Happy Birthday, Mr. Springstreen
- Thread starter BigWill
- Start date
Alex_de_Large
1,000+ Posts
He's like Dylan. You either love him or you hate him. Unless you're from Jersey, where you don't have a choice.
I posted this after seeing him at the Erwin center in April of 09:
Saw Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band last night.
I took my lovely 30 year old daughter.
Great energy from The Boss and The E Street Band.
"Jungleland," "10th Avenue Freeze Out," "Badlands," "Born to Run", "The Rising," "Because the Night," "The Wrestler" and "Glory Days" were the highlights for me.
I would have especially enjoyed hearing "Fire" and "I'm on Fire," but The Boss' flame burned brightly, or at least smoldered, enough all evening to please me.
The band was powerful and tight considering this tour had just begun.
Twelve people on stage, including Bruce.
There were two major musical glitches that I noticed:
One, probably an unexpected song choice, "I'm a Rocker" was started by one guitarist in the wrong key.
That surprised me since almost all Bruce's songs are in the same one.
I couldn't see who made that mistake from my seat, only heard it.
And Bruce "invented a new ending," as he put it, for another song.
I can't remember which of the 28 songs played that happened on.
Roy Bittan's sound on piano was distorted occasionally, usually when he was playing those rising right hand octaves very hard.
He's arguably the best musician in the band, so I wish his expressive tone had always been given more headroom.
He essentially frames the band's music with his handwork, however he was almost always mixed a bit too loud for me.
But that's probably exactly how The Boss likes it.
Clarence Clemons, who's a year older than my own six and a half decades, is a solid, solid rock on sax and percussion, smiling at what's happening and singing backup vocals; he gets all the respect and deference from Bruce and the audience that his talent and seniority deserve.
His few movements on stage, during this three hour concert, increasingly looked as painful and tiresome to him as my too frequent trips up and down the steep mezzanine stairs for beer or urinary relief were to myself, while the evening wore on.
But the Big Man was always there and ready, though he often sat on a stool, playing and singing backup (six people sang on backup vocals) whenever he was needed.
I understand about sitting on a stool at work and during a gig, because do it myself.
His beautifully familiar, poignant sax solo on "Jungleland" was the most expressive offering in this concert for me; it rose, curling like swirling smoke above the backing musical embers.
Clemons' rousing contributions got the most audience response of any of the backing musician's efforts..
Nils Lofgren's virtuoso guitar work on "Youngstown" was also spectacular.
And the female violinist, who also played guitar, percussion and sang stood out also.
Bruce is 59 himself, but he impressively gave his very considerable all, including his signature knee slide across the stage, plus touching, making eye contact with and pointing at a good portion of the sold out Erwin Center audience.
He collected the signs (and a gum wrapper) that people had at the stage front and chose two of his six encore songs, "I'm a Rocker" and "Sherry Darling" from what was written on them.
Not to forget "the guy from the Sopranos," who always stands just to Bruce's stage left as his right hand man, playing guitar and occasionally singing into the same mic as Joe Perry does with Steven Tyler and Keith does with Mick.
Steven Van Zandt kept having problems with a guitar and had to confer with his tech about it repeatedly and one time Springsteen noticed the thespian mobster had gone to the mattresses.
.
Meanwhile, Max Weinberg began an introductory drum roll and was still pounding along alone, waiting for Bruce to "One, Two....One, Two, Three, Four" the other band members to start.
Bruce called out "Steve, Steve" over his microphone a bunch of times and the missing guitarist ambled back onstage, finally rescuing Max from his rather extended rudimentary rendition and the song began.
Max sailed through all that like the "unstoppable force" he is and that's exactly how The Boss introduced his drummer later.
Weinberg is a fast flurry of arm motion as he plays his economically constituted set of four drums, hi hat and just two other cymbals.
He sounds and looks like a better dressed Bun E. Carlos from Cheap Trick, his upright shoulders contrasting with what I ecall as Ringo's stooped posture.
Many other rock concert drummers are not as visible, somewhat hidden behind their own massive sets, which often have so many drums and cymbals and they must also constantly turn their torsos to reach them.
Max is very easy to see, stoically and attentively perched up there, and his style of percussive power with a purpose reminds me of Buddy Rich or Joey Kramer of Aerosmith.
He's capable of subtlety if Bruce requires it, but tastefully beating the hell out of his simple kit is what I expect he'll be remembered for.
There's very little improvisation at a Springsteen concert, unless Bruce changes the set list as I believe he did a few times last night.
Everything the musicians play is much the same every time, I'll bet, although songs can evolve during a tour.
The stage movements are pretty much pre-planned too and I believe Springsteen said little that he doesn't or won't always say, though he did personalize this evening by mentioning the Austin food bank, letting a little girl sing some of "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" over his mic and reminiscing about playing the Armadillo World Headquarters.
He certainly knew where he was and said Austin was special to him and I believe he meant it.
I believe he probably means everything he does and says onstage and in the public eye.
And I find him a vivid describer of things he's observed and writes songs about.
He asked if anyone else was at that Armadillo World Headquarters show 35 years ago,
And I raised my hand, but I don't think he saw me.
At either show.
We walked out, carrying our T-shirts, sated and satisfied with Springsteen's songs and energy.
I dropped five bucks in a jar for the food bank.
Just because The Boss is the man and he and his band kick ***.
Bruce Springsteen's never been a favorite of mine; I like Bob Seger more for story-telling songwriting and passionate auditorium rock backed by double digits of musicians onstage.
But I certainly appreciate Bruce's drive, his talent, his longevity, his growth and integrity as an artist and his immense performing and communication skills.
And I definitely recognize and admire his raw energy and the power of The E Street Band.
However, when Jon Landau wrote in the Rolling Stone back in 1974, "I saw rock and roll's future and it's name is Bruce Springsteen," I thought he was overstating then and I still have that personal opinion.
But, I think Bruce has certainly been a nice part of rock and roll's past, present and futureand I still find him to be vibrant, relevant, inspired and dominant.
I still play gigs myself and when I'm weary and dreary, still wearing that same old stage dress and need a little tenderness, especially when I'm loading up all my amps, speakers and stuff after a show is over, I'll think of The Boss standing, strumming, swaggering, smiling, stomping, sliding, sweating, singing and shouting, just as he did last night.
And that'll pick me up, prop me up, pep me up and help pull me though.
Saw Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band last night.
I took my lovely 30 year old daughter.
Great energy from The Boss and The E Street Band.
"Jungleland," "10th Avenue Freeze Out," "Badlands," "Born to Run", "The Rising," "Because the Night," "The Wrestler" and "Glory Days" were the highlights for me.
I would have especially enjoyed hearing "Fire" and "I'm on Fire," but The Boss' flame burned brightly, or at least smoldered, enough all evening to please me.
The band was powerful and tight considering this tour had just begun.
Twelve people on stage, including Bruce.
There were two major musical glitches that I noticed:
One, probably an unexpected song choice, "I'm a Rocker" was started by one guitarist in the wrong key.
That surprised me since almost all Bruce's songs are in the same one.
I couldn't see who made that mistake from my seat, only heard it.
And Bruce "invented a new ending," as he put it, for another song.
I can't remember which of the 28 songs played that happened on.
Roy Bittan's sound on piano was distorted occasionally, usually when he was playing those rising right hand octaves very hard.
He's arguably the best musician in the band, so I wish his expressive tone had always been given more headroom.
He essentially frames the band's music with his handwork, however he was almost always mixed a bit too loud for me.
But that's probably exactly how The Boss likes it.
Clarence Clemons, who's a year older than my own six and a half decades, is a solid, solid rock on sax and percussion, smiling at what's happening and singing backup vocals; he gets all the respect and deference from Bruce and the audience that his talent and seniority deserve.
His few movements on stage, during this three hour concert, increasingly looked as painful and tiresome to him as my too frequent trips up and down the steep mezzanine stairs for beer or urinary relief were to myself, while the evening wore on.
But the Big Man was always there and ready, though he often sat on a stool, playing and singing backup (six people sang on backup vocals) whenever he was needed.
I understand about sitting on a stool at work and during a gig, because do it myself.
His beautifully familiar, poignant sax solo on "Jungleland" was the most expressive offering in this concert for me; it rose, curling like swirling smoke above the backing musical embers.
Clemons' rousing contributions got the most audience response of any of the backing musician's efforts..
Nils Lofgren's virtuoso guitar work on "Youngstown" was also spectacular.
And the female violinist, who also played guitar, percussion and sang stood out also.
Bruce is 59 himself, but he impressively gave his very considerable all, including his signature knee slide across the stage, plus touching, making eye contact with and pointing at a good portion of the sold out Erwin Center audience.
He collected the signs (and a gum wrapper) that people had at the stage front and chose two of his six encore songs, "I'm a Rocker" and "Sherry Darling" from what was written on them.
Not to forget "the guy from the Sopranos," who always stands just to Bruce's stage left as his right hand man, playing guitar and occasionally singing into the same mic as Joe Perry does with Steven Tyler and Keith does with Mick.
Steven Van Zandt kept having problems with a guitar and had to confer with his tech about it repeatedly and one time Springsteen noticed the thespian mobster had gone to the mattresses.
Meanwhile, Max Weinberg began an introductory drum roll and was still pounding along alone, waiting for Bruce to "One, Two....One, Two, Three, Four" the other band members to start.
Bruce called out "Steve, Steve" over his microphone a bunch of times and the missing guitarist ambled back onstage, finally rescuing Max from his rather extended rudimentary rendition and the song began.
Max sailed through all that like the "unstoppable force" he is and that's exactly how The Boss introduced his drummer later.
Weinberg is a fast flurry of arm motion as he plays his economically constituted set of four drums, hi hat and just two other cymbals.
He sounds and looks like a better dressed Bun E. Carlos from Cheap Trick, his upright shoulders contrasting with what I ecall as Ringo's stooped posture.
Many other rock concert drummers are not as visible, somewhat hidden behind their own massive sets, which often have so many drums and cymbals and they must also constantly turn their torsos to reach them.
Max is very easy to see, stoically and attentively perched up there, and his style of percussive power with a purpose reminds me of Buddy Rich or Joey Kramer of Aerosmith.
He's capable of subtlety if Bruce requires it, but tastefully beating the hell out of his simple kit is what I expect he'll be remembered for.
There's very little improvisation at a Springsteen concert, unless Bruce changes the set list as I believe he did a few times last night.
Everything the musicians play is much the same every time, I'll bet, although songs can evolve during a tour.
The stage movements are pretty much pre-planned too and I believe Springsteen said little that he doesn't or won't always say, though he did personalize this evening by mentioning the Austin food bank, letting a little girl sing some of "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" over his mic and reminiscing about playing the Armadillo World Headquarters.
He certainly knew where he was and said Austin was special to him and I believe he meant it.
I believe he probably means everything he does and says onstage and in the public eye.
And I find him a vivid describer of things he's observed and writes songs about.
He asked if anyone else was at that Armadillo World Headquarters show 35 years ago,
And I raised my hand, but I don't think he saw me.
At either show.
We walked out, carrying our T-shirts, sated and satisfied with Springsteen's songs and energy.
I dropped five bucks in a jar for the food bank.
Just because The Boss is the man and he and his band kick ***.
Bruce Springsteen's never been a favorite of mine; I like Bob Seger more for story-telling songwriting and passionate auditorium rock backed by double digits of musicians onstage.
But I certainly appreciate Bruce's drive, his talent, his longevity, his growth and integrity as an artist and his immense performing and communication skills.
And I definitely recognize and admire his raw energy and the power of The E Street Band.
However, when Jon Landau wrote in the Rolling Stone back in 1974, "I saw rock and roll's future and it's name is Bruce Springsteen," I thought he was overstating then and I still have that personal opinion.
But, I think Bruce has certainly been a nice part of rock and roll's past, present and futureand I still find him to be vibrant, relevant, inspired and dominant.
I still play gigs myself and when I'm weary and dreary, still wearing that same old stage dress and need a little tenderness, especially when I'm loading up all my amps, speakers and stuff after a show is over, I'll think of The Boss standing, strumming, swaggering, smiling, stomping, sliding, sweating, singing and shouting, just as he did last night.
And that'll pick me up, prop me up, pep me up and help pull me though.
crazyquiverlips
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