The Boss Hits 70: Celebrating Bruce Springsteen on His Birthday

Bruce Springsteen, my favorite musician of all-time by a wide margin--although I absolutely love the Beatles and have greater reverence for their importance--turns 70 today.

I myself am 50, and will turn 51 in just about 3 weeks, on October 15. 

Although there are several dates I can pinpoint in reference to the Boss--I bought Born in the U.S.A. (on cassette) on its day of release, June 4, 1984, first saw Bruce live with the E Street Band on July 17, 1984, last saw him with the band on September 1, 2016, saw Springsteen on Broadway on December 9, 2017 and met him (quite briefly) on November 28, 2016 at a promotional event for his Born to Run autobiography--I can't tell you exactly when I became a Springsteen fan.

My guess is sometime in the fall of 1980, after "Hungry Heart" became a hit single.

Without yet owning any of his four prior albums, I know I bought The River on LP--which came out October 17, 1980--but not immediately.

So presumably I became a Bruce Springsteen fan at age 12, and have loved him and his music ever since.

I can't recall if I knew the song "Born to Run" at that point, or had seen yet clips of Springsteen in concert (likely a few).

Unlike in the recent Blinded by the Light movie, there was no obvious demarcation moment--nor is there in Saffraz Manzoor's book on which it is based--but at some point when I was in 7th grade (1980-81), perhaps already in possession of The River there was this:

A class assignment instructed we visit someone doing a job we could imagine wanting to do. I visited disc jockey Terri Hemmert at WXRT Radio (where she's remained a staple until just this year).

I don't recall the exact context, but I remember Terri bantering with others (off air) about Springsteen, expressing admiration for this line from the song "Badlands":

"Poor man want to be rich / Rich man want to be king / And a king ain't satisfied till he rules everything"

That conversation, and those words, have always stuck with me.

I was too young to see Bruce when he played the Uptown Theatre or Rosemont Horizon on the original River Tour, but still recall a local Chicago sportscaster--Chuck Swirsky, who remains one--raving about how incredible Springsteen was live.

Click to enlarge

As I detailed here, in July 1984, while working a summer job as a messenger for a Chicago Loop law firm at the age of 15, I convinced my parents that spending $35--via a ticket broker--to see Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at the Rosemont Horizon was an important thing for me to do.

They even gave me a ride to the show.

And as you can see via the nearby graphic, I've now had the sheer pleasure of seeing The Boss onstage 50 times, most since 1999.

I'm hoping to increase that by at least five if he tours with the ESB next year, as rumored.

All told, I've seen over 800 rock concerts by various artists, including numerous shows by several of the all-time greats: The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, The Who, Bob Dylan, Robert Plant + Jimmy Page, AC/DC, Elton John, David Bowie, Billy Joel, Tom Petty, Bob Seger, U2, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Radiohead, Rush, Green Day, Arcade Fire and dozens of others.

I relish all of them.

But--and I say this with great respect for many others I love--as a live performer, there is Bruce Springsteen with the E Street Band, and then there is everyone else.

Clearly, I could prattle on about how my love of seeing Springsteen live has taken me to many places: New York/New Jersey, Cleveland, Columbus, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Detroit, Louisville, London, Washington DC, many repeatedly, leading to wonderful interactions with fellow fans and rewarding concurrent explorations.

I could delve deep and tell you how much the man and his music have meant to me, at the happiest and darkest of times.

When I share how I made it through a somewhat bully-ridden, unpopular, romance-less high school existence with reasonable aplomb, invariably I say that in lieu of going to parties, I would stay home, read a book and listen to Springsteen...and it would be more than enough to get me by.

It's been ages since I've seen the same movie twice in a movie theater in the same year, but I did so with Blinded by the Light. I loved it because of Javed's (the main character) love of Springsteen and all the music that was therefore featured, but wasn't overwhelmed by it simply as a movie (it was a tad too obvious).

Still, when I first saw the trailer it brought tears to my eyes, because the connection Javed has with Springsteen songs and lyrics that would change his life, well, I've had that.

But I could write another 5,000 words and they all would be driving home the same point: My existence has been forever immeasurably enriched by being a Bruce Springsteen fan.

His music, his integrity, his incredible concerts, his politicism, his sense of decency and honor, his candor about his struggles with depression, his smile and spirit after 3-1/2 hours onstage, his continued exploration of new musical directions and perhaps most of all, my belief that no one does what they do better than he does what he does, with an ever-abiding exuberance and passion and gusto and joy.

He's not just the Boss, he's the Best.

So Happy Birthday #70, Bruce Springsteen.

I'm thankful you were born and will be alongside for as long as you continue to run.

Or I do.

---
It was really hard whittling down to my 20 favorite Springsteen songs, which could change daily. But with apologies to "Atlantic City," here's a Spotify playlist ordered from #1 to 20: 

Magic in the Night, 35 Years Burning Down the Road: Remembering My First Springsteen Concert

(Note: This was originally published on the 30th anniversary, July 17, 2014; updated only to fix some links and stats)

It was the summer of 1984.

I was 15 and heading into my junior year of high school. Although I had a close circle of good friends--some of whom I still maintain--I was never part of the in-crowd, a jock, popular with girls or even involved in any school groups, such as student government, theater, Mathletes or chess club.

I wasn't an unhappy kid, but back then--as now--I frequently filled in the blanks with rock 'n roll.

I had already become a pretty heavy fan of The Beatles, Stones, Who, Kinks, Led Zeppelin and David Bowie, but also around that time relished several (quasi-)heavy metal acts such as Ozzy Osbourne, The Scorpions, Def Leppard, Rush, Triumph, Sammy Hagar and AC/DC. (My tastes haven't changed all that much, though I've long since embraced artists like R.E.M., The Ramones, Husker Dü and Metallica, who I wasn't hip or adventurous enough to care about at the time. In fairness, none were played on radio stations I listened to.)

Other than babysitting a couple times, I hadn't ever worked prior to that summer, but my Aunt Mickey, who was a longtime secretary in a large downtown law firm, helped me get a job in the firm's mailroom. This largely entailed serving as an on-foot messenger, delivering packages throughout the downtown Chicago area from the office at 208 S. LaSalle.

Along with indoctrinating me to the Loop's streets--from a geography perspective; I was only 15--the job was fantastic for expanding my experiences well-beyond white, Jewish, teenage suburbia.

I worked with men, not boys; mostly African-Americans who made skin color, age, social strata and much more forever immaterial in terms of comfort, camaraderie and assumption.

That summer was wonderful for Cubs fans, many whom had never before witnessed a winning team. I was taken by my boss--Wallace Winburn was his name, if I remember correctly--to a couple games, with some lawyer-donated seats in the first row behind the Cubs' dugout. I especially recall being at a game where the Cubs beat the Mets and Dwight Gooden (which I mentioned in this Wrigley Field 100th Anniversary post).

But in terms of singular events that summer, one stands out above all others.

On the first leg of his Born in the U.S.A. tour, Bruce Springsteen came to the Rosemont Horizon on July 15, 17 and 18, 1984.

I was already a big Boss fan--since The River album in 1980, from which I scoured backwards and forwards, buying Born in the U.S.A. (on cassette) upon its release in early June '84--but had been too young to attend any previous concerts of his.

And though I had already gone to some concerts the year before with friends, and even Rush at the same venue just a few weeks prior, no one else I knew was into the Boss and I, of course, was too young to drive, let alone own a car.

Tickets had long since gone on sale and sold out, but I really wanted to see Bruce.  

I can't recall why the Sunday night show on July 15 wasn't the one I targeted--now I would attend all three--but for whatever reason I focused on the second of Springsteen's 3-night stand, on Tuesday, July 17.

So one day at lunch--it may have even been the Monday before the Tuesday night show--I walked to a hotel on north Wabash Avenue called the Oxford House, which had a ticket broker office inside.

I paid $35 for a single ticket that had a face value of $15. My folks weren't thrilled about this, but I was spending money I had earned.

On the 17th, I worked downtown, but upon getting home that evening my mom and dad drove me to Rosemont. (Then called the Rosemont Horizon, the venue is now dubbed Allstate Arena.)

And after the show--which lasted nearly 4 hours, past midnight or close to it--they picked me up. I think they even took me to the nearby McDonald's afterwards.

Touring with the E Street Band--with Nils Lofgren having taken over for Steven Van Zandt--Bruce
was every bit as good as I could have hoped.

And more.

This isn't my jersey, as I don't know what became of it,
but I had one just like it.

You can see the setlist from that night here, but the only songs I explicitly remember being played are "Born in the U.S.A." (which opened the show), "Jungleland" (which I knew but didn't instantly recognize, hence why it's stuck in my memory) and a cover of the Rolling Stones' "Street Fighting Man."

But however much my memory may have eroded, I instantly knew that I was seeing someone absolutely incredible and unique.

And, to me, a hero.

Perhaps even a god. 

I've now seen over 800 concerts in my life--by at least 350 different artists--many of which I've found fantastic.

Yet since July 17, 1984--and reiterated 49 more times, including the following summer but mostly within these past 20 years--there has been one truth:

In terms of live rock 'n roll performers--or really, those of any ilk, IMHO--there is Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, and then there is everyone else.

Who knows how much that night changed my life?

My Bruce Springsteen concert log, as of July 17, 2019. Click to enlarge.

Perhaps I still would've become as much of a Springsteen fanatic, and seen him just as often once the internet made tickets easier to buy, tours easier to track (leading to numerous Thunder Road trips) and concerts easier to get to. (See graphic nearby for my current list of Springsteen shows attended; click to enlarge it.)

It's possible that my tendency to turn to art--including not only rock music but eventually a much broader spectrum of entertainment and culture--rather than alcohol, drugs, self-pity or depression during times of loneliness and adversity was already begotten by the time I got to the Horizon, or more holistically, developed long thereafter.

And perhaps it wasn't just that evening that made me comfortable going to concerts, many other events and even around the world all by myself, although it helped that the adults next to me were nothing but nice.

Likely it was as much the mailroom job itself that helped me acclimate to people and surroundings different from what I was accustomed, or perhaps not always perceived as "perfectly safe."

But for numerous reasons, I'm obviously glad I went to that Springsteen show on July 17, 1984, and happy that my parents helped get me there.

For whatever sentimentality, nostalgia, rite of passage pathos or pseudo psychology this recollection is dripping with, the truth is it was Springsteen's performance itself--quite possibly, with Michael Jordan's Bulls debut still months away, the best I had ever seen anyone do anything--that mattered most.

Let's hope I never forget I was there, but even if I should, my initial Springsteen concert experience and what it's meant to my life, will remain part of me.

To paraphase a famous lyric from "Thunder Road":

Show a little faith, there's still magic in that night.

Thanks, Bruce. Thanks, Mom and Dad. Thanks, Aunt Mickey, who like my father is no longer with us. Thanks, mailroom colleagues at Altheimer & Gray in the summer of 1984. Thanks, ticket broker long since gone from a hotel that no longer exists. Thanks, fellow Springsteen fans, who treated a kid with kindness and made a solo concertgoer feel forever part of a "tramps like us" community.

Thanks for that night and the 35 years since.

Thank you for reading this; I hope you have a similar story. 

And wherever you may be, Rosie come out tonight:

(This video is from a show a week after the one I attended, at which "Rosalita" was also played)

---  
Thanks for reading. Since initially writing this remembrance, in 2014, I had the opportunity to briefly meet Bruce in November 2016 on his book tour. You can read about that experience here.

The Boss Heads in a New Direction, Beholding Beauty in the Setting Sun -- Album Review: Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars

Album Review

Bruce Springsteen

Western Stars

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Bruce Springsteen is my favorite musician by a considerable margin, even beyond the Beatles, who I almost literally worship.

I own virtually every piece of music Springsteen--a.k.a. The Boss--has ever officially released, excepting the complete swath of concert recordings of every show since 2014 and some of his live archival releases. (I have about 40 of these "official bootlegs" but far from all.)

And as will sound crazy except to the many Bruce fanatics who have seen dozens--or hundreds--more gigs, I have had the sheer pleasure of seeing him live 50 times, most with the E Street Band backing him, but not all, including his Springsteen on Broadway show.

On June 14, Springsteen--who will be 70 in 3 months--released his 19th studio album, Western Stars, the first since High Hopes (my review) in 2014.

So it seemed natural for me to review the new album, and some friends have actually asked me to do so.

I've now listened to Western Stars enough for its 13 songs to become familiar and comfortable, yet--as with all great albums--it will likely be weeks, months or even years before the tracks feel fully natural, devoid of any "breaking them in" dynamic, such as with shoes.

And given that the album represents something of a stylistic departure for Springsteen--including a prevalence of strings, rather than hard rocking guitars & drums--I perceive it very well be a record that continues to grow on me.

I'm enjoying the album, and there are no songs I dislike. 

If you, too, are a Boss fan, I suggest you buy it, or listen online--I've embedded a Spotify player below--and I think you will find much to appreciate, while being forewarned that this ISN'T Born to Run, Born in the U.S.A. nor even Nebraska or Tunnel of Love.

That's not to say the music and lyrics are unrecognizable.

As he has throughout his long recording career, Bruce sings about blue collar working men who feel some kind of longing. A wayfarer, an ex-actor, a former stuntman, a tavern owner, etc., with the somewhat unique commonality throughout Western Stars--the title is thematic--being a sense of the west, the rustic, the wide open spaces...as explored by the world's most famous New Jerseyan.

In interviews about this album--which has been in the works with Springsteen's co-producer Ron Aniello since before 2012 and supposedly completed a good while ago--Bruce cited the late-'60s "California music" of Glen Campbell, Jimmy Webb and Burt Bacharach as what stirred his songwriting.

Along with those influences, there is--one presumes, as the narrators in Springsteen's songs don't often represent him acutely; think "Born in the U.S.A."--candor about the singer's own psyche, which he wove into his 2016 autobiography, titled Born to Run, and the Broadway show that ran for over a year (catch it on Netflix). 

As do many people, of all levels of wealth, success, fame, fortune, etc., the Boss admittedly suffers from depression, and I imagine he's addressing familiar tendencies in lyrics such as these from Western Stars' first single, "Hello Sunshine":

You know I always liked my walking shoes 
But you can get a little too fond of the blues 
You walk too far, you walk away 
Hello sunshine, won't you stay?

Along with the lushly orchestral "Tucson Train," the melancholic "Moonlight Motel," the Roy Orbisonesque "There Goes My Miracle," the album's wistful title track, plus "Stones," "Sundown," and essentially all 13 cuts, "Hello Sunshine" is what I'd describe as quality song.

And an album full of quality songs is a quality album.

But the trick in trying to review--and rate, on my @@@@@ scale--Western Stars comes in comparing it to Springsteen's remarkable past output, considering it from the standpoint of a non-acolyte who may not give it the requisite time to congeal and wondering which songs I might relish hearing concert, even in lieu of some old favorites.

That's why, at this point, I've settled on @@@@, even though it's not impossible to perceive 1/2 or full @ more may be merited, particular with increased familiarity.

Western Stars feels well on par with recent music from other master songwriters, such as Bob Dylan and Neil Young, or the venerated oeuvres of Bruce Cockburn and Lucinda Williams, acclaimed singer/songwriters I've come to initially explore just in the recent past.

There has been no word yet on Springsteen tour plans, except for Bruce himself revealing in a recent interview that for the first time in years, he has--meaning in the past few months, not the Western Stars material--written a batch of songs suitable for the E Street Band to record and then tour behind, presumably in 2020.

Hopefully, he'll also opt to include some stuff from this album on an ESB tour, with "Tucson Train" and "There Goes My Miracle" perhaps the most obviously transferable choices.

And if Springsteen opts to do a small tour, either solo or with a few cohorts and a string section, I would be happy to hear any of the Western Stars songs in a live setting.

But with one of the greatest catalogs in rock history, Bruce Springsteen has put out dozens of fine songs that devoted fans may know, yet are far from "greatest hits" type tunes.

"Long Time Comin'," "Kingdom of Days," "My Lucky Day," "This Is Your Sword," "Long Walk Home" and "Jack of All Trades" are just a few favorites of mine in this realm, simply from the 21st century.

Plus, heck, he has many outtakes I think are masterpieces, starting with "Rendezvous," "Roulette," "Dollhouse," "Stray Bullet," "Save My Love" and "Be True."

So while Western Stars is filled with strong songs, how many would I put on a "Get to Know the Boss" 20-song playlist aimed at a non-Springsteen fan?

Probably none. Perhaps one, just because of the newness.

How many would I really want to hear in any given E Street Band show?

Three at most, though any of the 13 over time.

Even though I've heard "Born to Run" at virtually every show--46 of 50--would I be happy if it got skipped in favor of a Western Stars track?

No.  

And in not feeling @@@@@ is proper, despite really enjoying Western Stars, my point of comparison is to classics beyond Springsteen's own. 

Even once it really sinks in, do I perceive it as a Desert Island Disc, or as part of my core being beyond Zeppelin IV, Who's Next, Nevermind, etc.?

No, but then consider this: 

Has any rock artist ever put out music past the age of 40 that decidedly tops their pre-40 output?

I don't mean have veteran acts released good, even great music. I mean, if you could only hear music that was made before a musician (or band members) turned 40 or after, from whom would you select the latter output. 

My answer is no one, including my beloved Boss, still doing amazing things at 69. 

Which is a long way of saying that Western Stars is an excellent album, but I don't think it's a transcendent one.

---
But decide for yourself:

‘Springsteen on Broadway’: Born to Run Through His Life’s Stories, Musically and Quite Movingly — Theater / Concert Review

Theater / Concert Review

Springsteen on Broadway
Bruce Springsteen solo (mostly)

Walter Kerr Theater, New York

Thru June 30, 2018

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Now 68, rock icon Bruce Springsteen published his bestselling autobiography in 2016. Titled Born to Run, the book shares its name with the Boss’ classic song and album from the mid-1970s.

This might suggest a newfound desire to look back on his life and career, as such recollections also form the gist of Springsteen on Broadway, a compelling one-man show raking in millions within the confines of New York’s theater mecca. (Bruce's wife, Patti Scialfa Springsteen, sings with him on two songs.)

But those long familiar with Springsteen as a concert performer—perhaps just from live recordings, with dozens now officially available—know that even as a much younger man, Bruce regularly regaled fans before and during songs.

Tales of teenage battles with his father, having his long hair shorn at his dad's behest after being injured in a motorcycle accident, failing his physical for the Vietnam draft, losing friends & band members in the war, talking to a priest about his parents' vocational wishes (lawyer, author), coincidentally meeting injured war hero Rob Kovic soon after reading his Born on the Fourth of July book, and many other anecdotes have long been shared from the stage (though Bruce's soliloquies have lessened and shortened in recent years). 

The same, or largely similar, stories would be repeated at multiple tour stops, many more planned and even rehearsed than it may have seemed at the time.

So given his propensity for both storytelling and self-reflection—manifest not only in the autobiography but on Springsteen’s most recent tour with his stalwart E Street Band, which celebrated (and for awhile, played live in full) his 1980 album, The River—his now devoting five nights per week to public introspection is far from an illogical undertaking.

Not only does the New Jersey legend maintain mammoth popularity in the Tri-State region—and among loyal fans willing to travel—he has repeatedly shown fondness for occasionally playing his music without any (or almost any) accompaniment, as on his The Ghost of Tom Joad and Devils and Dust solo tours.

In a live music milieu, nothing—and I mean, nothing—compares to Springsteen’s 3-to-4 hour, malleable setlist extravaganzas with the E Street Band.

Of my 50 times seeing the Boss onstage, the vast majority have been with the ESB—and absolutely phenomenal.

But Springsteen on Broadway is completely thrilling in its own right, despite relying on songs and stories I know well, shared without any of Bruce's trademark ad-libbing,

Photo from November 2016

Certainly, having typically seen Springsteen from quite a distance in indoor arenas and outdoor stadiums, there was a palpable chill in being just 15 rows from my hero in the 975-seat Walter Kerr Theatre. (My ticket wasn't inexpensive, but less than the median face value price, and now selling on StubHub for about 5x what I paid via Ticketmaster.)

And despite working five days a week "for the first time in my life," as the Boss joked near the outset, his singing voice  sounded strong on Saturday night as he accompanied himself on a variety of acoustic guitars and a Yamaha grand piano.

Hearing my favorite musician performing spartan takes on cherished songs in an intimate, rarefied setting was undeniably electrifying.

Yet this wasn't simply Springsteen Unplugged, it was Springsteen on Broadway, and in beginning his monologue without offering even a cursory "Good evening," the show felt stylistically akin to Billy Crystal's 700 Sundays, Carrie Fisher's Wishful Drinking or other scripted memoirs recited onstage in theatrical venues.

I would assume—especially given a run selling every seat at unprecedented prices and then some, with an extension through next June—Bruce is at liberty to do whatever he wants within the Walter Kerr, one of 41 official "Broadway" theaters near New York's Times Square.

Photo from an earlier Springsteen on Broadway performance.

If he wished to change the setlist nightly—as he does on tour—or bring in various E Street Band members or other guests to accompany him, I'm not sure there are any regulations to preclude him.

But for most shows on the Great White Way, "Broadway" implies something scripted, or at least rigorously rehearsed.

In respecting that tradition, Springsteen on Broadway is a much tighter, regimented show than the three Devils and Dust gigs I attended in 2005, though those also featured just Bruce, acoustic guitars, piano and much storytelling.

And masterfully intertwining with carefully culled songs—not a greatest hits set, though with many well-known tunes—the stories are entirely compelling, with both considerable humor and great poignancy.

You can easily find the static nightly song list on Setlist.fm, but in my own way of respecting theatrical tradition, I'll avoid revealing everything played or spoken.

Having read (most of ) Born to Run, and being a Springsteen fanatic since the early '80s, I was familiar with many of the tales he told, including his upbringing in Freehold, NJ, where he was beguiled by seeing Elvis on Ed Sullivan and had vastly differing relationships with his mom and dad.

This led, fittingly, into "Growing Up," a song from Bruce's 1973 debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ.

Photo from a previous performance of Springsteen on Broadway.

The stories and, in large part, the songs, progressed in chronological order and one wouldn't be crazy to perceive that this famed Jersey boy had crafted something of his own solo take on Jersey Boys (the musical biography about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons).

Coming in, I knew 15 songs would be played in about 2 hours, with no intermission. So when more than a half-hour had gone by before the second song was finished, I began to wonder when and how the music's pace would pick up.

Eventually it did, with highlights including "Thunder Road" and "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out," the latter complemented by Springsteen's highly moving remarks about his late sax player and sideman, Clarence Clemons.

As he does every night, Bruce brought Patti out to duet with him on two songs, both delightful.

The first, "Tougher Than the Rest," had Springsteen playing piano, as he did for about a third of the selections.

Bruce isn't nearly a pianist to match the E Street Band's great Roy Bittan, but the heavy use of piano on early Springsteen gems is one of my favorite aspects of his music, so it was a real joy to hear the Boss make his way across the keyboard.

The last five songs of the show were sans Scialfa, and while some were rather obvious—"The Rising," written in the wake of 9/11 was particularly moving just a couple miles north of Ground Zero, which I would visit the next morning—three came from post-1999, when Springsteen reunited the E Street Band after a decade apart.

Though Bruce never directly mentioned Donald Trump, who he had openly denounced during the 2016 Presidential campaign, he noted that this is "a terrible chapter in the ongoing battle for the soul our nation" before playing the dour, "Long Walk Home."

The hopeful corollary would have more predictably been Springsteen's great inspirational rocker, "Badlands," but in a bit of a theatrical twist—for those who hadn't studied the setlist—he played something newer and less famous, but to similar message and effect.

Us Springsteen diehards can be an oddly ornery lot—check out the Backstreets.com message board sometime—with word of the Broadway extension undoubtedly prompting exhortations of "So no E Street Band tour in 2018?" and "When's his [supposedly finished] new album coming out?"

But Bruce has long been someone who decides what he wants to do—band tours, solo tours, the Seeger Sessions Band, autobiography, Broadway show, etc.—and to his credit, has done them all pretty well.

As Jon Stewart noted in speaking of Bruce at the 2009 Kennedy Center Honors, Springsteen "empties the tank" every time out. (The clip is part of the fine new documentary, Bruce Springsteen: In His Own Words, on BBC America.)

Though unique for the lesser amount of volume coming from the stage or perspiration running down the Boss' face, Springsteen on Broadway really is no different.

It's as good as I could have hoped.

Spiritual even, as without the audience standing up or singing along, there was a hushed reverence throughout that added to the parallels I find in dubbing rock "my religion."

And though I would describe the material far more as "moving" than "maudlin," there's an undeniable strain of mortality running through the show, in stories of Bruce's late father, elderly mother, early pals lost in Vietnam and longtime bandmates—Clemons and keyboardist Danny Federici—who have passed in the last decade.

Add to this numerous Springsteen contemporaries who have recently gone to rock 'n roll heaven and one can't help but actively hope that Bruce—still physically chiseled and supposedly long abstaining from typical rock star excesses—truly is "Born to Run" forever.

On Broadway or anywhere else. 

My Meeting with the Boss: Recapping the Bruce Springsteen "Book Signing" in Chicago on November 28, 2016

Anyone reading this blog that actually knows me--and perhaps even some who stumble upon Seth Saith with any regularity--knows that I am a huge Bruce Springsteen fan.

I've written fondly about "The Boss" many times, including a recollection of the first time I saw him live in 1984 with the E Street Band, reviews of several more recent shows in Chicago (1, 2, 3) and elsewhere, album reviews, lists of favorite songs and much more. (If you're viewing this in web format, note the Springsteen label link at top and the [Search Bar] at right.)

I've openly shared that Bruce Springsteen is my all-time favorite musical artist and concert performer (by a vast margin), and while I'm also a great aficionado of theater, film, art, comedy, etc., etc., he's my most beloved entertainer or creator in any genre.

Except for family and friends, the Boss has probably meant more to me than anyone, and the 49 times I've seen him live in concert--mostly with the E Street Band, since 1999, but also without and well before, in Chicago, Milwaukee and far-beyond--have not only provided hours of soul-enriching, life-enhancing entertainment, but been the impetus for numerous road trips that have brought other joys.

But although I had once touched his shoulder on the Wrigley Field outfield during a 2012 concert, until Monday afternoon I had never met the man.

Thanks to an appearance Monday afternoon at Books-A-Million at Clark & Adams in Chicago's Loop, I now have, with photographs to prove it.

Though, perhaps apt given the title of Bruce's new autobiography, Born to Run--famously also the name of his watershed 1975 album and its title song--it was an encounter that went by at Usain Bolt speed.

Not that I didn't cherish the opportunity.

Garnering excellent reviews and becoming an instant best seller, the Born to Run book was released on September 27, just four days after Bruce's 67th birthday and less than two weeks after Springsteen completed his latest world tour with the E Street Band, on which I saw him five times (Chicago, Milwaukee, Columbus, Chicago, Washington).

The first two weeks after the book's release found the Boss doing in-store appearances, in his hometown of Freehold, NJ, New York City, Philadelphia, Seattle, L.A., other West Coast stops and back to Boston, but with no Chicago event scheduled.

So I had bought an unsigned copy on Amazon, which I quickly started reading with zest and enjoyment, but put aside during the Chicago Cubs' playoff run and have been lax to get back to.

Then somewhat out of nowhere--with the book's promotion now leading to the Dec. 6 release of an audiobook, read by Springsteen himself--last Monday my friend Brad, also a big Boss fan, texted me that Bruce would be doing a Chicago appearance.

From accounts of the earlier book tour events, I knew that--unlike most "book signings"--Bruce wouldn't actually be signing books at the store. Rather, those who wished to attend needed to buy an advanced ticket, entitling one to a signed book and a quick chance to meet the Boss and get a photo taken.

Fortuitiously, I was able to get a ticket as soon as they went on sale last Tuesday, and separately so did Brad.

Yes, I already owned the book, but this was a chance to meet my hero, and autographed copies of Born to Run have been selling for about $500 on Ebay so another $38 was a bargain in any regard.

The event was listed on the Books-A-Million Chicago Facebook page--which now has several photos of Bruce with fans--as lasting from Noon to 2pm, but we were alerted that the line to get in would begin at 9am and that Springsteen was known to begin early in other cities.

Brad works downtown but I was heading there from my home in north suburban Skokie, so we decided to meet at the back of the line at 11:00am, figuring our ticket assured us of a meet-and-greet and a signed book by 2:00pm.

Of course, at 11:00am, there was already a line in the alley just north of the store, stretching from Clark to Lasalle, down Lasalle to Adams, back east the whole block to Clark and north to the store entrance.

So Brad and I--who have several common interests in the realms of music, movies and politics--had plenty of time to talk, and even engaged a friendly stranger just in front of us, in what wound up being roughly 3 hours of banter.

Especially as it was a bit chilly and rainy--though not terribly so--I was certainly quite glad not to have been waiting on my own (though years of attending Bruce concerts solo have brought numerous fun interactions with other fervent fans).

Given the length of the line, and the pace with which it moved while still taking 3 hours to reach Bruce--I believe he showed up around Noon--it quickly became clear that there wouldn't be much time to converse with the Boss.

Even far less than the rather brief dialogue I had imagined.

I had read that Books-A-Million, as elsewhere, had provision to collect cards and gifts fans wanted to leave for Bruce--whether he'll actually see or read them is anyone's guess--so I made and wrote a card saying what I really wanted to tell him. (Which, I imagine, approximates what many others might say.)

This took some pressure off, as I knew I wouldn't have the time to say all that I wrote, nor likely the poise to be glib and conversant without peeing down my leg.

I kind of wanted to ask Bruce something I had long wondered about whether two of his songs on 1978's Darkness on the Edge of Town album--"Racing in the Street" and the title cut--are overtly meant as an intertwined pair, with the same characters invoked in both, as something of a continuing narrative. (It seems possible, but I've never heard confirmation of this theory.)

But I figured this query, and my attempt to ask it, might well confuse Springsteen on the spot, and while in line and certainly once in the store, it became abundantly clear that such an esoteric line of questioning wouldn't be apt.

So I essentially settled on wanting to say something along the lines of:

"The Cubs won the World Series and I get to meet my hero [and you won the Presidential Medal of Honor] in the same month. It's been a pretty damn good month, the election notwithstanding."

(Bruce was vocally anti-Trump and appreared with Hillary at a rally the night before Election Day.)

Yet while I had years, months, weeks, days and even hours to plan things out, when the line finally approached the Boss, it was clear that there was almost no time for conversation. 

To its credit, the Books-A-Million store organized everything very well, including taking people's coats before they approached Springsteen, and having several staff members to take cameras from each guest and shoot photos (even knowing to use the iPhone's burst mode). 

So I had dropped off my card, was wearing my Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band baseball cap and "Show a little faith there's magic in the night" (from "Thunder Road") t-shirt, had my iPhone ready for the designated photographers and had traded digital cameras with Brad, as we were hoping to take a few more pix of each other with the Boss.

I was still kind of futtering around with Brad's camera when I was at the front of the line and someone was saying "Go up there." They even said it twice, "Go up there." So I did.

I approached my idol, shook his hand, put my arm around him, muttered, "This is a real honor" (probably twice), posed for a photo, said "Thank you for everything," shook his hand again and moved on. 

If Bruce Springsteen said anything to me in return, I honestly can't tell you what it was.

But that's OK.

I met the Boss and wound up with a satisfactory photo, and actually several more than I expected (though all basically the same).

It was really, really damn cool, something I'll never forget and forever be glad I did. I now have an autographed copy of Born to Run, and my regard for Bruce Springsteen was only elevated.

And I have nothing but praise for how the event was organized and handled. I'm happy I got to hang out with Brad and even made a new friend, who's now connected on Facebook.

But as I soon was asked by friends Dave and Paolo if meeting Bruce was better than the Cubs winning the World Series, and if it was the "greatest day of my life," I will convey--clear-eyed, honestly and with no lack of sentimental apprecation--the answer to both questions is definitively "No."

Certainly, "meeting the Boss" was a thrill, but let's be honest, I didn't really meet the Boss. It's not like I hung out with him at a bar after his motorcycle broke down (never trust one built by Billy Joel, I guess). 

This was more of a blur with a couple of mumbles and the pressing of an iPhone shutter button.

So just in terms of encounters with heroes, I can't say this matched the time I bumped into Muhammad Ali in Las Vegas. This doesn't make for a story like the time a then-married Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin came into the Kinko's I worked at in Tarzana, CA to get passport photos taken. Or, though I wasn't there, when Frank Thomas happened to show up at the Champaign, IL bar where my best friend Jordan happened to be on my birthday (circa 1995).

Even in terms of book signings, ones accompanied by enjoyable speeches--by Elvis Costello, and my favorite author, Harlan Coben, just 2 months ago--or a bit more interaction (Wayne Gretzky, Cal Ripken Jr., George Carlin, Roger Ebert, Pete Townshend) have offered more in the way of acute and/or or active gratification.

I'll never forget interacting a bit with Buddy Guy and Paul Westerberg after shows, and once saw Jeff Tweedy of Wilco perform in a living room.

In seeking autographs at stage doors, I have "met" Billy Crystal, Hugh Jackman, Antonio Banderas, Chita Rivera, George Hearn (who coolly recorded this for my sister's birthday) and will always relish Denzel Washington telling everyone just to line up down 44th Street before he signed everything and joshed with me upon fumbling to take a photo. (He's probably the coolest celeb I've ever encountered, though I've also met many sports legends at card shows, including the delightful, now-deceased Tony Gwynn.)

Meeting Bruce, as I did, was not as enriching or fulfilling as seeing one of his phenomenal 3-to-4 hour concerts, nor would I say it tops my beloved Cubs finally winning the World Series or my having attended three of the Series games.

I don't know a means for measurement, but this was not "better" than other sensational concerts, brilliant theatrical performances, life-changing travel experiences or wonderful personal interactions and events.

I've had several blessed moments in my life--including just over the past few months--and this was just one more of them.

Though I guess I can forthrightly say...

It was the best meeting with the Boss I've ever had.

A Truly Outstanding Boss: Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Rock the United Center for 3-1/2 Impeccable Hours -- Chicago Concert Review

Concert Review

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
United Center, Chicago
August 28, 2016
@@@@@

Last weekend, with my beloved, first-place Chicago Cubs playing the Dodgers in Los Angeles, I made a point of listening to the L.A. radio feed through the MLB At-Bat app so that I could hear Vin Scully announce the first 3 innings of each game.

After 67 years of broadcasting Dodgers baseball, dating back to their years in Brooklyn, the 88-year-old Scully is retiring at season's end.

So barring a meeting in the postseason, Sunday marked the last time the legendary announcer would call a ballgame involving the Cubs.

Hearing Scully once again was an absolute joy.

Working solo--i.e. without a color commentator--he regaled fans with his trademark storytelling between pitches, and was as brilliant as ever. (Sunday he also simulcasted the 3rd inning on Comcast Sports Net in Chicago, so geared his narrative toward Cubs fans.)

Belying his years, he sounded sharp, vibrant, buoyant and much the same as he always has.

As I remarked on Facebook, I believe Vin Scully has done his job better than anyone else I know of has done his or hers.

On an ongoing basis.

I say this with tremendous regard for many other superb baseball announcers, superlative artists and musicians and writers and others I regularly praise on this blog, as well as for the millions and billions busting their tails in obscurity.

I'd have to assume that, in truth, there may be others who do what they do as well as Vin Scully announces baseball games.

Certainly, Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt just reiterated that they deserve to be considered the greatest ever in their respective fields.

But especially if you factor in longevity and age, there's only a handful of people I would put in the same ballpark as Scully; two that come to mind are Stephen Sondheim and Paul McCartney.

Yet while I will eternally cherish, admire and appreciate the songs those men have written--and just 3 weeks ago saw Sir Paul prove that at 74 he remains one of the world's best concert performers--when it comes to the art of playing live rock 'n roll, there is no one who comes close to Bruce Springsteen.

I say this after not only seeing & relishing McCartney yet again, but just a week after attending two phenomenal shows at Wrigley Field by Pearl Jam, a band that exudes Boss-like earnestness and shares his affinity for changing up the setlist every night.

As regular readers of this blog know, I see a lot of concerts, and love most of them.

I don't bestow my highest, @@@@@ rating as easily as some may think, but have felt Pearl Jam, Paul McCartney, U2, the Rolling Stones, AC/DC and several others have readily earned it.

But on my 5@ scale, what Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band did Sunday night at the United Center--my 48th time seeing him, and 4th this year--truly merits @@@@@@.

Less than a month from turning 67, Springsteen--with most of his band in the same demographic--played for over 3-1/2 hours without leaving the stage.

This came just days after shows at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey clocked in at 3:52 and 3:59, so the fine citizens of Chicago--and those who traveled from Europe and elsewhere--could theoretically feel a tad shortchanged.

But beginning with a nearly 15-minute "New York City Serenade" lushly augmented by a guest string section--Bruce had opened the NJ shows likewise--all 32 songs played sounded tremendous.

Obviously, I love Springsteen and have for 35 years, and know all the lyrics to all his songs--like much of the crowd. I also own every studio album and concert DVD he has ever released, and a good number of the live recordings he has begun to release in recent years, of all current shows and specially-culled past highlights going back to 1975.

And still I can't wait for the chance to buy the "official bootleg" of Sunday's Chicago show. The selections played were that terrific, and Springsteen & E Street still sound as good as ever.

Although the current run of shows are still being promoted as part of The River Tour 2016, unlike the initial U.S. leg earlier this year they do not include a full playing of The River, a double album from 1980 re-released last year with 30+ outtakes as The Ties That Bind: The River Collection.

Eight of The River's 20 original songs were performed Sunday at the UC, including "The Ties That Bind," "Hungry Heart," "Out in the Street," "Cadillac Ranch" and the title track, but not sequentially.

Although I greatly enjoyed the full River shows for what they were--and even wished more of the outtakes were included--this was a much more free-form affair, very cool for me to see due to having no clue what might come next for most of the show.

As on tours over the last decade, Springsteen selected signs from the audience to determine ad hoc song choices. These included "The Promised Land" and a beautiful "Racing in the Street"--with brilliant piano playing by Roy Bittan--plus the rare Born in the U.S.A. outtake, "None But the Brave," and "Mary's Place."

The latter is a song from The Rising that became a setlist staple in 2002-03, and isn't a particular favorite. But Bruce clearly loves playing it, and coming unexpectedly, it was really fun to hear.

Similarly, The River's "Sherry Darling" isn't a song that would ever make my "What do you want to hear him play?" list, but the way the band delivered it made it a true delight.

I loved hearing "My Love Will Not Let You Down" and was completely thrilled that my favorite song--by anyone--"Backstreets" opened the encores (by sign request).

Springsteen has always written songs about economic disillusionment, blue collar struggles and other social issues, but has become much more strident about his humanitarian beliefs in the second half of his career.

With a word spoken about it, his activism was most appreciable during a quintet of songs mid-show:

"Death to My Hometown," "The River" (centered around his brother-in-law losing his job), the recent ode to working class dignity amid Wall Street malfeasance, "Jack of All Trades"--resplendent with the string section brought back onstage--followed by "American Skin (41 Shots)" chronicling a death at the hands of the police (saxophonist Jake Clemons poignantly stood with his hands up throughout the song) and with considerable resonance in Chicago, "Murder Incorporated."

The boundless energy expounded by The Boss and his bandmates--including drummer Max Weinberg, guitarists Steven Van Zandt and Nils Lofgren, bassist Garry Tallent, Bittan, Clemons, keyboardist Charlie Giordano and fiddler/singer Soozie Tyrell--was again rather astonishing to behold,  and one of my favorite moments came 3-1/2 hours into the show when Bruce flashed a huge grin during the closing "Bobby Jean."

In additional to youthful exuberance, at any age, actual youth was also celebrated as Bruce repeatedly noted a boy in the crowd (and made a point of shaking his hand), brought a young girl onstage to sing along with "Waiting on a Sunny Day" and danced with other youngsters during "Dancing in the Dark."

It made me happy to know that parents (and grandparents) are still introducing kids to the wonders of Bruce Springsteen, even live and in person.

And as I sang along, badly but loudly, to "Badlands," "Born to Run," "Rosalita" and much more, it made me ecstatic to witness such a spectacular performer once again.


One who has brought immeasurable joy--and much more--to my life.

With a nod to the similarly singular Vin Scully, nobody does it--or just about anything--better.

And per the second song played, it was truly blissful to see Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band once again "Prove It All Night."

(See Bruce Springsteen's full Chicago setlist here and read more about the show at Backstreets.com)

Ours Go To 11: Volume 11, My Favorite Bruce Springsteen Songs

Hard to winnow down my very favorites of my favorite artist, but as of right now, these are my Best of the Boss:

1. Backstreets
2. Badlands
3. Thunder Road
4. Born to Run
5. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
6. The Ties That Bind
7. Darkness on the Edge of Town
8. The Price You Pay
9. Incident on 57th Street
10. Something in the Night
11. Born in the U.S.A.

And a few more
The River
Jungleland
Roulette
My Love Will Not Let You Down
Rendezvous

Here's a link to a Spotify playlist of these songs, and a player you can just listen to here.

An Uplifting Ride Down to 'The River': Springsteen, E Street Band Deliver Quality & Quantity Like No One Else -- Chicago Concert Review

Concert Review

Bruce Springsteen
and the E Street Band

United Center, Chicago

January 19, 2016

@@@@@

Between the brilliant Bowie, the seemingly indestructible Lemmy, the unforgettable Natalie Cole and the original Eagle, Glenn Frey, the last few days and weeks have brought not only sad losses of musical greats, but grim reminders of our own mortality.

While these passings, at age 69, 70, 65 and 67, respectively, all came far too soon, hitting even closer to home was the death of Scott Weiland at 48--just a year older than me--and also that of a Chicago musician I really enjoyed, Kevin Junior of The Chamber Strings, at just 46.

The tragic loss of the son of longtime family friends, at only 52, himself a beloved musical instrument merchant, served to make the gravity, sorrow and sense of ephemerality all that much more acute, although I didn't know him personally.

So while certainly not lessening the losses, for me, seeing Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band yet again on Tuesday night could hardly have come at a better (largely meaning worse) time.

Attested to by this Chicago show being the 45th time I've seen Springsteen in concert, not only is the Boss my #1 musical hero, he is essentially my psychiatrist, religion, booze, dope and other coping mechanisms, stimulants and/or emotional support systems rolled into one.

And with great admiration for and deference to the thousands of artists I've seen onstage in rock, blues, jazz, classical, theater, opera, ballet, comedy and other genres, Bruce Springsteen is the greatest live performer I've ever witnessed.

Still.

At age 66.

And accompanied by nine E Street Band members mostly of a similar demographic, Springsteen played for 200 minutes at the United Center without leaving the stage.

That's 3 hours and 20 minutes for the mathematically-challenged.

During which time, 33 songs were played.

After opening with--with the house lights still up--"Meet Me in the City," an outtake that just surfaced a few months ago as part of The Ties That Bind: The River Collection box set, the next 20 songs were, as advertised, those contained on 1980's The River album.

Played in album order, this got us to about 2 hours, roughly the length of most "generous" concerts--whether by still-great legends like The Rolling Stones & The Who or relative youngsters like Arcade Fire.

In fact, for many artists, 90-100 minutes is about the norm.

But the Boss & Co. then proceeded to play another 12 songs over approximately 80 more minutes, ending near 11:30pm.

Now, as a Springsteen diehard who knew every lyric sung, I loved what I heard.

All of it.

That said, it was a bit of an adjustment--though not a detriment--to hear The River in order, as part of the joy of seeing Bruce, so many times, is the element of surprise as no two setlists are the same.

So to know exactly what was coming, over the first two hours--I'd previously seen Born to Run, Darkness on the Edge of Town and Born in the U.S.A. played in full, but the double album River is much longer--was a bit unusual.

Yet especially as Springsteen introduced the album and songs like "Independence Day" with poignant soliloquies, hammed it up with Steven Van Zandt on "Two Hearts" and others, crowd-surfed during "Hungry Heart," added lovely extended intros to "I Wanna Marry You" and "Point Blank"--the latter featuring the great E Street pianist, Roy Bittan--and delivered great renditions of several songs rarely played live, including "Fade Away," "Stolen Car," "The Price You Pay," "Drive All Night," and album-closer "Wreck on the Highway," the album recital, at least for me, was glorious. (See Setlist.fm for the full Springsteen Chicago song list, and Backstreets.com for more detailed documentation.)

Not that this would be the show I'd most avidly recommend to Springsteen haters, doubters, disbelievers, newbies or middling, latent or populist fans.

Even among the three aficionado friends I went with--though all we could get were single seats at the four ends of the arena--there was discussion afterward about the length and density of The River, which combines bar band rockers with several long, slow (and to some, laborious) character-study ballads.

But not only was this promoted as The River Tour--I still rue being a bit too young to get to the first one in 1980-81--with the full-album playthrough no secret, Bruce has shared (in The Ties That Bind documentary included in the box set and aired on HBO) that after having initially submitted and pulled back a single album in 1979, his aim with The River was to make a "big" record that captured the sonic balance of his famed live shows.

Hence the dour "Point Blank" leading into the buoyant "Cadillac Ranch" and "I'm A Rocker," then sobered again by "Fade Away."

And several other like examples.

So akin to how I valued coming to much more know and appreciate Stevie Wonder's Songs of the Key of Life double album leading up to--and during--his 2014 concert performing it in full, Springsteen fans who didn't holistically know or recall The River could well have studied up (easily in the age of Spotify) and/or reveled anew in hearing it en masse.

And though this was just the second show of the tour, after Saturday in Pittsburgh, Springsteen did provide some great surprises in his selections after The River wound up.

I went into Tuesday's gig kind of hoping he would replicate "Badlands," "Backstreets"--my favorite song by anyone, ever--"Because the Night" and his tribute to David Bowie, "Rebel Rebel," that were played in Pittsburgh.

Yet though I would have loved to have heard those songs, I was just as happy to have them, unsuspectingly, replaced with "Night," "No Surrender"--Bruce botched the opening twice, but then "remembered how it goes"--a searing "Cover Me" and a touching solo acoustic "Take It Easy," in memory of Glenn Frey.

Also played were "She's the One," "Thunder Road," "Born to Run"--making for half of the Born to Run album, along with "Night"--"Human Touch," "Dancing in the Dark" (on which Bruce danced with a delighted gray-haired lady), "The Rising," "Rosalita" and more.

So those looking for greatest hits can't really say they didn't get them.

Though if anything--with the awareness that it's silly to kvetch at all about a near-perfect, nearly 3-1/2-hour show--I would have relished hearing a few more River outtakes.

As I compiled and sequenced in this 25-song Spotify playlist, Springsteen recorded enough first-rate material in 1979-80 to have put out a second double album just as good, if lacking the stylistic diversity of the finished product.

Along with "Meet Me in the City," songs like "Party Lights," "Roulette," "Dollhouse," "Loose Ends," "Be True," "Stray Bullet" and many more would have been a joy to hear performed by the mighty E Street band, including Bittan, Van Zandt, Garry Tallent, Max Weinberg, Nils Lofgren, Jake Clemons (nephew of the late Clarence), Charlie Giordano, Soozie Tyrell and Bruce's wife, Patti Scialfa.

But I have tickets for Bruce in Milwaukee on March 3, so who knows?

Still, as I've hopefully conveyed, I loved this show, in part because of its uniqueness. My friends did too, and what may have sounded like booing was simply the packed house effusively yelling, "Bruuuuuuuce!"

And especially with the concert coming when it did, there was something genuinely inspiring about seeing a 66-year-old guy with an equally veteran band rocking out for 200 minutes with a smile on his face the entire time.

Who knows how much time we and those we love--whether personally or artistically--have left on this Earth?

Hopefully a lot, but for me the real wish is that we all find fulfillment in how we live, give, share, love and enjoy each and every day.

For me, no one has ever provided a better example of giving your best, every time out, than Bruce Springsteen.

And no entertainer--or anyone for that matter, other than family and friends--has ever made me feel more alive.

Or glad to be.

Repeatedly, and on this particular Tuesday night.