Why the music we love will never die
I've just about recovered from last week's gig at Bestival. What a blast! If you don't know Bestival attracts about 50,000 mainly young people for music and frolics once a year on the Isle of Wight. Headliners this year included Missy Elliot, The Chemical Brothers, The Jacksons and Rudimental. Somewhere in there was Sinatra Jukebox: ee with Harry the Piano, Joe Pettitt and James O'Carroll singing songs written 80 odd years ago to kids born 20 odd years ago.
It was a risky booking. We could have died. Do 25 year olds really want to listen to Cole Porter and Oscar Hammerstein. Well, yes, they do.
They had a blast and so did we. So much energy. So much fun. Once guy saw Harry the next morning, said how much he loved the show but that he was feeling depressed. "Why?" asked Harry, "Because I know I've seen the thing of the festival already." I tell you this not to boast but to celebrate the power of this great music to reach all audiences, regardless of age.
Thank you Mr Sinatra, Mr Porter, Mr Hart, Mr Carmichael et al. This music will never die. It's just too good.
