Let Me Hear That Rock 'n' Roll Music

With the explosion of iPods, iPads, and iTunes, does anyone experience live music anymore?

I recently took my kids to see Jefferson Starship up at the Ridgfield Playhouse (which is happily just 20 minutes from here), with two of the original band members performing: songwriter/guitarist/vocalist Paul Kantner and vocalist David Freiberg.

We showed up an hour before the show, got fifth-row seats and enjoyed a 2 1/2 hour body-vibrating blast from the past, which also featured keyboardist Tom Constantin performing Grateful Dead at Woodstock.

My kids were impressed as I sang along with every song, from "White Rabbit" to "Miracles." While I was reliving my senior prom, my boys were hearing this music for the first time. While I expected them to start squirming after 10 minutes, they were surprisingly captivated.

Kanter wears a sweat band to contain his unruly thinning hair and Freiberg packs a few extra pounds, yet these two were rockin' out like energetic teenagers. Every tune was rewarded with a standing ovation from the delirious crowd. Constantin dazzled with haunting melodies on the keyboards.

The side show was almost as good as the main event. Sitting behind us were four rowdy baby boomers, one with a grey ponytail whose claim to fame was that he'd been to Woodstock and the Woodstock Reunion, where singer Cathy Richardson invited him on stage. Their running commentary and sheer joy at experiencing these rock 'n' roll legends was worth the price of admission.

As we left the Starship concert, ears ringing, my nine year old stared longingly at the autographed electric guitars showcased in the lobby. Guitar Hero, eat your heart out.