Report: Old Bands Draw New Generation To Concerts

August 25, 2003

David Hinckley of the New York Daily News reports that this summer's top concert performers include such veteran acts as KISS, IRON MAIDEN, METALLICA, and DEF LEPPARD.

"While they can still draw 5,000-15,000 fans a night, that number includes more than the now-middle-aged fans who remember when music could be found in the grooves of 12-inch vinyl disks historians now call long-playing albums," he writes.

"A look around almost any concert crowd today shows fans who were not born or were too young to notice when some of these artists wrote and recorded the music they now enjoy.

" 'I'm constantly amazed at concerts to see how many 19-year-olds are wearing LED ZEPPELIN T-shirts,' says Maria Milito, midday host on classic rock radio station WAXQ. 'We did a DOORS show, and I kept looking around at the young fans and thinking, 'My God, a lot of you weren't even born when Jim Morrison died.''

"James Taylor says he became accustomed years ago to seeing his fans bring their kids to his shows.

" 'It's nice when that happens,' he says. 'It's flattering.' " Read more.

Top 15 concerts of 2003, according to Pollstar:

Group and date of first album:

01. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND (1973)
02. RADIOHEAD (1993)
03. ERIC CLAPTON (1964)
04. FLEETWOOD MAC (1968)
05. AEROSMITH (1973) / KISS (1974)
06. THE ROLLING STONES (1964)
07. TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS (1976)
08. "Unlimited Sunshine." CAKE (1995),CHEAP TRICK (1977),others.
09. IRON MAIDEN (1980)
10. DAVID BOWIE (1966)
11. EAGLES (1972)
12. BON JOVI (1984)
13. "Lollapalooza '03." JANE'S ADDICTION (1987),AUDIOSLAVE (2002),others.
14. METALLICA (1983)
15. A PERFECT CIRCLE (1992)

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