Not knowing what the future holds for us makes it so very hard to write about my last week of Magic with Bruce Springsteen and The E-Street Band... So with a box of tissue close at hand I'll attempt to share my thoughts... or at least my stats.
With 2,500 in the Hershey Pit I was happy to be one of them... and to find my friends... as you may already know one of my favorite things about the "GA" experience is the fellow-shipping with other Bruce-fans before the show... but as soon as the band hit the stage I focused... not wanting to miss a thing. I am not much of a fan of Stadium shows but this would prove to be an unforgettable night... I personally love the sign collecting and the silliness of picking out requests... and was quite happy with Stevie's choice of Boom Boom which took me back as if I were in a time machine... although Darlington County and Waitin On A Sunny Day brought me right back sooner than I'd have liked... they were light and fun. Then a very pleasant surprise came with the introduction of "I'm gonna send this one out to the Dover parents... and a good science education... which just brings more glory to God." just before Part Man Part Monkey... a song that I have been wanting to create a page for for some time now. The night was enchanting as Bruce pointed out the full moon... but it seemed to pass by much too quickly. Almost as if Bruce wanted to give a little extra to the crowd he pulled out the big guns giving us one of the best encores this tour... starting out with Thunder Road... then much to my surprise... I was ever so thrilled to finally get Jungleland after chasing it half way around the world... not having seen it live since 1985... I stood in awe... as he whispered "Beneath the city, two hearts beat..." an ultimate highlight. But it didn't end there... as they forged ahead into Seven Nights To Rock... Born To Run... Rosalita... Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out... American Land... Good enough... great show... but Bruce wasn't done and he invites his friend, Joe G. on stage and they bust out GLORIA hitting it out of the park!!
Exhausted we head out... next stop, Nashville!! I'll start by saying, I had a great time at the pre-party... Thanks Gypsy!! As I am standing in the pit waiting for the show to start I realize that I know the young man standing next to me... his mother and I sat next to each other at the Cincinnati show the night of my birthday... he thought that it was really cool that I recognized him... then I noticed his sign and we laughed as I told him of the dream that I had the very night before... In my dream I was in the pit with a friend and Bruce played the song that was on his sign!! I thought that it was on omen... we high fived each other when Bruce came out for the encore and took his sign from him... but Bruce didn't play it... though I had a feeling that we would get it the next night. Hopefully that meant that I would be in the pit again! Well... now... as incredible of a show that Nashville was... with a tour premiere of Good Rockin' Tonight followed by Growin' Up... I'm Going Down... and Held Up Without A Gun... we also got Loose Ends... Youngstown... and Murder Incorporated... and one more premiere, I Fought The Law... there was even a sweet highlight of a few lines of I Walk The Line intro-ing I'm On Fire...
But I don't think that the Nashville show will be getting much praise since it's bookends are Hershey Stadium and one of the best shows of the Magic Tour... St. Louis. What can I say about St. Louis? I had a dream... and tonight that dream came true... as far as I could tell... Bruce was on fire... playful and in great spirits... as he pulled out love song after love song... First he blew my mind when he started the show with the very song from my dream And Then She Kissed Me and there I was in the pit... 2nd row... just left of center. You can just imagine my joy when finally at my 17th Magic shows... I get For You... which to me is the ultimate "love song"... they played it "full band" but it was wonderful all the same... then the next thing I knew we were "high" on the Mountain of Love. How could it get better?? That is the best question you can ask at a Bruce Springsteen show... I waited for the answer... and much to my surprise... Bruce pulls out Cover Me... another one that I had really wanted to hear... and I stood reminiscing as I was taken back to 1985... but soon tears began to flow as the opening notes of Drive All Night filled the air... another that I had somehow missed... it was such an emotional night, I could feel the desperation in the air as the band sought to make this night count... there was an urgency to get their message through... I was so close that I could see Bruce reaching out with his eyes for that connection... song after song... then as he blew the first notes of Thunder Road through his harmonica he looked up and our eyes met and once again it was 1980... and I was 20 years old again... my dress swayed as the radio played... Bruce Springsteen was singing for the lonely... and there was Magic in the night once more... but if that wasn't enough Bruce pulled out one more tour premiere and dance we did... to Little Queenie!!
One more night... Kansas City... Starting the night with Ricky Wants A Man Of Her Own and Cynthia this was sure to be a fun night... so when Bruce honored a sign request to let Max sing one... we got BOYS... but the treats were just beginning... and when Bruce called Soozie to the spotlight we were in for quite a surprise... Soozie belted out It's All Over Now just after Bruce praised her for standing in for Miss Patti... and stand in she did!! Keeping the energy high with Candy's Room and Gypsy Biker, guitars were blazing hot. Then turning the mood... Bruce brought out his acoustic and gave us Devils & Dust... preparing us for the heart of the Magic Tour: Last To Die / Long Walk Home / Badlands... These three songs closed the main set of each and every Magic show for a reason... The Magic Tour protested more than the war... it protested bad government... bad choices. Strategically placed... Bruce urges... calling us to rise above these Badlands once more. Then the encore began with a sweet dedication to Danny... yes Sandy... but the most tender moment was just before the official ending of the Magic Tour... just before breaking into Dancing In The Dark followed by Rocking All Over The World... Bruce sang the sweetest little rendition of Save The Last Dance For Me... as the tears ran down my face once more...
"You can dance ev'ry dance with the guy who gives you the eye and let him hold you tight... You can smile... you can smile for the man who holdin your hand 'neath the pale moonlight... but don't forget who's taking you home and in whose arms you wanna be... and darlin', save the last dance for me... Now I know that the music's fine like sparkling wine... go and have your fun... Laugh and sing... but while we're apart... please don't give your heart to anyone... and don't forget who's taking you home and in whose arms you wanna be... oh and darlin', save the last dance for me... "
Just before the band left the stage several signs went up in the pit... thanks to Melody's great idea... we held them high... Bruce giggled as he took one from the crowd and held it up as Clarence beamed, basking in the love!! You could see the appreciation in their faces as Stevie and Roy looked at each other as to say, "Do you see that?" Max pointed into the crowd and Charlie waved... Nils reached down to shake an outstretched hand... Garry seemed in awe as he stood quietly cool... nodding graciously and Soozie smiled brightly as she wiped a tear from her eye. You could feel the magic as "Thank You!!"s were exchanged.
It's not been quite a year yet since the release of Magic last October 2, 2007... but it has been an amazing tour.... and just like the debuting single promised... Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band remained determined to fulfilled that vow... and as they went boppin through the wild blue they made that connection to me and to YOU!!
In this massive world of the Internet... with multitudes of blogs to sort through... all reaching out to the masses... pouring out vast amounts of knowledge to literally thousands of readers... with site meters registering numbers as egos are fed... I have to stop myself from being sucked into the vacuum of blogging for numbers.
Not knowing what the future holds for us makes it so very hard to write about my last week of Magic with Bruce Springsteen and The E-Street Band... So with a box of tissue close at hand I'll attempt to share my thoughts... or at least my stats.
But I don't think that the Nashville show will be getting much praise since it's bookends are Hershey Stadium and one of the best shows of the Magic Tour... St. Louis. What can I say about St. Louis? I had a dream... and tonight that dream came true... as far as I could tell... Bruce was on fire... playful and in great spirits... as he pulled out love song after love song... First he blew my mind when he started the show with the very song from my dream And Then She Kissed Me and there I was in the pit... 2nd row... just left of center. You can just imagine my joy when finally at my 17th Magic shows... I get For You... which to me is the ultimate "love song"... they played it "full band" but it was wonderful all the same... then the next thing I knew we were "high" on the Mountain of Love. How could it get better?? That is the best question you can ask at a Bruce Springsteen show... I waited for the answer... and much to my surprise... Bruce pulls out Cover Me... another one that I had really wanted to hear... and I stood reminiscing as I was taken back to 1985... but soon tears began to flow as the opening notes of Drive All Night filled the air... another that I had somehow missed... it was such an emotional night, I could feel the desperation in the air as the band sought to make this night count... there was an urgency to get their message through... I was so close that I could see Bruce reaching out with his eyes for that connection... song after song... then as he blew the first notes of Thunder Road through his harmonica he looked up and our eyes met and once again it was 1980... and I was 20 years old again... my dress swayed as the radio played... Bruce Springsteen was singing for the lonely... and there was Magic in the night once more... but if that wasn't enough Bruce pulled out one more tour premiere and dance we did... to Little Queenie!! 
"You can dance ev'ry dance with the guy who gives you the eye and let him hold you tight... You can smile... you can smile for the man who holdin your hand 'neath the pale moonlight... but don't forget who's taking you home and in whose arms you wanna be... and darlin', save the last dance for me... Now I know that the music's fine like sparkling wine... go and have your fun... Laugh and sing... but while we're apart... please don't give your heart to anyone... and don't forget who's taking you home and in whose arms you wanna be... oh and darlin', save the last dance for me... "
5 comments:
I am more than slightly jealous :D
Thanks dubious!! :D
Great review. The show must have been great especially from your spot in the pit. I wish I was there too.
Giants stadium is a month ago now. That was my last show. Great show, lousy audience.
I wish you could have been there with me... it was so much fun!!
You're just used to the European rowdies!! How can we compare?? :b
xo
At least we Europeans know how to party!!
xoxo
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