There’s Life in These Fossils Yet

Barney Versus Bruce: A quirk of the calendar brought two of the hottest concert tours to Southern California on Saturday. A comparison of performances by Barney (a singing dinosaur beloved by the babies of boomers) and Bruce Springsteen (a singing dinosaur beloved by baby boomers) revealed shocking similarities:

The Quest Theme: Bruce told a tale about meeting his bandmates on the edge of a frightening forest before boldly searching for a magical river of love. Barney met with a group of diverse kids at a beach and boldly searched for a magic castle.

Well-Trained Fans: With the famed first notes of “Born to Run” or “Thunder Road,” the Bruce faithful cheered and sang along, and mostly couldn’t shut up. With the famed first few notes of “I Love You” and “Barney Is a Dinosaur,” the Purple One’s fans cheered and tried to sing along, though many had a hard time, mostly because they can’t talk yet.

Working the Crowd: Bruce whipped up fans, by asking, “Is there anybody alive out there?” Barney: “Are you ready to have a super-de-dupe-itty time?” With evangelical fervor, Bruce exhorted fans to hold up their hands and tap into the “power of rock ‘n’ roll.” Barney urged his audience on with: “If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.”

Concert Dangers: Long lines at Staples Center’s box office infuriated Springsteen fans, and some complained the murky sound in the upper seats gave them headaches. Long lines at the Anaheim Convention Center’s restrooms infuriated moms attending the Barney show, and some complained that the nasty smell of diapers in the bathrooms gave them headaches.

Past Their Primes: Bruce may still deliver a rock ‘n’ roll marathon, but, at age 50, he looked like he was about to overheat a few times. It’s worse for Barney--he’s added a few pounds, and that permanent grin must have been tested by the partially empty arena. Damn those Teletubbies.