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"It's also important to note that Rock-n-Roll was defined by and designed for youth culture from the start. It was created specifically to be different from the square music of the world's parents."

Well, you didn't mean to say from the start, but anyway.
Your snapping a shot at fifties era radio promotions and touring shows. The beginning of the era we are presently in, that guided the art of making music into the business of selling records. Sure the record business targets youth (the buying demographic), and successful musicians subscribe to a symbiotic relationship with the business. This shapes all our sensibilities because Rock and Roll represents this symbiosis in bloom more so in the last 60 years than in all of the history of civilization.

But as an art form I refuse to concede that Rock and Roll belongs exclusively to the young. Mostly because I am no longer young, and while I have given up my youthful ways, I still think in the language of Rock and Roll. Not because I haven't grown up, but because in there lies some of the most powerful music ever written.

Now I'll take your point when it comes to the Rolling Stones. Mick Jagger prancing around like a nervous adolescent cheerleader doesn't help my argument at all.

First off, I agree, that the older performers trying to be "young" fail miserably. But you can be an older performer and still be relevant, and rock-out gracefully.

At the show last night I was happy to say that at least Roger Waters took a stand, and tried to make a statement. And themes from The Wall apply anytime there is a war going on. It's an evergreen topic. He is clearly anti-religion, anti-Iraq War, and against George Bush.

It's a strong contrast from the John Fogerty show I saw in 2004, where Fogerty sang "Fortunate Son" with all the passion of regular vegas performer, in his black pressed pants, and black silk shirt, and colorful backup singers with full lighting production. Honestly was the most Disney version of any rock n' roll show I've ever been to, and the most boring/least rock 'n roll.

Waters had a new original song called "Leaving Beirut" which was a direct attack on George Bush. It was poorly executed while playing to his ego, but the crowd ate it up.

However, there were some certainly strong moments in the show, including mixing "Bring the Boys Back Home" with images from the current conflicts worldwide. Having many relatives and friends overseas, even if you support the conflict, you still want them to come back safe - and soon.

Clearly he takes a more utopian view of the world now than he did 35 years ago. His view now seems to be that violence is not necessary under any real circumstances. This seems to conflict with the famous song "Wish You Were Here" where he asks, "did you trade a walk-on part in the role for a lead role in the cage?" Passivity would not have done so well to drive those oppressive WWII regimes away from his home country. Sometimes violence is necessary, but peace can be an overarching goal worth reaching for.

So while slightly misguided, it was still for the most part a passionate, graceful, and engaging show. He did no jumping around or youthful posturing. He merely let the music speak for itself. The compositions of these songs are lasting, which is why they spent 15-years on the Billboard 200. Sometimes good music is good music.

As for Jazz musicians performing "standards". Any jazz musician that plays the same song twice, is not a jazz musician.

"At some point, these nostalgia tours just become sad and pathetic."

What bothers me about the entire Rock and Roll milieu is the assumption of youth. I met Count Basie when he was in his seventies, and nobody was calling his work a "nostalgia" tour.

I guess the point that performance of music becomes sad and pathetic is the point at which one doesn't want to hear it but is compulsed to think, opine, and write about it anyway.

Eye of the beholder and all.

"Animals was a great album, though, and "Sheep" is one of the great (David Gilmour-penned) Floyd compositions of all time."

Check your research--Waters wrote the music and lyrics for "Sheep"

as for him "being wed to the old material", that's also likely because he wrote over 70 percent of it.