Anna Turner- The classics | Canterbury Opinion | Local Voices from Canterbury, New Zealand

I've been all about the classics this week.

It started over the long weekend when I flew down to Queenstown to see late 60s rock band CCR in concert.

I went along with my Dad, who first saw Creedence Clearwater Revival in concert in 1972 at Western Springs as a 14-year-old. He's been a big fan his whole life, and I've always loved their songs.

The band officially broke up shortly after Dad saw them 40 years ago, but two original members renamed themselves Creedence Clearwater Revisited in 1995 and kept playing on.

Under the brilliant Queenstown sunshine, the rockers took the stage with little fanfare and probably a bit slower than they did in their younger days - they are in their 60s now after all.

But the band played all their famous hits and people of all ages, demographics and levels of sobriety joined in to sing along with them.

And I may sound a little older than my 22 years here, but it was a lot better than some of the 'doof doof' modern gigs I've been to lately. There weren't flashing lights and a booming bass - it was simply good music.

Still in a vintage mood when I got home, and in search of a good film, I got out the 1955 Disney classic Lady and the Tramp.

Okay, you can make fun of me for that one (my boyfriend certainly did. I, of course, retaliated by telling him he was just annoyed because I was clearly the lady and he the tramp) but the story has definitely stood the test of time. It still hands down beats the latest Disney flicks, like Hannah Montana or Wizards of Waverly Place.

Every generation has a collective memory.

For me, it's snap pants, Pokemon, koosh balls, and chatter-rings that make me nostalgic for my childhood in the 90s.

I used to rock out to the Spice Girls, stay up all night to look after my tamagotchi and watch the Fresh Prince of Bel Air (and I still know the words to the entire theme song).

I'm sure kids of the 60s, 70s, and 80s each have their own cultural memories too.

But most of those things are fads and have been largely forgotten. The best are the classics which transcend different generations.

If my 54-year-old father and I are both willing to scream the words to 'Have you ever seen the rain' at the top of our lungs publically, you know it's a goodie.

It seems you're never too old to watch Disney or too young to listen to 70s rock.

Although, it got me thinking about what will be a classic to the next generation.

Will I be watching Lady and the Tramp with my granddaughter or will she consider Finding Nemo to be a cult classic? What will they happen when all the aging rockers eventually die out - will today's young popstars take their place?

Somehow, I hope not.

Because I really don't want to picture a 63-year-old Justin Beiber rocking out on stage. "Baby, baby... oooh" is bad enough the first time around.