I went to see a tribute band this weekend and was delighted to find out we had front-row seats (lucky us, lol). And they only cost £20! 😂
It was a fantastic gig, a testament that age is no barrier to being your brilliant self and doing what you love.
The band had eight members: drums, keys, bass, two vocalists, two lead guitars, and let's not forget the sound engineer who was there but never seen.
The two vocalists, who were pensioners (as they told us), have been performing together since the '70s and are professional musicians. The other members of the band, each with an impressive track record, had clearly joined these seasoned performers.
One of the vocalists, who in hindsight did seem a bit preoccupied, was extremely talented. I noticed he had a phone on his mic stand and occasionally glanced at it, which I found unusual given his decades of experience with this tribute act.
During one track, I observed a very brief delay and a flash of what seemed like fear in his eyes. I might not have noticed it if we weren't in the front row. His fellow vocalist, standing next to him, subtly stepped back from his mic and sang the words very quietly and discreetly. It happened so quickly it would have been unnoticeable to most of the audience. He sang just one line—almost like a whisper from where I was sitting—enough to help his mate reconnect with the song. It was clear he was supporting him without missing a beat, calmly helping him through. They kept calm and carried on.
After the song ended, they acknowledged it with a bit of humour, saying, "We almost made it through, didn’t we?" But they really didn’t need to; I doubt anyone else noticed.
The guy was an outstanding performer and vocalist, and I felt privileged to witness the performance. What heartened me the most was seeing the support and care they had for each other—not just the two singing pals but the whole band. I noticed their interactions, the eye contact and the encouragement they offered each other.
I'm not trying to overanalyse or diagnose the situation—I’m far from qualified and I’ve only seen one performance—but it was clear these gents were enjoying themselves. They were outstanding and neither their age nor memory was going to hold them back from doing what they loved. And neither should it!
They were one of the best tribute bands I’ve seen in a long time (and we see a lot). Long may they continue!
Just one line. A tiny bit of support. That’s all it took. And they continue. It probably does them the world of good. And us too. Just brilliant and lovely. And they were way cooler than me.
It doesn’t take much to support people to bring their best selves. Those who get a bit of support can often become your best talents and biggest assets.
Too often, assumptions are made about age, ruling people out when they have so much more to give.
We often hear of talent shortages—when perhaps the options are there, just waiting to be considered.

Very interesting observation
Excellent thought provoking piece