Music: Yes He Can
On stage, Bruce Springsteen kills cynicism and replaces it with hope
BY Gregory Gaston | Posted 03/19/2008
Do you remember your first concert experience? Unfortunately, I do, though I've been able to get past it with therapy.
Coming of age in the late '70s and early '80s, my buddies and I carpooled our way to Riverfront Coliseum downtown to see Boston, that year's new sensation. After the smoke and dry ice cleared, lighters flashed, joints flared, "Peace of Mind" was played by rote, and one whole hour crept by, the show was over. This was it? Even a 16-year-old knows when he's been cheated.
This was the era of Corporate Rock (maybe that describes every era?) when bands like Journey, REO Speedwagon, Foreigner, etc., swarmed down like carrion and showed us what it means to rock. That is if Rock means generic mediocrity, flashy sets, Rock Star posing and clich/s run amuck. It was a rough way to start my obsession and love with music, I admit.
Luckily for my sake, my frustration with that music scene soon ended. It wasn't Punk that saved me (like every other cultural import, that came a little later to the Midwest). No, it was a Rock & Roll, gospel-fevered, soul-shaking revival disguised as a Rock band: introducing Mr. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, barnstorming their way through the Queen City on The River tour.
Let me put it this way: Before that epic show, I was not even a fan, and afterward I was a fervent believer not just in Bruce but in music and its inspirational possibilities. Three hours and 45 minutes of call-and-response testifying, sweaty stomping, dancing in the aisles, house-light partying, emotion-pouring and balls-out rocking will do that to a person. We emptied out onto Second Street, exhausted but ecstatic. I had to wring out my clothes I was so wet. And hoarse from shouting.
Looking back, I have to say that in a not-so-small way that experience changed my life. Some people get that kind of juice from religion, but growing up Catholic on the West Side, I only felt bored in church. Not many things in life can give you a sustained adrenaline rush flushed through with communal spirit, the transcendent feeling that life is meant to be lived right now and that it could be good. Bruce could, though. And still can.
Maybe it's not so strange that Springsteen still brings out extreme reactions in people. From his marathon shows to his persona, he is a bit over-the-top, almost too good to be true. Few people feel lukewarm toward him you either inhale his brand of Kool-Aid in crazy gulps and swear by your loyalty to him or you have never forgiven him for becoming a household name with Born in the USA and leaving his cult behind to embrace the world. Or worse, maybe you never quite "got" the whole Bruce phenomenon at all.
I'm always suspect of friends who aren't Springsteen fans. There is a dividing line in the parking lot. Because what that translates to me is you don't believe music can be transformative, can change whole perspectives, if not lives. If you've ever seen Bruce in concert, you know that's his goal, nothing less. He inspires as if his life depends on it. His shows can actually spoil other concerts for you, they're that potent.
He used to call himself a "prisoner of Rock & Roll" as he leapt off the speakers and dropped to his knees in encores (borrowing a few moves from James Brown) right before he was dragged off the stage only to run back on for another raucous round. And you believed him. When you witness his off-the-charts, wholehearted commitment, it makes you question your own ethics and values, whether to music, to a job or to a lover. Am I giving all I can? What more can I do?
In our cynical age of irony and insincerity, passion has become a rare commodity. We prefer to detach ourselves from experience and revel in our cool quotient. Unlike Bob Dylan or Neil Young, a few of his only peers, Springsteen has rarely been the hip artist since the '70s. That's why it's common to see parents bringing their kids (or vice-versa) to his shows to trigger the conversion. You have to start somewhere. And that usually does it.
Maybe more than any other star in Rock history, Bruce eliminates the distance between the performer and the audience. It's easy to feel he really is one of us, despite his talent and bank account. And no one has more fun at one of his shows than Bruce himself with his illegal grin and exuberance, he possesses the uncanny gift of making you glad you're alive.
Bruce still releases great records and some not-so-great ones. He's still one of our best songwriters. For my money, Magic is his finest release since the '80s. It's cohesive without being slick, has a handful of great songs and, best yet, Springsteen's gritty soul breathes through the whole project. His previous release, The Rising, on the other hand, despite good intentions connected to 9/11, felt overproduced and bombastic, a familiar criticism of his lesser work and much of his '90s output.
Truth be told, though, Springsteen's worth will be measured in decades to come by his legendary charisma and prowess onstage. Blend the best bits of Dylan and Elvis, and he's not far off. I've seen him at least once every tour since I was a teenager long ago, and I'm here to tell you there still isn't anyone like him even at 59 years old.
Here is another article from Dayton.
Unfortunately my hometown is not on board- Not one article in the paper as of yet! After all OSU is forced to play in the old St John's Arena (NIT Tournament) that night, since Bruce has confiscated the Schott!
Springsteen A to Z
An alphabetical tribute to 'The Boss' | Quiz | Rock star illustrations
Click-2-Listen
By Mary McCarty
Staff Writer
Friday, March 21, 2008
Where to begin about Broooce, my rock 'n' roll idol for 30-years-plus?
"Write a brief introduction about what it's like to be a Springsteen disciple," instructed my editor for this story.
I laughed at both the absurdity and the aptness of the phrase. We're a fanatical bunch, willing to drive all night, traverse the tundra and cross the desert to see our hero. No, we're not Deadheads (though a friend once accused me of being a "Spring-head.") We hold jobs, we pay our bills, we don't sell empanadas from portable grills.
But many of us have lost count of how many concerts we've seen. For me it's more than 40, and counting, since I first saw him at Miami University's Millett Hall on Oct. 10, 1976. I was a goner from the minute he leapt into the audience during the opening bars of "Spirit in the Night," allowing himself to be held aloft by the crowd and tossed around like a beach ball. Before long he abandoned that risky practice, but it remains symbolic of the wholeheartedness and intensity with which he gives himself to his audience.
Since that moment, I have managed to memorize my Springsteen from A to Z:
A is for Asbury Park — the Jersey boardwalk town that Springsteen made famous. The cover of his 1972 first album, "Greetings from Asbury Park," is still sold as a postcard there.
B is for "The Boss" — a nickname Springsteen earned when he started doling out the paychecks to his band members in the early '70s. B is also for "Brooooce" — the moose call that fans make before and after performances. It is not to be confused with boos, though it often has been by disgruntled musicians who had the misfortune to share a bill with him.
"B" is also for "Born to Run," his 1975 breakthrough record, as well as 1984's "Born in the USA," which vaulted him to an exhilarating, yet sometimes-uncomfortable, superstardom. Another fabulous "B" — keyboardist Roy Bittan — remembered it this way: "The whole thing was dreamlike, because everyone's dreams were coming true. We all wanted to be in the biggest rock band in the world, and we were."
C is for saxophonist Clarence Clemons, aka "the Big Man," "the King of the World, the Master of the Universe" — the Boss' No. 1 sidekick. He has slowed down since the days he would slide across the stage like Pete Rose at the end of his "Jungleland" solo. But the Big Man's camaraderie with his Boss still constitutes a big part of the magic of a Springsteen concert.
D is for Bob Dylan, an artist Springsteen revered despite his distaste for being dubbed "the new Dylan." Springsteen inducted Dylan into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, noting there had never been any need for a "new" Dylan: "He broke through the limitations of what a recording artist could achieve, and changed the face of rock 'n' roll forever."
E is for the E Street Band. Enough said.
F is for keyboardist Danny Federici, who has played with Springsteen since the two met in 1968 and joined the E Street Band at its inception in 1972. He left the "Magic" tour in November to undergo treatment for melanoma. He is reportedly doing well and planning to rejoin the band later in this leg of the tour. "We are really brothers and we are there for each other," Federici has said — a notion Springsteen seconded when he penned the song "Blood Brothers" for his longtime bandmates.
"F" is also for the Fender Esquire, Springsteen's electric guitar.
G is for "Glory Days," the "Born in the USA" hit single written as a parody of nostalgia.
It is an un-ironic, euphoric fan favorite in concert.
H is for Hara Arena, where Springsteen performed as an opening act in 1972, during his one and only appearance in the Dayton area. (According to published reports, it was his second tour date ever.) My friend, Dennis Kiel, recalled of that concert: "I don't remember Bruce's performance as being all that exciting. Bruce — sporting a scraggly looking beard and white tank top — sang and played his guitar for the most part directly in front of his microphone." Fortunately, Kiel, now a big Springsteen fan, gave him a second chance.
I is for Jimmy Iovine, the engineer/producer who helped to create the signature sound of classic American rockers such as Springsteen and Tom Petty.
J is for Jessica Rae, Springsteen's only daughter and the second of his three children with Patti Scialfa. Oldest son Evan is 17; youngest child Sam is 14. Of becoming a parent Springsteen once said, "You're afraid to love something so much, you're afraid to be that in love."
K is for Kid Leo, the Cleveland disc jockey (WMMS-FM, natch) credited with helping Springsteen gain popularity outside of New Jersey. His real name is Lawrence James Travagliante; who knew?
L is for Springsteen's legendary live performances — not quite at their peak of four-hour-plus marathons, but still well more than two hours long during the current "Magic" tour.
"L" is also for guitarist Nils Lofgren, a noted artist in his own right, who joined the E Street Band in 1984. His diminutive size is more than compensated by his outsized guitar-playing.
M is for "Magic," the acclaimed 2007 album as well as the concert tour making its way to Cincinnati and Columbus this week.
N is for "Nebraska," the stark 10-track demo tape that Springsteen released as an album in 1982. Various recording artists, including Johnny Cash, put together a Nebraska tribute album in 2000.
O is for the great Roy Orbison, one of Springsteen's most obvious musical influences, to whom the songwriter paid tribute on "Thunder Road": "Roy Orbison singing for the lonely/Hey that's me and I want you only."
P is for Patti Scialfa, the "Jersey Girl" and gifted singer-songwriter who has been Springsteen's bandmate since 1985 and his wife since 1991. She joined the E Street Band in 1984, but romance didn't blossom until the 1987 Tunnel of Love tour.
Q is for "Quarter to Three" — the rousing Gary U.S. Bonds song often employed as an E Street encore.
R is for "Rosalita" — everybody's favorite encore. It's a rambling eight-minute track from his second album, "The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle." Springsteen sometimes introduces the song by saying the rock-star gig is only an excuse to tour the country searching for his lost love: "So Rosie, if you're out there, come on out!"
S is for Sha Na Na, for whom Springsteen performed as an opening act at Hara Arena. Springsteen's fame was so nonexistent that a Dayton Daily News ad billed him as Rick Springsteen, probably confusing him with Rick Springfield, who had a hit that year with "Speak to the Sky."
T is for Garry W. Tallent, E Street bass player since 1973. At his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 1999, Springsteen praised Tallent as "a rock 'n' roll aficionado whose quiet dignity graced my band and graced my life."
U is for The Upstage, the Asbury Park club where Springsteen performed in the late '60s with his band, the Steel Mill. Recalled Federici, "I had never seen anything like him."
V is for E Street guitarist "Miami Steve" Van Zandt, aka "Little Steven," a rock 'n' roll Renaissance man who also starred as Silvio Dante in "The Sopranos." He is also host of the nationally syndicated radio show "Little Steven's Underground Garage." The hyperactive guitarist, sporting his trademark bandanna, forms an essential part of the band's onstage synergy.
W is for the "Mighty Max" Weinberg, E Street drummer since 1974, who serves as bandleader for "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" when not touring with Springsteen. The Jersey native found his first gigs playing in a bar mitzvah band. He joined the E Street Band after answering a "drummer wanted" ad in The Village Voice.
X is for "X-Man," a homeless character in the song "Balboa Park" from the 1995 album "The Ghost of Tom Joad," featuring the lyrics: "They stretched the blankets out 'neath the freeway/And each one took a name/There was X-Man and Cochise ..." You didn't think I'd be stumped by a little letter like X, did you? The Springsteen oeuvre boasts such a cast of colorful characters, from Crazy Janey to Madam Marie to Killer Joe, it's no challenge to find someone with this troublesome letter.
Y is for "Youngstown," a lament to the loss of factory jobs in Ohio. Springsteen pointedly included it in his set list during his 2004 "Vote for Change" tour, when he teamed up with other musicians to campaign for John Kerry.
Z is for the excessive zeal that Springsteen fans are known to exhibit for their hero.
Except me, of course. My devotion is perfectly rational and reasonable.
And I'm sure my real boss will understand why I need to take off next week.
Broooce is in town, after all.
21st March 2008 09:47 AM
Gazza
You're on a roll.
Great news about Danny Federici's return. Amazing setlist too last night - but whats wrong with Indianapolis that a major rock artist can only half fill the place? No wonder the Stones havent been there since about 1994 either.
Think I read that NYC Serenade was soundchecked yesterday as well. Maybe you'll get it at your show.
How can you tell?!!
And Gazza..don't get my expectations up for NYC Serenade!!
It will be a madhouse on campus on Monday. With the NIT Basketball tournament that night and students back from spring break. And then there is the whole PIT thing..and the luck of the draw! With 2 previous successes under my belt, what are the odds of another PIT experience?!!
Oh well..it's Broooce
21st March 2008 10:02 AM
PartyDoll MEG
quote:Gazza wrote:
You're on a roll.
Great news about Danny Federici's return. Amazing setlist too last night - but whats wrong with Indianapolis that a major rock artist can only half fill the place? No wonder the Stones havent been there since about 1994 either.
Think I read that NYC Serenade was soundchecked yesterday as well. Maybe you'll get it at your show.
Gazza..this is the Midwest. How many times do I have to tell you!! It is the Hot bed of country music and full of conservative Americans who don't appreciate rock stars who spout off politics.
21st March 2008 10:05 AM
SweetVirginia
The Heartland is a tough audience for musicians who fancy themselves to be expert geopolitical lecturers.
Has he gotten booed during that portion of the show?
21st March 2008 10:15 AM
PartyDoll MEG
quote:SweetVirginia wrote:
The Heartland is a tough audience for musicians who fancy themselves to be expert geopolitical lecturers.
Has he gotten booed during that portion of the show?
He wasn't booed in Cleveland. And he is pretty savvy, SV! I'm sure he will lighten his commentary if his crowd isn't into it. But then, who knows..we might fill the arena with an audience of diehard fans, which would be great. You know Bruce has a contingent of fans that follow him around to rival the Stones fanatics!
21st March 2008 10:45 AM
GotToRollMe
This is why I stay far, far away from "Middle America." It's like a whole other country out there, Gaz. I'm gettin' douche chills just thinkin' about it.
As for the soundcheck of "NYC Serenade"... I'll keep my fingers, toes, and any other available body parts crossed for ya, MEG!
21st March 2008 11:48 AM
Ade
fingers crossed, you get a great show, Meg!
21st March 2008 12:00 PM
glencar
>>>This was the era of Corporate Rock (maybe that describes every era?) when bands like Journey, REO Speedwagon, Foreigner, etc., swarmed down like carrion and showed us what it means to rock. That is if Rock means generic mediocrity, flashy sets, Rock Star posing and clich/s run amuck. It was a rough way to start my obsession and love with music...<<<
Actually, young Gaston was the carrion & the bands were vultures which "swarmed down" to pick at the remains. I guess basic metaphors are not being taught at j school these days...sad sad sad...
21st March 2008 12:02 PM
glencar
quote:SweetVirginia wrote:
The Heartland is a tough audience for musicians who fancy themselves to be expert geopolitical lecturers.
Has he gotten booed during that portion of the show?
SV, he got booed at Nassau by some. I actually just kept quiet as I didn't want to waste time with politics since I had a curfew already set.
22nd March 2008 01:23 AM
sweetcharmedlife
quote:PartyDoll MEG wrote:
He wasn't booed in Cleveland. And he is pretty savvy, SV! I'm sure he will lighten his commentary if his crowd isn't into it. But then, who knows..we might fill the arena with an audience of diehard fans, which would be great. You know Bruce has a contingent of fans that follow him around to rival the Stones fanatics!
I know this doesn't need to be said. But I'll do it anyway. Have a great show MEG. Kick some ass,ya know Bruce will and we look forward to your review.....
As for NYC Serenade,I'm starting to smell a rat. It was on the list of 20 songs that a local radio station put up for a vote for his San Jose show. Just an excuse to play it/radio station stunt? Wahtever, just play the fucking thing.
22nd March 2008 09:48 AM
Mel Belli
quote:glencar wrote:
>>>This was the era of Corporate Rock (maybe that describes every era?) when bands like Journey, REO Speedwagon, Foreigner, etc., swarmed down like carrion and showed us what it means to rock. That is if Rock means generic mediocrity, flashy sets, Rock Star posing and clich/s run amuck. It was a rough way to start my obsession and love with music...<<<
Actually, young Gaston was the carrion & the bands were vultures which "swarmed down" to pick at the remains. I guess basic metaphors are not being taught at j school these days...sad sad sad...
Good catch. ... He may not know how to write -- "generic mediocrity"! -- but at least he's immune to "corporate rock."
22nd March 2008 10:07 AM
fireontheplatter
quote:PartyDoll MEG wrote:
Maybe more than any other star in Rock history, Bruce eliminates the distance between the performer and the audience. It's easy to feel he really is one of us, despite his talent and bank account. And no one has more fun at one of his shows than Bruce himself with his illegal grin and exuberance, he possesses the uncanny gift of making you glad you're alive.
great paragraph...well put.
22nd March 2008 10:46 AM
sweetcharmedlife
quote:Gazza wrote:
You're on a roll.
Great news about Danny Federici's return. Amazing setlist too last night - but whats wrong with Indianapolis that a major rock artist can only half fill the place? No wonder the Stones havent been there since about 1994 either.
Think I read that NYC Serenade was soundchecked yesterday as well. Maybe you'll get it at your show.
Gazza where was NYC Serenade soundchecked? In Indianapolis?
22nd March 2008 12:00 PM
PartyDoll MEG
The latest...
22nd March 2008 12:09 PM
PartyDoll MEG
I found a few Omaha PIT photos, Joey. Do you see yourself?
22nd March 2008 02:09 PM
Gazza
quote:sweetcharmedlife wrote:
Gazza where was NYC Serenade soundchecked? In Indianapolis?
I think so.
22nd March 2008 03:36 PM
Starbuck
meg!
i missed my show...too much work! as pennance, i went out last night and, in addition to season 3 of Battlestar Galactica, bought "greetings form asbury park". i shall pop it in tonight when i get home from work.
did i tell you that bruce bought up both jetglo rickenbackers at the vintage guitar store here in st paul? bastard. i had my eye on one of them.
22nd March 2008 03:57 PM
PartyDoll MEG
quote:Starbuck wrote:
meg!
i missed my show...too much work! as pennance, i went out last night and, in addition to season 3 of Battlestar Galactica, bought "greetings form asbury park". i shall pop it in tonight when i get home from work.
did i tell you that bruce bought up both jetglo rickenbackers at the vintage guitar store here in st paul? bastard. i had my eye on one of them.
Go see him at the Harley Davidson Anniversary in Milwaukee Aug 30th, Bucky!! Don't miss him. You do need a life altering experience. By the way..why isn't your tribute band playing there? And STOP working so damn hard!!
[Edited by PartyDoll MEG]
22nd March 2008 06:54 PM
Joey
quote:PartyDoll MEG wrote:
I found a few Omaha PIT photos, Joey. Do you see yourself?
Meg .................................
I am wearing a blue shirt and look ' all sweaty ' from dancing throughout the gig . Please provide a few more photos --- I am a bit closer to the stage but right in front of Bruce and Little Steven .
Bless You
'kins
22nd March 2008 07:07 PM
PartyDoll MEG
Joey..sorry but there aren't that many. Here is one from behind the stage
Oh Thank you, Voodoo. Hope that was for me cause I am using it!!
22nd March 2008 07:31 PM
VoodooChileInWOnderl
I have the original of that one... I scanned the one posted above back in 1998 or 1999 in a low resolution, tipycal back then.
IN the meantime...
22nd March 2008 09:16 PM
GotToRollMe
quote:VoodooChileInWOnderl wrote:
I have the original of that one... I scanned the one posted above back in 1998 or 1999 in a low resolution, tipycal back then.
IN the meantime...
I need oxygen!
22nd March 2008 09:39 PM
PartyDoll MEG
Cincy tonight...Christ I hope he leaves something for Monday! These BTX setlist callers are amateurs compared to us
1. Darlington County
2. Radio Nowhere
3. Lonesome Day
4. Gypsy Biker
5. Magic
6. Reason to Believe
7. Candy's Room
8. Prove it All Night
9. She's the One
10. Livin' in the Future
11. The Promised Land
12. Be True
13. LOST IN THE FLOOD
14. Devil's Arcade
15. The Rising
16. Last to Die
17. Long Walk Home
18. Badlands
19. GLORY DAYS
20. Born To Run
21. Dancing in the Dark
22. American Land
23. Kitty's Back
[Edited by PartyDoll MEG]
23rd March 2008 01:16 AM
Joey
quote:PartyDoll MEG wrote:
Joey..sorry but there aren't that many. Here is one from behind the stage
Meg ..............................
You can see your kins from this photo .
I am RIGHT between Bruce & Lil' Steven ... about three / four rows of humans back from the stage -- Blue Shirt -- Black Hair -- VERY slight bald spot up top and devishily handsome ( .. kinda sweaty though )
I remain ...... forever ...... your kins .
'kins, Est. 1999 and loved by EVERYONE !!!!!
.....
[ cc: 'kins ]
[Edited by Joey]
23rd March 2008 08:44 AM
PartyDoll MEG
Ouch...(www.backstreets.com)
MARCH 22: RACING THROUGH THE SET
A disappointing night in Cincinnati, a far cry from the exuberant, adrenalized performance in Indy just two nights ago. Not that adrenaline was in short supply tonight -- you might actually consider it the culprit. Springsteen took the band through the show at such a breakneck pace, they had barely passed the two-hour mark by the time "American Land" was through. That's not just clock-watching -- it was sorely felt in the performance, with hardcore fans in the crowd wondering all night, "What the... Why is he racing through this?" Pacing within songs, pacing between songs, very little talk... was there a plane to catch?
Even Bruce seemed to know that the freight train went off the tracks: after "American Land," with the house lights up and the crew already starting to break things down, he came back out with the band. ("The Boss Sneak," as he used to call it.) Springsteen said something about the show being too short, and fans surged into the pit as they got a bonus "Kitty's Back." Still, as one put it, "the damage had been done."
There's a good chance that, if this was your only show, you wouldn't feel this way at all. And at least on paper, it would look to be a fine night with lots of setlist shake-ups: "Darlington County" to open, audibles of "Prove It All Night" (with a killer solo from Nils) and "Be True," and the tour premieres of "Glory Days" and "Lost in the Flood." The latter was no doubt a big highlight of the show. Crowd was great, too. Which made it particularly puzzling that, compared to so many performances on this tour, "Bruce seemed halfway out the door all night."
Not in Cincy myself, and not quite believing what I was hearing after the show, I talked to a few more fans on location... and they all told the same tale: "Songs were over before you could even register what he was doing." "It was the first time, for me, that Bruce just looked like he didn't want to be on that stage." "After 400 shows, I can say that's the most disappointing show I've ever seen." And for some reason the one that hit me the hardest: "Perfunctory." Ouch.
To chime in -- whether it's to agree, or to offer a different take on the show, please send your review to at [email protected]. We welcome reports, as always.
Next: Ohio gets another shot, Monday in Columbus.
And then there is the Newspaper: (Makes you wonder if long time "fans" can get jaded?!!)
Bruce Springsteen's latest album is called "Magic" for good reason. He cast a spell over U.S. Bank Arena Saturday night.
In his first visit since August 2005, Springsteen and the E Street Band added seven new songs, but delivered what the near-capacity crowd came to hear: an evening of powerhouse rock 'n' roll that had everyone on their feet from the opening strains of "Darlington County.''
Springsteen's songbook covers 35 years, and many in the audience have been there from the start. Friends high-fived each other before singing every word of favorites such as "Prove It All Night," "She's the One" and "Badlands,'' temporarily transported back to a time when the hair was a little fuller and a little darker, and the T-shirts were a few sizes smaller. These folks grew up with the Boss, and he's as much a part of their lives as the kids who stood next to more than a few parents. The young ones might not know all the words to "Promised Land" (yet), but they were just as enthusiastic as their fist-pumping elders.
This is part of Springsteen's magic. He is one of the biggest stars in the world, but seems like he could be your pal (if you happen to be friends with a virtuoso musician who writes great songs). You can empathize with him: his wife, singer-guitarist Patti Scialfa, missed the gig because she was home in New Jersey tending to their three teenage children. You have to admire the superstar couple that doesn't leave the kids with hired hands.
But speaking of hired hands, longtime fans know that much of Springsteen's success comes from the best band in America. The singer takes time off for solo and side projects, such as the Seeger Sessions album and tour of a couple of years ago, but his heart lives on E Street. And why not? What could be more fun than playing music with your longtime friends?
Watch Springsteen trade guitar licks with Miami Steve Van Zandt and Nils Lofgren, and see the fantasy of every teenage American boy (or girl, too) come true. Keyboard players Roy Bittan and Charlie Giordano (filling in for the ailing Danny Federici) add texture to every tune, and teamed up for a smokin' accordion duet during the encore of "American Land." Max Weinberg might be the best rock drummer ever. And as Springsteen says of saxophonist Clarence Clemons: ''You know you want to be like him, but you can't.''
Springsteen has changed a few things over the years. The show lasted a little more than two hours as opposed to the legendary four-hour sessions of the early days. At 58, he doesn't slide across the stage on his knees or jump up on the piano any more.
But time seems to have strengthened his resolve to speak out more forcefully. He made a couple of comments about the mistakes "of the past eight years," referring to the Bush administration. Some of the new songs, especially "Last to Die," take direct aim at policies he believes to be wrong.
But in the end, Springsteen isn't a preacher. Nor a magician or a politician. He's a songwriter and a performer extraordinaire. Midway through Saturday's encore, the band played "Dancin' in the Dark," the hit single from "Born in the USA." In 1984, the song coincided with the rise of MTV, and Springsteen made an awkward video where he pulled a girl (a pre-"Friends" Courteney Cox) from the audience to dance with him. Flash forward almost 24 years, but this time he invited a delightful youngster who could actually dance onto the stage, and the two of them proceeded to charm everyone in the building.
It was just the way one of your friends might do it.
I'll keep my fingers, toes, and any other available body parts crossed for ya, MEG! 
