Posted on Sunday 31 August 2008
Set: Gypsy Biker/Out In The Street /Radio Nowhere/The Promised Land/Spirit In The Night/Wooly Bully (Sam The Sham cover)/Darlington County/You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch)/Darkness On The Edge Of Town /Youngstown/Murder Incorporated/She’s The One /Livin’ In The Future /Mary’s Place/Working On The Highway/Racing In The Street/The Rising/Last To Die/Long Walk Home/Badlands
Encore: Seven Nights To Rock/4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)/Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out/Glory Days/Born To Run/Rosalita/Bobby Jean/American Land/Thunder Road/Dancing In The Dark/Born To Be Wild (Steppenwolf cover)
There are few touring acts that inject more of themselves into a performance than Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. Last night the group performed for thousands of Springsteen die hards at the Harley-Davidson Roadhouse along Milwaukee’s Lakefront in celebration of the motorcycle giant’s 105th anniversary.
It’s hard to imagine a more perfect match than The Boss for such an evening. The crowd was a mixture of bikers and everyday curiosity seekers, hoping to put a big exclamation point on both the festivities and the summer season. After 31 songs and just over three and a half hours of music, the only gas left was found in the chrome tanks atop two wheelers taking people home.
Springsteen seized the occasion to curate his set list with road focused numbers, starting out the evening with a most appropriate version of “Gypsy Biker” from his most recent record, Magic, before launching into “Out In The Street.” Using previous Springsteen concerts as past precedent, I’d never see The Boss so animated and in high spirits. The combination of a few days rest, the last day of the tour and a rabid audience lent to a night that I certainly won’t forget anytime soon. Pacing the stage like a caged tiger, Springsteen on many occasions found himself in the first few rows of the crowd, giving fans an up-close experience, he collected signs from the audience and used as a driving force for the set list. One such request was the amusing and blast from the past cover of “Wooly Bully.”
I can honestly say that I can’t remember a better live trio of songs than last night’s “Glory Days,” “Born To Run,” and “Rosalita.” “Born To Run” is a standard and expected, but going into the night the other two were high on my wish list before the show began. With each passing song as the evening neared the three hour mark everyone began to assume the evening was sadly coming to a close. Instead, the band played on. I was certain that “Thunder Road” would send the riders off into the night only to be treated by a gorgeous version of “Dancing In The Dark” and a very welcomed surprise cover of “Born To Be Wild.” A perfect selection to conclude and unforgettable evening.
As we walked along Lakeshore Drive we listened as the thousands of bikers started up their bikes and roared by us one-by-one. It was something to be seen, and it was one of the loudest things I’ve ever heard. The tour is now over, but let last night be a reminder that Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band are not to be missed if your city is graced with their presence.
Video: Bruce Springsteen – “Born To Be Wild” (Harley-Davidson 105th Anniversary)
Myspace: Bruce Springsteen
