Seniors Rock the Summer Touring Season

And you thought the reign of the baby boomer was over? Not a chance. A At the time of life when most civilians are turning down the volume, musical lifers like Joan Baez, BB King, Leonard Cohen and Roger Waters are cranking it up. Yep, retirement age and bona fide seniors are taking to the road in unprecedented numbers this summer festival season -- you might even say the golden yeared-ones are showing the likes of Man Man, Vampire Weekend and Hot Chip how to get the job done. The last time this many o.g.'s joined hands with the now generation was when the original bluesmen shared the spotlight with the folkies at the festivals of nearly 50 years ago. But we're not complaining; it's not everyday a legend comes to town.

Cohen, 73, reemerges after a long hiatus from touring to brave the notorious mud at Glastonbury. Baez, 67, Buddy Guy, 72, and Solomon Burke, 68, all join him at Glasto, while Willie Nelson (he turned 75 last month) and BB King, 83, hold down the stage at Bonnaroo. Following 63-year-old Waters' appearance at Coachella, he presses on with roadwork (despite the inflatable pig incident). Rod Stewart and Neil Young, also mere toddlers at 63, will turn up at Rock in Rio, Lisbon and Madrid, respectively, among other tour stops. And then there's soulman Burke: his one-city-a-day Euro festival tour schedule ups the ante for his fellow travelers no matter what their ages. So how does he keep up the pace? "Prayer and faith and knowing that if it's God's will, I'll make the dates and I'll return."

Fair enough, though Spinner would like to suggest to all our beloved musical icons to please stay well hydrated and don't be afraid to go heavy on the SPF 20.