In Rock and Roll this will be the year of the Dinosaur!

It’s almost Chinese New Year, a celebration of the year of the Pig. But for rock and roll, well it can’t be any other year than the year of the Dinosaur.

Now Rupert is no stranger to the touring minstrels of the bygone days, Chilliwack and Trooper two prime examples of bands that still plug the amps in night after night. But 2007 is going to see some big names of the eighties grab their instruments and hit the road.

So far acts that have announced that they are making a comeback this year include, REO Speedwagon, who will be re-uniting the best of the power ballads for the casino night club scene. They are penciled in for the Red Robinson show room of the Boulevard Casino for two nights in February the 9th and 10th. Earlier this month they brought in the heroes of arena rock of the late seventies Cheap Trick.

Also getting those get back together vibes apparently is the crew from Van Halen, including the always entrancing David Lee Roth. Diamond Dave and Eddie and the gang have been having a love/hate thing going some twenty years now. They occasionally talk about a reunion, then something seems to happen and poof, you end up with Sammy Hagar. The talks are apparently still in the formative terms, so who knows, there’s still lots of time practice your fist pumping and reciting the lyrics to Jump, though we wonder if Dave still fits into his costumes.

And finally on the dino patrol, the much anticipated reunion of The Police may finally be at hand. Rumours persist in the Vancouver Province, including a front page story, that Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland have been busy rehearsing at a sound stage in North Vancouver, all part of their plan to tour for the 30th anniversary of Roxanne, the signature song that launched their unique blend of reggae, rock and new wave upon the then virgin ears of the musical youth.

The rumours about the Police reunion are the thing of high intrigue, including a proposed debut at an 80’s themed concert at the Coachella Valley Music Festival, which apparently is taking early phone reservations from those that have been given the password of “Roxanne”. It's apparently an omen for many that the reunion is on and the trio will soon take to the road.

While we poke fun at the possibility of the old songs and the old faces, we must keep in mind that the Rolling Stones are still on the road, a band that was already in their prime when the young punks of the eighties began their climb on the pop charts. And its no wonder that the eighties crowd want back in, the Stones are reported to be rolling in cash, having made some 150 million dollars in 2006.

As long as there’s an audience there will no doubt be a show. And we suspect that all three will find that their fans will show up for the night, maybe a little wider at the hips, a little fuller at the belly and little less forested on the top. But they’ll be there, ready to rock, if they can remember the words!