Time To Follow That Dream

It's BOSSTIME!!

First stop... Napoli!

Catching The Wrecking Ball Train to Europe!!

I think I need a Bruce fix!!  And I'm going to get one even if I have to fly to the ends of the earth for it!  Well as we all have heard (from Stevie) there will be no USA dates this coming fall for the Wrecking Ball Tour so if you want it, here it is, come and get it... but you better hurry cause it's gonna be over fast!  So what's a girl to do?  If she's got any "cents" she'd get on that plane... then take the fast train... that brings her to... Bruce!  (ahem) I mean to Europe to see the E Street Band's Wrecking Ball Tour!  :)  Never know what you'll get a chance to hear the E Street Band play!!  

"Leap of Faith"

I'll try to keep you updated along the way...

and I promise to stream something live every chance I get.  :)

Oh, yeah... my request list!

NO NEED / She's My Westside Angel

Okay... something more realistic:

4.  YOU'VE GOT IT
5. LEAP OF FAITH

1.  For You
2.  My Love Will Not Let You Down
3.  Back In Your Arms

6.  This Depression
7.  The Fever
8. Kitty's Back

9.  Till The End (The Backstreets Winterland Interlude)
10. Tougher Than The Rest (In Leeds)

And Bruce... if you would... may I please have your harmonica!!

Got The Fever FOR YOU!!

With just 19 days left before I board that plane for Euroland, Bruce began the second European Leg of The Wrecking Ball Tour without me!!  Yes, I'm kicking myself already... one show in!!  To reward his dedicated fans, Bruce came out before the show for a little pre-show set the included: This Hard Land, ALL That Heaven Will Allow, THE FEVER and Growin' Up.  That's a nice reward!!  :)

Very sweet, indeed!!  And I wasn't there...

The show began with another sweet little treat when Steven finally came onto the stage. With a drink in his hand (and a Frank Sinatra swagger) he delighted adoring fans with My Kind of Town, (Lillyhammer is) followed by one of my favorites: Two Hearts... always better than one!!  The show progressed into a rocking Wrecking Ball Show with a rare Better Days and the extra special gem, Follow The Dream.  If that didn't make me wish I was there... regret waiting till Mid May... Bruce started the encore with an amazing solo piano version of For You!  I missed it, but Cindy caught it on tape... For You!

I'm gonna keep the faith... I'm gonna follow my dream and chase For You once more!! 

See you soon, Europe!!

Countdown EUROPE!!

    

Because The Night Belongs to Nils

As if we needed further proof...

Brisbane, Australia 14 March 2013:

Pull Your Finger Out, Brisbane!

An Australia Bruce Springsteen fan, known as "Killer Joe," 
shares his thoughts on the first 2013 Wrecking Ball Show in Brisbane:

"Ok.   Just got home.   Having trouble typing because my fingers are like freakin' sausages from clapping so much.

The Boss Man delivers the goods once again.   It took him some time to win the crowd over, but the Great Boss always wins.   Resistance is futile.

Just a ball-tearer of a show.... only Bruce can put together an incendiary heavy rock guitarist and a soul/bigband ensemble, and get away with it.

That said, the Brisbane crowd need to really get their shit together for Saturday night if they want Bruce to come back.    Brisbane crowds are always lame but some of these guys were extra lame.      Those of you who follow Rugby League may be familiar with the term "fire up, bitches!!" ... well you should take that on board.      And to the big numpty sitting next to me who sat through the whole show without even applauding once, give yourself an uppercut, dumbo!!    Get the stick out of your arse and enjoy life.   Oh and soz about the elbow in the head during Glory Days.  oops!!

Right, so the show itself... got off to a slowish start - We Take Care of Our Own is a good song, but casual fans here don't know it, and it doesn't have a real signature intro.

Then there was Just Like Fire Would... great thing for Bruce to do, digging out a song by a Brisbane band.   Unfortunately it was wasted on a lot of these numpties...  the Saints, like a lot of Brisbane bands, were more appreciated elsewhere than in their own hometown... seemed like a lot of people didn't even know it, and I felt bad for Bruce because he really ripped into it, seemed like he expected a big reaction.    Typically brilliant E Street rendition though.

Badlands was of course good, but felt to me like it's just lost it's edge with so many playings.    Wrecking Ball was ok, but things started to cook a bit more with Death to My Hometown.    Morello brings a fresh energy to the band that I love.

Hungry Heart - while Americans might be over it, this was the one that really flicked the switch, at least down in the pit (and even to some degree amongst the corpses I was sitting near).    

My City of Ruins - a great gospel standard, that I think is remembered by many from the Rising tour, and was appreciated by many (except apparently by Mr-Dickhead-I-don't-applaud in next seat, who chose to call his kids on his mobile phone (!!!) during the quiet middle section.   He even asked if they wanted to speak to Mummy!!     And this pair were not young, I bet the kids were teenagers!  Grrrr...

Then came Spirit in the Night, followed by ES Shuffle... not known at all by Aus casual fans, but their energy is pretty irresistible.

Jack of all trades was ok - not one of my faves.    Murder Inc. rocked hard as usual.     Loved Johnny 99 and Because the Night.    She's the One... legendary.     Shackled and Drawn surprised me... it is a sensation live.    Sunny Day was enjoyable enough (again the recognition factor from 2003 seemed to get the crowd going) - but the singing kid schtick is just as cringeworthy in real life as it looks on Youtube.   He really should lose that.

I found Apollo Medley kind of hard work... I wasn't raised with soul music and neither was pretty much anybody in Australia.   I don't think anyone knew the 634 song, and even The Way You Do the Things You Do is only known here because of Rita Coolidge.    Impressive playing and singing but not my favourite part of the show.

The Rising is always great, and Tom Joad was a high point for me... always loved the song, and it really feels to me like Morello pushes Bruce to reach for just a little extra.      Thunder Road was an absolute winner - surprised me how much the crowd got into it.

I loved We Are Alive to kick off the encore... another WB song that really surprised me... and then of course things really took off... interesting that the crowd response to Glory Days was much bigger than BTR... something for Bruce to take note of perhaps...

I should also mention the notable songs he didn't play...  I thought BITUSA would have been a lock, along with the River, for a first night audience... but there you go... glad I got those Saturday tix.

Great show, Bruce still rocks, and he took what I thought were some unexpected risks with the setlist - not all of them came off completely, but nobody can call him predictable... and you can bet there will be no empty seats come Saturday..." Thanks, Killer!!

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

Brisbane Australia ~ March 14, 2013

19:59

1.   We Take Care of Our Own

2.   JUST LIKE FIRE WOULD (The Saints)

3.   Wrecking Ball

4.   Badlands

5.   Death To My Hometown

6.   Hungry Heart

7.   My City of Ruins

8.   Spirit In The Night

9.   The E Street Shuffle

10. Jack of All Trades

11. Murder Incorporated

12. Johnny 99 (w/Honky Tonk)

13. Because the Night

14. She's The One

15. Shackled & Drawn

16. Waitin' On a Sunny Day     

17. Apollo Medley

18. The Rising

19. The Ghost of Tom Joad

20. Thunder Road

21. We Are Alive

22. Born To Run

23. Glory Days

24. Dancing In the Dark

25. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out

23:11

3 hours 10 min.