For the last three or four years, rock at the club level has made a real comeback.

In the first half of last year, you had a lot of the big tours early - Madonna, Prince, Bette Midler, Simon and Garfunkel. This year it's backloaded . . . that's just the way it worked out.

It's what they do. If you're a welder and all of the sudden you're not the most popular welder on the block, are you going to quit welding? It's the same with any other occupation. Nobody should expect them to quit doing what they do.

It's always been a conundrum why hip-hop, the top CD seller, hasn't translated into ticket sales.

It's making a huge difference. That new arena has put Charlotte back on the concert A-list, and it's a honeymoon that should run for a good while longer.

It's the first time they've toured in a while,

The most affluent fans are driving the business in many ways.

A lot of bands go to Europe and play the festivals.

As long as these guys can work, they'll sell tickets. But at some point, biology will take over.

As Clear Channel goes, so goes the business.