Rock’s Old Soldiers Won’t Fade Away

Chuck Berry’s witty songbook is in no danger of going stale, but his headlining set on Saturday at the Hootenanny ’97 Festival included an apt revision of “Rock ‘n’ Roll Music.”

“Some people said rock ‘n’ roll would fade / It’s been 40 years since that remark was made,” Berry sang.

The modest, folksy Hootenanny is a reminder of why rock ‘n’ roll has been worth preserving. In its third year at Oak Canyon Ranch, a rustic and, on Saturday, almost oppressively sunbaked patch of private parkland in Orange County’s Santiago Canyon, Hootenanny once more showed that it is a hoot to bring together rockers old, young and in between to celebrate rock ‘n’ roll’s heritage--the origins together with the tradition-honoring branches that have sprung from the roots.

The vibe at Hootenanny ’97 was perfect. The relaxed, dance-happy audience, a near-capacity house of 3,000-plus, was a rare panoply of ages and subcultures, from the predominant twentysomething punkers and rockabillys to baby boomers and a few folks who probably were dancing to Berry back when the scoffers said it couldn’t last.

This diversity flowed from the music. The 18 bands, playing on three stages, ranged from raw, storming, punk-fueled but roots-conscious acts--Supersuckers, Tenderloin and Los Infernos--to the straight traditionalism of such second-generation rockabilly, country, blues or big-band swing inheritors as Lee Rocker, Robert Gordon, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, James Intveld and the Paladins.

Self-professed Texas “hillbilly” Steve Earle performed solo and, along with Berry (who was maddeningly uneven but fully engaged and more than fleetingly grand), reminded us that no pop tradition can flourish without those essential nutrients: lyrics that capture telling slices of life and melodies that give the words staying power.

Hootenanny had no tinge of musicians going for the big score, or of fans showing up just because they want to be in on a big event and not miss the next big thing. No matter how parched the day, this was a pure and refreshing immersion in the source waters of rock.