Festival Brings Together Two Generations of Rock Fans

Festival Brings Together Two Generations of Rock Fans

ARRINGTON, VIRGINIA—

When musicians over the age of 50 headline a rock concert, you expect to see baby boomer fans in the audience. Boomer rock stars have boomer fans. Millennial¹ rock stars have millennial fans. But this isn’t always the case. Take the Lockn’ Music Festival which took place in mid-September in rural Arrington, Virginia, where two generations of people who are considered quite different in the outside world, spent four days together in music-loving harmony.

The festival itself seems like a time capsule. Musicians like Robert Plant, Carlos Santana, and members of the Grateful Dead grace the stage, while Robin² Blomquist  and other nostalgic fans remember going to concerts like this back in the 1970s.

“I went to college in upstate New York and you could go to a show every night and still make it to class the next day," said Blomquist.

But this music also strikes a chord with a new generation of fans, like Jalen Michals Levy³, who says “my mother actually raised me on rock and roll."

Most millennials weren’t even alive during the heyday⁴ of these musicians. They come to festivals like this one, joining people who could be their parents or grandparents, donning ’70 style tie-dye and denim⁵ and make up a new generation of jam band fans.

Videos of many of these bands’ live sets, going back decades, are out there on the web.  Blogs and Facebook groups connect like-minded music communities where older fans tell stories of the good ol’ days and hope to inspire a new generation to experience festivals like these, and re-capture the activist⁶ spirit of the '70s.  

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"I [grew up during] the beginning of television. You know, I’ve seen people get more and more remote. It seems to me as far as personal interaction, a telephone emoticon.  I need to hear your voice and see your face," said Salinda Whiddon.

"The baby boom generation was really big on acting⁷. Our generation they think that sharing a post on Facebook or something is gonna, I mean more people see it, it spreads awareness⁸ but it doesn’t put any[thing in] action, there’s lots of potential in our generation  but no one’s making moves to make it happen," said John Wisnewsai.

Lockn Festival co-founder Pete Shapiro points out that millennials, who are known for being tied to their smartphones, like to unplug just as much as boomers do.

"In this day and age we all have these things. I think that people want an opportunity to put that away and be in the openness, be in the Blue Ridge⁹ Mountain range," said Shapiro.

And what do these young millennials make of these ‘old hippies’?

"We’ve met a lot of the original dead heads. It’s pretty cool to hear all their old stories, and you know, hear what they’ve done. Times haven’t changed that much really," said Lindsay Barry.

"A lot of these people were in the front lines of social issues back in the 60s or the 70s, but as you get older you get more jaded¹⁰. And I’m very passionate¹¹ about social justice and social issues and sometimes it’s hard to see that passion in the older generation but you know I think it’s still there," said Levy.

With music to bring them together, the generations might find  a way to work together to rekindle¹² the passion that changed society nearly half a century ago.

1 millennial   

一千年的，千福年的

参考例句：

• Both Russia and America looked to the future to fulfill their millennial expectations. 俄国和美国都把实现他们黄金时代的希望寄托于未来。
• The millennial generation is celebrating the global commons every day, apparently unmindful of Hardin's warning. 千禧一代显然对哈丁的警告不以为然，每天都在颂扬全球“公地”。

2 robin   

n.知更鸟，红襟鸟

参考例句：

• The robin is the messenger of spring.知更鸟是报春的使者。
• We knew spring was coming as we had seen a robin.我们看见了一只知更鸟，知道春天要到了。

3 levy   

n.征收税或其他款项，征收额

参考例句：

• They levy a tax on him.他们向他征税。
• A direct food levy was imposed by the local government.地方政府征收了食品税。

4 heyday   

n.全盛时期，青春期

参考例句：

• The 19th century was the heyday of steam railways.19世纪是蒸汽机车鼎盛的时代。
• She was a great singer in her heyday.她在自己的黄金时代是个了不起的歌唱家。

5 denim   

n.斜纹棉布；斜纹棉布裤，牛仔裤

参考例句：

• She wore pale blue denim shorts and a white denim work shirt.她穿着一条淡蓝色的斜纹粗棉布短裤，一件白粗布工作服上衣。
• Dennis was dressed in denim jeans.丹尼斯穿了一条牛仔裤。

6 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

7 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

8 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

9 ridge   

n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭

参考例句：

• We clambered up the hillside to the ridge above.我们沿着山坡费力地爬上了山脊。
• The infantry were advancing to attack the ridge.步兵部队正在向前挺进攻打山脊。

10 jaded   

adj.精疲力竭的；厌倦的；（因过饱或过多而）腻烦的；迟钝的

参考例句：

• I felt terribly jaded after working all weekend. 整个周末工作之后我感到疲惫不堪。
• Here is a dish that will revive jaded palates. 这道菜简直可以恢复迟钝的味觉。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

12 rekindle   

v.使再振作；再点火

参考例句：

• Nothing could rekindle her extinct passion.她激情已逝,无从心回意转。
• Is there anything could rekindle his extinct passion?有什么事情可重燃他逝去的热情呢？