Magic

Sunday evening my Sister-in-Law Lisa and I left halfway through the 3rd quarter of the Browns game for Cleveland. We were heading to see Bruce! Yeah I missed most of a great Browns game, but I listened to it until the last 2 minutes of the game, and then was able to watch the end on a TV that hangs outside the Quaker Steak & Lube at the Q. It was definitely cool to stand there on the street in downtown and watch the Browns win in overtime with a group of people that were already amped up for a Springsteen concert.

This was my second Bruce concert. It was one of the best shows I have ever been to, but paled in comparison to my first time. Everyone knows what a huge KISS fan I am and I've seen them at least 7 times, and they are the greatest show on earth...except for Bruce. What KISS does with amplifiers, theatrics, explosions and pure bombast, Bruce tops with pure energy, heart and the best collection of lyrics and music ever written. I left that first show drained physically, emotionally, and spiritually. That didn't exactly happen this time.

The band was incredible as expected, Clarence Clemons makes me want to learn to play the Sax. They are as a group so incredible together. There is no way to describe the E Street Band music other than pure Rock n' Roll. From The Big Man's Sax crying, to Max hammering the drums to Dan Federici and Roy Brittan on piano/organs to the haunting background vocals of Patti, to the battling guitars of Miami Steve, Nils Lofgren, and the Boss himself there really isn't anything better. It's so obvious how much they love their music and playing it as a unit. As I told Lisa on the way home it's just so cool that all these guys have other things going on in their lives, most notably Steve Van Zandt role on the Soprano's and Max Wienberg's job as band director for Conan O'Brien, But when Bruce Calls up and says, "I've written a E Street Band Album," they drop what they are doing, make a great album, and hit the road like they never stopped touring.

As for the concert itself, I loved the message Bruce is sending out. Yeah, he's pissed about the the current administration, the rights that have been taken away from us, and the needless deaths in Iraq over a lie, but he doesn't make it a negative thing. He is there to inspire, and give hope, not add to the fear that has led us to this point in the first place.

Problem is I like all of the songs I've heard off the new album, I just didn't expect him to play all of them. I wanted to hear the songs I know by heart, that have made me stop and think, and that have altered my life. He also had to hear one of Patti Scialfa's (Bruce's wife) songs. I didn't pay 100.00 for that! Most of the E Street Band members have released solo work but they weren't getting any play. I guess I wouldn't have minded if we got the typical 3 encores but he did only one. Then finished with American Land? I mean I thought it was awesome, but it was from his American Folk Song album the Seger Sessions. There was also no 30 minute story/speech wrapped up nicely in a song. Nor did he do any kind of big introduction of the band.

Highlights were She's the One, Tunnel of Love, It's Hard to be a Saint in the City and probably my favorite was a reworked blues version of Reason to Believe. That is one of the great things about a Springsteen Concert, he will completely change a song not just play it acoustically, but completely rework it. He may even put it to the music of a song by another artist like the Rolling Stones. I also have to mention Lisa's new favorite song Gypsy Biker, check it out on youtube there's a great guitart duel at the end between Bruce and Little Steven.

Okay, so I'll admit I was a little let down, still it was an awesome experience and I will be yelling Bruuuuuuuce! and answering the question, "Is anyone really alive out there?" at the top of my lungs next time he's in town.