Tuesday, 18 Mar 2008
Set: No Surrender / Radio Nowhere / Lonesome Day / Streets Of Fire (Tour Premiere) / Gypsy Biker / Magic / Reason To Believe / It’s Hard To Be A Saint In The City / Prove It All Night / She’s The One / Livin’ In The Future / The Promised Land / Cadillac Ranch/ My Hometown / Devil’s Arcade / The Rising / Last To Die / Long Walk Home / Badlands
Encore: Loose Ends / Meeting Across The River / Jungleland / Born To Run / Ramrod / American Land
Calling last night’s Bruce Springsteen concert at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee a long time coming would be an understatement. He was, in fact, the artist I listened to most growing up, listening to songs like “I’m On Fire,” “My Hometown,” and long-time favorite “Glory Days” countless times, and especially drawn to their accompanying music videos. I can remember the day that my Dad came home with the box set (on vinyl) of Live: 1975-85, and I paged incessantly front to back and then started all over again. He sang catchy songs that any young kid would enjoy, easy to remember, about riding through town on your fathers lap, baseball playing friends, and girls named Rosalita.
A few years ago my Dad and I caught Springsteen in Madison on his solo tour supporting Devils & Dust. Now twenty years into my fandom, I’d finally have the opportunity to see him with The E Street Band and it lived up to everything I’d ever thought it would be. I can’t recall another show matching opening energy of last night’s “No Surrender,” catapulting an energetic two and a half hour evening of music spanning his entire career. Because the tour was in support of his most recent album, Magic, the main set included seven songs from that record, most well-received, though some passed by without many noticing. Falling on St. Patrick’s Day, the crowd was covered in green clothes, fueled by green beer, and saw the evening close with the Irish number “American Land” taken from We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions.
It would be impossible to talk about seeing Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band without mentioning “Born To Run.” It’s one of the best rock songs ever written and it was so much fun watching the thousands in attendance go absolutely crazy during the opening chords. Other highlights for me were “The Rising” and my aforementioned childhood favorite “My Hometown.” The ultimate highlight of the evening was having the opportunity to take in the show with my Dad. He introduced me to the Boss so many years ago and now being able to enjoy him in concert together is a memory that words just could never pin down.
Myspace: Bruce Springsteen
Photo Credit: Barry
March 18th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Springsteen is my musical hero, my largest musical influence as a musician, and someone whose music and career I obsess over unapologetically.
Last night was easily the best show I have ever seen out of him, and I saw him twice on his Reunion tour, four times on the Rising tour, once on Devils and Dust, once on Seeger Sessions and last night.
Maybe it was the fact that I finally got GA tickets and was in the pit, a mere 10 feet from my idol, feeling like I was in the DVD’s I still watch on way too often an occasion.
Maybe it was that I took my 18 year old brother to see his first Springsteen show last night and saw the smile of a fan that had never seen the man live only to witness the most amazing live music experience left in rock n’ roll.
Or maybe it was that I heard songs that despite all my previous shows, I had never heard before: Streets of Fire, Saint in the City, Loose Ends, Meeting Across the River into Jungleland are you kidding me? That gets sandwiched between She’s The One, Prove it All Night.
But I think that it also has to do with that when you work in the concert industry for a living, the entire thing becomes entirely unemotional and at times very cynical. The days sort of melt together, and when you have a band you really love, you still have to be backstage settling the business instead of being a fan.
Last night, I was a fan. I didn’t pay attention to the clock except to hope against hope that the concert would never end and I wouldn’t go to bed. I didn’t worry about is the artist going on stage late, or is everything going ok?
Last night, I could have been 10 years old again without a care in the world. I had an unabashed ear to ear smile on my face from the time I entered the arena and saw just how close I was, until the house lights came on.
Last night I sang every word of every song like my life depended on it. I hugged my brother, I gave high fives to strangers who said, ” I haven’t heard this song since 1979!”
Last night was perfection in every way (except for replacing Racing in the Streets with My Hometown.) Last night is what every single artist regardless of genre ought to strive for.
Last night I saw the smiles and read the mouths of the band members on stage, and having met a few of them on a few occasions and knowing that they are every bit as grounded and cool as advertised, I could only imagine just how much fun they were having.
Last night I was inspired (again.)
It will never get better than last night.
March 19th, 2008 at 11:22 am
I’ve seen Bruce only once, but it was with E-Street.
Theres something about Fathers and sons and Bruce. My Mother was actually the big Springsteen fan when I was a kid. My Dad was a fan too, no question. But I recall it being Mom as the die hard fan. I got to see the show with both of them, and it’s part of the soundtrack of my childhood too. Not too many bands in the world I would go see with my folks. It’s a testament to the longevity, relevance and timlelessness of the Boss’s tunes. Awe inspiring.
Any Bruce fan who doesnt have the Born to Run box set is missing out. The making of Born to Run DVD includes the entire set from a 1978 E-Street show at the Hammersmith in London. It’s still the most exciting rock show commited to tape, and it’s bizarre to think it was made the same year in which I was born. Some of the songs on that DVD are being played in sold out arenas nationwide still today. Incredible….
March 20th, 2008 at 5:09 am
Springsteen & the E Streeters at Alpine Valley 7-13-84 is still the finest
3 hours of perfomance of music that I have witnessed, and I have seen 100s
of shows. Good to hear that he still brings it live.
March 21st, 2008 at 11:03 am
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
March 17, 2008
Bradley Center – Milwaukee
The E Streeters treated the Milwaukee crowd to a truncated, joyful, roots-laden rock ‘n roll, 2 hour, 40 minute set last night. (“Truncated” for a band famous for its 3 hour plus marathons because Bruce Springsteen chose not to adopt a preacher or carnival barker persona this time round.) Bruce greeted the audience with a “Happy St. Patty’s Day” and the band ripped into “No Surrender” – drummer Max Weinberg bursting out of the chute like a madman – segueing easily into the three guitar powered single from the latest album (Magic) “Radio Nowhere” and an emotional (and turns-out prescient) “Lonesome Day” (“Better ask questions/Before you shoot”) featuring Soozie Tyrell on fiddle.
The first set surprise was “Streets of Fire.” The Boss’ scorching guitar and yelping vocal showed that the intensity of the track from Darkness On The Edge Of Town has lost none of its raw power to grab the listener. “Gypsy Biker” from the new record followed, fueled by the first of the familiar “Mick & Keith” same mic harmonies by Springsteen with “Little” Steven Van Zandt; the track translating very well to the arena rock venue. Lamenting “eight years of trickery,” the title song “Magic” was performed – a powerful number probably lost on the crowd.
An extended harp intro with Van Zandt’s Muddy Waters-ish guitar vamp morphed into a delta blues version of “Reason To Believe.” Then, Roy “The Professor” Bittan strode the black and white keys, barrel housing into an exciting “It’s Hard To Be A Saint In The City,” the Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. Dylan-drenched, seldom heard track in the Springsteen live canon. An obligatory “The Promised Land” followed.
The wallop of “She’s The One,” a classic track from Born To Run, never fades. It is no doubt the timeless Bo Diddley backbeat pushed brilliantly by Bittan and Weinberg, along with bassist Garry W. Talent. And then, of course, the three chord guitar stampede in the song leads to…The Big Man: Clarence Clemons, moving slower on stage, but still providing the sonic range that has made him such a beloved figure in rock ‘n roll history. Naturally, during the course of an E Street live marathon, Clemons steps forward at the most crucial emotional points of the show, and this night would be no exception.
“Livin’ In The Future” has been a staple of this tour, but the song just did not translate well in this particular environment, even with its made-for-audience sing-along chorus – be it the song’s position in the set, Bruce’s wandering the crowd with microphone only or his awkward introduction lamenting “rendition and torture” (mix of applause and groans) and urging the crowd to stand up for the Constitution (thankfully, met with cheers).
“The Promised Land,” as always, delivered, bringing the crowd back full throat. Then, another set rarity – but logical given its lyrical nod to the Badger State. Chanting “Mil -wau-kee” three times and then ordering the band “let’s rock,” the group catapulted into “Cadillac Ranch” from The River.
Most of the band took a deserved break. But Charles Giordano (Danny Federici’s replacement while the venerable keyboardist recovers from cancer treatments) beautifully complimented Springsteen’s closed-eyed rendition of “My Hometown,” aptly followed by a singeing “Devil’s Arcade” (the closing track to Magic) as joined by Tyrell on fiddle and vocals.
The closing four set canon of the concert was the band at its best – snarling guitars, penchant lyrics and driving beat. Anger, hope, despair and faith all color “The Rising, ” “Last To Die,” “Long Walk Home” and “Badlands.” The middle two tunes from Magic more than prove Springsteen’s continued relevance in the top tier of rock ‘n roll writers, blending unique melody with Guthrie social consciousness and Steinbeck character study. The band played brilliantly in this stretch, reflecting its long relationship together and its obvious love of the material given it by its leader. The star during this coda was the E Street secret weapon – guitar savant Nils Lofgren, running the gamut from slide to fretless to picking.
“Loose Ends” was an interesting choice to start the encores. It is a Motownish rarity from the Tracks compilation, with difficult harmony between Springsteen and Van Zandt. The Boss commented that the song “was a special request from Steve” and was met with guarded enthusiasm by the crowd.
And then came one of those moments that only seem to occur on Springsteen tours. While this go-round has granted a couple of rare nods to contemporary artists, allowing them to briefly share the stage – The Arcade Fire and The Hold Steady come to mind (both bands clearly influenced by The Boss) – usually guest spots are reserved for musicians who have influenced Springsteen or are contemporaries from the Jersey bar band days. This particular night, a soon-to-be 78 year old tenured University of Wisconsin professor of the stand-up double bass ambled sheepishly on stage. The host of the Bradley Center throng of approximately 17,000 proceeded to this grey-haired gentleman for his recognized bass masterwork on Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks. But little did anyone know that this – yes the word is apropos – musical legend has also recorded with, among many others, Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Paul Simon, John Lennon, Igor Stavinsky and Leonard Bernstein (http://www.richarddavis.org/bio/vita.htm). Richard Davis is the bassist who laid down the foundation of the seminal Born To Run saga “Meeting Across The River.” The song is a Raymond Chandler-like noir short story packed in a less than three minute jazz-pop package. This night, Davis and Bittan played beautifully over the plaintive, affecting Springsteen vocal.
Naturally, the next track of the now 30 year old (!) Born To Run had to follow: the mini-opera “Jungleland” with its emotional twists and turns led by – in different “acts” – classical piano, driving guitars, wailing jazz saxophone. It will always stand as the perfect E Street moment for this writer.
And then it was back to the roots – Chuck Berry, that is. The Boss revved up “Ramrod” and the crowd was in full party mode. The back and forth of Springsteen and “Miami” Steve is priceless on this number (catch it on the Live From New York City DVD) and this roadhouse blues tears the roof off of the arena. (Although it doesn’t provide the “It’s Boss Time!” shtick, here’s a version from the reunion tour in 1999: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrRb4fwLwwU&feature=related).
The traditional closer on this tour ended the night – a rousing St. Patrick-fied American Land, with Nils and Stevie donning goofy leprechaun hats and Garry sporting oversized shamrock glasses. (Not to mention Charles and The Professor on accordion.) But behind the stomp of the Gaelic beat was the ever-present Springsteen coda: a cry for the inclusion and defense of the common man.
Having warmed up to a crowd from a city that has always rewarded his yeoman’s efforts since his first appearance at the now-gone Uptown Theatre in 1975, Springsteen seemed to be genuinely sorry that the night was ending. But he told the cheering masses that the band would be back “in the summer.” No doubt – with about 70,000 others on the Lake Michigan shore. Thirty years later, Milwaukee still anxiously awaits the next time. (http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Events/105th/celebration_weekend_entertainment.jsp?locale=en_US)