Tony Bennett in Concert

Cape Cod Weather Today: Hot and sunny. They say it's going up into the 90s in Boston today...

My (younger) sister took me to see Tony Bennett in concert last night at the Cape Cod Melody Tent. I predict two immediate, visceral and opposing reactions to this statement.

The first reaction would be: "Oh cool! Tony Bennett! I love him!"

The other would be "Eww, Why? Why Tony Bennett? Is he still alive?"

Honestly, I don't know what possessed her to buy the tickets. She even joined the Gold Member Circle club to buy them early because the show sells out every year in a day or two. (He's played there every summer for the last 29 years, and is one of the most popular shows each year.)

The man is close to a million years old, or 83, one or the other, and yet his voice still sounds like it does on his records (if you remember what records are.) Strong. Melodious. Right on key.

He danced around the grand piano on stage, did his trademark salute to the audience at least once every song (probably so people could get pictures of it) and didn't act at all his age.

The audience, however, was elderly. My sister and I brought down the crowd average by a good 20 or 30 years. Lots of canes. Lots of wheelchairs. And yet, the crowd rose to its feet on several occasions - there were at least four standing ovations throughout the hour and a half performance.

It was actually kinda cool.

He's been singing on stage for sixty plus years. He told stories about the old days (and I do mean old days) and how he was the first American Idol, winning a contest to get his shot on stage in Pearl Bailey's review. Bob Hope apparently discovered him there, and gave him his stage name. There were other stories about Frank Sinatra and the old gang, and stories about the old songs and who wrote them and the first time he sang them.

If you get a chance to see him on stage, you won't be disappointed. At least, I wasn't.

Now if I can figure out a way to use this in my next novel...