by Live Music Head
The joy that erupts over seeing
Bruce Springsteen live in concert
again
begins with the mere thought of
seeing Bruce Springsteen live in concert again.
Just the mere thought of being in the same space as him
when he’s playing his music live,
with his incredibly exciting band,
brings instantaneous joy!
And last Tuesday night at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre,
that joy immediately intensified when
Big Boss Man was heard playing overhead,
and the crowd started cheering
and suddenly Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
appeared on stage,
arriving one by one.
Complete and utter joy!
Complete and utter joy!
And it was so great to see Patti!
Mrs. Springsteen wasn’t at the last few shows I was at,
and she was missed.
For me,
now,
and more than ever before,
it’s very, very important
to have everybody in the Springsteen camp
present and accounted for.
Because the 2016 tour that began in Pittsburgh on Jan 16,
and made stops in Chicago, New York City, Washington
and Newark, New Jersey,
and Newark, New Jersey,
before arriving here in Toronto,
is in support of The Ties That Bind: The River Collection,
a boxed set that was released a couple of months ago.
The release is a celebration in line with the 35th anniversary
of the original River album that was released
in the fall of 1980.
in the fall of 1980.
And most, if not all of the people in the audience
there to hear the people on stage perform it in its entirety,
are most definitely bound.
Springsteen formed a relationship with his audience
many years ago,
and we’ve been with him every step of the journey,
hanging off his every word…
“You sit and wonder just who's gonna stop the rain.
Who'll ease the sadness,
Who'll ease the sadness,
who's gonna quiet your pain.
It's a long dark highway and a thin white line,
connecting baby, your heart to mine.
We're running now,
It's a long dark highway and a thin white line,
connecting baby, your heart to mine.
We're running now,
but darlin’,
we will stand in time to face the ties that bind.
The ties that bind!
Now you can't break the ties that bind.
You can't forsake the ties that bind!”
The ties that bind!
Now you can't break the ties that bind.
You can't forsake the ties that bind!”
When I heard the band would be performing
the entire River album on this tour,
I turned into Arnold Horshack.
the entire River album on this tour,
I turned into Arnold Horshack.
You know,
the smartest Sweathog on Welcome Back, Kotter?
I raised my hand exclaiming, Oh!
Oh, Oh, Oh!
I’m finally gonna hear I Wanna Marry You!
OH MY FUCKING GOD!
That’s Track 5 on Side 2
of that glorious double-vinyl recording,
and the song I wanted to hear the most,
but didn't,
at the Rogers Centre during the 2012 tour.
OH!
JOY!
And extreme gratitude goes out to the friend
who secured my seat for Tuesday’s show.
For the side effects of securing seats at shows today,
is now appropriately called
Bruce Ticket Stress.
And I was certainly experiencing it.
Avid concert-goers are well aware of why
the average rock and roll fan is unable
to secure tickets anymore when they go on sale,
but having read the report on ticketing practices
issued just last week by New York State’s Attorney General,
I discovered the reasons are far worse
than I had realized.
Thus, I didn’t see the Springsteen show in Newark.
Nor does it look like I’ll be seeing the shows
in Buffalo or Auburn Hills either.
in Buffalo or Auburn Hills either.
Or Philadelphia, P.A.
And oh, for the love of Philly!!
That’s the one I want to be at the most.
‘Cuz while there,
‘Cuz while there,
I could finally run up the Rocky steps.
Rocky is my favourite film of all time,
and next to Bruce Springsteen,
Balboa is my perfect man.
Yo, Rocky!!
But perhaps Cleveland,
that town in the state of Ohio where
the phrase Rock ‘n Roll was first coined,
is a possibility.
If I’m lucky.
People!
I really need to see a second show!
For reflecting on what I just experienced
at the ACC,
and on the BS&ESB shows I’ve seen over the years...
it’s a foregone conclusion that I,
like so many other fans,
have a powerful desire and deep need
to try and hold back the tears of joy
that only the magic of Bruce Springsteen can bring,
over and over and over again,
at as many shows as possible.
Yes, yes I do!
Everybody needs something to relate to,
a reason to go out there every day,
a community of like-mindedness to belong to,
with a great leader to help navigate through
this mixed up and sometimes incomprehensible world.
Yes, yes we do!
Before heading into it,
The Boss introduced the album being celebrated
by talking about why he wrote it.
“It’s a record where I was trying to figure out
where I fit in.
My other records were outsider records,
and I wanted to make a record that felt like
life.”
Ahhh!
Ahhhhhhhh!!
Equally as moving was
his introduction to Independence Day…
Bruce Springsteen:
“… the first song I wrote about fathers and sons,” he said.
“… the first song I wrote about fathers and sons,” he said.
“I imagined it as a late night conversation
around the kitchen table between two people,
struggling to understand one another.”
around the kitchen table between two people,
struggling to understand one another.”
Yes, Boss fans worldwide are well aware
of the struggles Bruce had with his daddy.
And he reminded us that the song was about
discovering your parents’ humanity,
discovering your parents’ humanity,
along with the realization that hey,
they once had dreams too!
Bruce Springsteen:
“It’s a song about adult compromises,
and the blessings those compromises brought.”
But everybody’s got a Hungry Heart!
“Got a wife and kids in Baltimore, Jack.
I went out for a ride and I never went back.
Like a river that don't know where it's flowin’,
I took a wrong turn and I just kept goin’.”
I went out for a ride and I never went back.
Like a river that don't know where it's flowin’,
I took a wrong turn and I just kept goin’.”
The sing-a-long song is an audience favourite,
and I always loved that Out in the Street
follows it on the album.
Every time I hear that song...
I’m heading out into the summertime streets,
bursting at the seams with hope
that all my dreams will come true
tonight,
‘cuz I’m dressed in my best dress, darlin’,
and my hair is fixed up just right!
Oh, the memories!
“I work five days a week, girl,
loading crates down on the dock.
I take my hard earned money,
I take my hard earned money,
and meet my girl down on the block.
And Monday when the foreman calls time,
I've already got Friday on my mind!”
And Monday when the foreman calls time,
I've already got Friday on my mind!”
Bruce Springsteen, I Wanna Marry You:
“This is a song of youth, of imagining love,
in all of its glory and in all of its tentativeness.”
Oh my god!
in all of its glory and in all of its tentativeness.”
Oh my god!
I’m finally hearing it,
and hearing it complete with a set of maracas!
Shakin’ three in each hand,
he said:
“It’s not the real thing,
but you’ve got to start some place.”
Oh yes, mister, yes!
I was “imagining bliss, kiss after kiss!”
“I see you walking, baby, down the street,
pushing that baby carriage at your feet.
I see that lonely ribbon in your hair.
Tell me,
pushing that baby carriage at your feet.
I see that lonely ribbon in your hair.
Tell me,
am I the man for whom you put it there?
You never smile girl,
You never smile girl,
you never speak.
You just walk on by, darlin',
You just walk on by, darlin',
week after week.
Raisin’ two kids alone in this mixed up world,
must be a lonely life for a working girl.
Little girl, I wanna marry you.
Oh yeah, little girl, I wanna marry you.
Yes, I do!
Little girl,
Raisin’ two kids alone in this mixed up world,
must be a lonely life for a working girl.
Little girl, I wanna marry you.
Oh yeah, little girl, I wanna marry you.
Yes, I do!
Little girl,
I wanna marry you.”
But no,
‘cuz he shot me.
Point Blank.
Right between the eyes!
Whoa, point blank,
right between the pretty lies,
I fell.
“Point blank.
“Point blank.
You been shot right through the heart.
Yeah, point blank.
Yeah, point blank.
You've been twisted up till you've become
just another part of it.
Point blank.
Point blank.
You're walking in the sights.
Point blank.
Point blank.
Living one false move,
just one false move away.”
Absolutely, god damn right!
“They caught you in their sights.
Point blank.
“They caught you in their sights.
Point blank.
Did you forget how to love, girl?
Did you forget how to fight?
They must have shot you in the head.
'Cause, point blank,
They must have shot you in the head.
'Cause, point blank,
bang bang, baby,
you're dead.”
Bruce Springsteen on Stolen Car:
“This is the first song I wrote about men and women
and it asks the question,
‘If you lose your love,
do you lose yourself?’”
Sometimes.
Hope can cripple,
while waiting for the one who’ll
Drive All Night
just to buy me some shoes.
Oh yea, oh yea!
Ahhhhhhhh!
Oh yea, oh yea!
Ahhhhhhhh!
I still have tasty charms to boot.
And heart.
And soul.
But I'm fifty-fucking-two now,
And soul.
But I'm fifty-fucking-two now,
so, hurry.
Please daddy, please?
Please daddy, please?
H-U-R-R-Y!
"Lying in the heat of the night like prisoners all our lives.
I get shivers down my spine,
and all I wanna do is hold you tight."
"Lying in the heat of the night like prisoners all our lives.
I get shivers down my spine,
and all I wanna do is hold you tight."
Bruce Springsteen:
“The subtext of The River was time.
Time entering your life,
and time slipping away.
And how once you entered your adult life,
your clock starts ticking,
and you have a limited time to do your work,
raise your family,
and try and do something good.”
And the limited time you have to get around the venue
to see other people you know at the show!
Cheers to the friends I managed to find,
and the new friends I met along the way
as I section-hopped around the ACC.
Was easy to move around the venue,
and snap photos from different vantage points,
while never once losing track of each and every note
and each and every word
that spilled from the stage.
Better yet,
I got to, and stayed where I belonged
for the last few songs of The River.
And it was at this point that,
many entertainers would have chosen to play
just one more song,
something upbeat perhaps,
to end it.
But not Bruce Springsteen.
He doesn’t stop until he empties the tank!
So after that Wreck on the Highway,
a 12-song encore followed
which contained THE song that was,
is,
and forever shall be
the most meaningful for me.
The song that I have to say,
as hard as it is to pick just one,
is my overall favourite by Bruce Springsteen.
It’s the song that I wrote out all the lyrics in crayon
ever-so lovingly onto
the wall above my bed,
all them years ago;
the song that kept the hope alive inside,
and the passionate fire burning
when I was a teenager
feeling trapped and going nowhere
in a soul-less suburban town.
It’s the most romantic rock and roll song
ever written…
“The screen door slams, Mary's dress waves.
Like a vision she dances across the porch as the radio plays.
Roy Orbison, singing for the lonely.
Hey, that's me and I want you only!
Don't turn me home again,
I just can't face myself alone again.
Don't run back inside,
Like a vision she dances across the porch as the radio plays.
Roy Orbison, singing for the lonely.
Hey, that's me and I want you only!
Don't turn me home again,
I just can't face myself alone again.
Don't run back inside,
darlin’, you know just what I'm here for.
So you're scared and you're thinking that
So you're scared and you're thinking that
maybe we ain't that young anymore.
Show a little faith,
Show a little faith,
there's magic in the night.
You ain't a beauty,
You ain't a beauty,
but hey,
you're alright!
Oh, and that's alright with me.
You can hide 'neath your covers and study your pain.
Make crosses from your lovers,
Oh, and that's alright with me.
You can hide 'neath your covers and study your pain.
Make crosses from your lovers,
throw roses in the rain.
Waste your summer praying in vain
Waste your summer praying in vain
for a saviour to rise from these streets.
Well now, I'm no hero,
Well now, I'm no hero,
that's understood.
All the redemption I can offer, girl,
All the redemption I can offer, girl,
is beneath this dirty hood.
With a chance to make it good somehow,
hey, what else can we do now?
Except roll down the window
With a chance to make it good somehow,
hey, what else can we do now?
Except roll down the window
and let the wind blow back your hair!
Well the night's bustin' open,
Well the night's bustin' open,
these two lanes will take us anywhere.
We got one last chance to make it real.
To trade in these wings on some wheels!
Climb in back,
We got one last chance to make it real.
To trade in these wings on some wheels!
Climb in back,
Heaven's waiting down on the tracks.
Oh oh, come take my hand.
We’re riding out tonight to case the promised land.
Oh oh oh oh, Thunder Road,
Oh oh, come take my hand.
We’re riding out tonight to case the promised land.
Oh oh oh oh, Thunder Road,
Oh, Thunder Road,
Oh, Thunder Road!
Lying out there like a killer in the sun.
Hey, I know it's late.
Lying out there like a killer in the sun.
Hey, I know it's late.
We can make it if we run.
Oh oh oh oh, Thunder Road!
Oh oh oh oh, Thunder Road!
Sit tight.
Take hold.
Thunder Road!!
Well I got this guitar,
Well I got this guitar,
and I learned how to make it talk.
And my car's out back,
And my car's out back,
if you're ready to take that long walk.
From your front porch to my front seat.
The door's open,
From your front porch to my front seat.
The door's open,
but the ride it ain't free.
And I know you're lonely
And I know you're lonely
for words that I ain't spoken.
Tonight we'll be free,
Tonight we'll be free,
all the promises will be broken.
There were ghosts in the eyes
There were ghosts in the eyes
of all the boys you sent away.
They haunt this dusty beach road
They haunt this dusty beach road
in the skeleton frames of burned-out Chevrolets.
They scream your name at night in the street!
Your graduation gown lies in rags at their feet.
And in the lonely cool before dawn,
you hear their engines roaring on.
But when you get to the porch,
They scream your name at night in the street!
Your graduation gown lies in rags at their feet.
And in the lonely cool before dawn,
you hear their engines roaring on.
But when you get to the porch,
they're gone
on the wind.
So Mary climb in.
It's a town full of losers,
It's a town full of losers,
I'm pulling out of here to win!”
Since the first time I saw The Boss perform live in 1984,
I’ve been supremely blessed to have seen
somethin’ like 30 shows.
All of ‘em oh-so special,
amazing,
and completely unforgettable.
Because when it comes to rock and roll,
Bruce Springsteen’s the real thing.
He gives his all, and always his best.
And the show at the ACC on Tues, Feb 2, 2016,
was right the hell up there
with all his best!
I mean, Jesus God…
Bruce Springsteen is now 66 years old
and he played SHOUT!
to finish us off.
SHOUT!, godammit!
Jesus, God, Mary and Joseph.
S-H-O-U-T!!!
Some time ago,
Springsteen got hold of that call-and-response song
(originally recorded by The Isley Brothers in 1959),
(originally recorded by The Isley Brothers in 1959),
and turned it into one of the most stupendous E Street rockers
to ever be performed live.
I’m not sure when the last time it was played,
but on Tuesday night,
it fucking rocked as much as ever.
It shook the house.
And nothing but pure JOY erupted!
Confirming the already-confirmed.
The greatness that is Bruce Springsteen
NEVER EVER QUITS!
Bold and double-underline that.
And this to:
The Greatest Fucking Rock and Roll Band on Earth is
the James Brown-inspired:
the James Brown-inspired:
Heart-stoppin'!
Pants-droppin'!
Earth-shockin'!
Hard-rockin'!
Booby-shakin'!
Earth-quakin'!
Love-makin'!
Viagra-takin'!
History-makin'!
Testifyin'!
Death-defyin'!
Legendary
E Street Band!
Pants-droppin'!
Earth-shockin'!
Hard-rockin'!
Booby-shakin'!
Earth-quakin'!
Love-makin'!
Viagra-takin'!
History-makin'!
Testifyin'!
Death-defyin'!
Legendary
E Street Band!
After three hours performing non-stop
with no break,
the 66-year old Bruce Springsteen slams 'er with SHOUT!
For shedding about 30 years off my skin yet again,
and completely renewing me, thank you SIR!
I'm renewed
just like that grandmother was, I’m sure,
when she was pulled outta the pit
well into the third hour of the show
to dance with the Boss
(as requested on a sign held up by her family).
Springsteen noticed the sign,
grabbed it and held it in front of the cameras,
pointing to the numbers 8 and 9.
Oh my god,
it was granny’s 89th birthday!
Can you believe it?
89 in the pit!
Jesus.
Now that’s pit JOY!
The Boss patiently waited for her to be pulled up outta the pit
and onto the stage.
A sight to behold.
And I'd bet my life that,
after dancing with him for even only a minute,
that 89-year-old grandmother felt 22.
She prob’ly still does,
and will for some time to come.
‘Cuz that’s what The Boss does for people.
Absolutely, god damn right!
I hope I get pulled outta the pit and up onto his stage
when I’m 89.
The Boss’ll be 103 by then,
but ya know,
likely still hot
and rockin’ harder than ever.
Bruce Springsteen:
“I’m just a prisoner of rock and roooooooll!"
Dancing in the Dark with Bruce Springsteen
and an 89-year old grandmother...
The Set List
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
Air Canada Centre, Toronto
February 2, 2016
Meet Me In The City
The Ties That Bind
Sherry Darling
Jackson Cage
Two Hearts
Independence Day
Hungry Heart
***Out in the Street
Crush on You
You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch)
***I Wanna Marry You
The River
***Point Blank
Cadillac Ranch
I’m a Rocker
Fade Away
Stolen Car
Ramrod
The Price You Pay
***Drive All Night
Wreck on the Highway
The Encores:
Promised Land
She’s The One
Candy’s Room
Because The Night
Brilliant Disguise
The Rising
Thunder Road
Badlands
Born To Run
Dancing in the Dark
Rosalita
SHOUT!! (OMG!)
Photo Credits: Live Music Head
The official website of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band…
