the area was lousy with 18 to 22 year old college kids whose money they could be taking. Then all of a sudden shows were 18+ or all ages and the club was full of kids lucky enough to see the sorts of shows I never got to go to when I was their age. So, I sort of resent the kids in a way, even though I firmly believe all ages shows are totally the way to go.

Permalink posted 02/22/2007
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etcvisitor says im well on my way to being the old guy at the show, but if there is a pit im going through once, even if its just for a minute. there are some pretty awesome bands out in scottsdale... as long as youre going out to the shows that you want to see, screw the little kids who back away as if you were some leper, youre just a music fan enjoying some music. if they want to give up going to shows when they get "old" thats their deal.

Permalink posted 02/22/2007
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lemontwist says I'm not there yet (though I'm far too tame to belong to the punk/hipster/scenester/whatever crowd), but I'm glad you keep on rocking. It doesn't matter how old you are, as long as you're having fun. :)

Permalink posted 02/22/2007
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Origami says As you can tell from Tomiiko/River/Chucky/el/etc we'll never STOP going to shows...we'll just slow down once we get there. Now get outta my yard.

Permalink posted 02/22/2007
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ookpik says A couple of weeks ago I went to an all ages show in the multipurpose room of the neighbourhood elementary school. It was full of teeny, tiny hipsters. Very funny! I'd say the one good side of massive indie rock snobs is that they have respect for their elders (you know, 25-year-olds). The whole goal of indie rock fandom is to find out about things before anybody else, so as an oldie, you have automatic advantages. I joke sometimes about "I liked their first album," but "their first tour was better" is way more powerful.

Permalink posted 02/22/2007
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Wozniak says I'm balding, but damn if I'm not cooler than anybody else at shows I go to. That's how I roll.

Permalink posted 02/22/2007
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soda says One of my friends in Chicago (who is now a grandmother) consistently got great sight lines in small crowded clubs by claiming she was "the bass player's aunt" no matter who was playing. Like you I try not to be "that old guy" or even worse, "that creepy old guy." Luckily, my taste and "the kids" taste seem to be getting further and further apart. Which means music is getting worse, not I'm getting less cool. (new folk? I mean, come on.) ...in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on them...

Permalink posted 02/22/2007
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angeldawn says Just bought tickets to the Fall Out Boy concert, partly as a birthday present for my daughter, but I do want to see them too. It will be my first time to attend a concert trying to balance the mother/protector role with the music lover/concert maven. I've warned my daughter that I will be dancing and singing along so she can save the eye rolls and exasperated looks. I'm hoping the people not related to me will give me the same breaks.

Permalink posted 02/23/2007
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Wade says origami-great post. just wished I could stay up late enough to go to show.

Permalink posted 02/23/2007