Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band took the stage this past Saturday for the second of a pair of shows at Gillette Stadium. Bruce and the band provided the crowd with a serious blast of high energy rock and roll, performed with all the heart, soul and boundless energy fans have come to expect from a Springsteen concert. Throughout the three hour show, we were treated to a favorites heavy set featuring much loved tunes like "Prove It All Night," "The Promised Land," "Backstreets," "Badlands," and "Because The Night." Also sprinkled throughout the show were some were some well chosen deep cuts, including a terrific version of "Kitty's Back," and a rough and ready, badass run through of "Johnny 99."
The Boss and the rest of the group were in fine form, with Nils Lofgren and "Little Stevie" Van Zandt providing explosive guitar work, Jake Clemons offering up some red hot saxophone, and multi-instrumentalist Soozie Tyrell and backing vocalists Curtis King and Michelle Moore also giving the audience some memorable moments. The E Street Band is a well-oiled machine at this point, and Springsteen is such a generous leader, that every member of the ensemble had a chance to shine throughout the night. For fans, it's a truly communal experience attending an E Street show, where everyone in the audience sings, shouts and chants along in joyful unison.
While there wasn't as much between song chat as there often is at a Springsteen show, he did take some time out to talk about, love, life, friendship and loss. During the concert, he performed several songs from the album Letter To You, including "Last Man Standing" and "Ghosts," which recall his friend and former bandmate George Theiss, who died in 2018. Springsteen and Theiss were both in the New Jersey based band The Castiles in their younger days. With the passing of Theiss, Bruce is the last surviving member of the group. His touching renditions of the selections from Letter To You, including the title track, and the evening's final song, the acoustic "I'll See You In My Dreams," were reminders of the emotionally resonant power of his music. Bruce hasn't lost one iota of his near-mystical skills to enthrall, thrill and captivate an audience.
Springsteen has always interacted with his fans on a deeply personal level. It's not just about the incredible songs, the insightful and thoughtful lyrics, or the incendiary live performances. There's a transformative power to his music that sparks a powerful response. The emotions and feelings he explores in his work are things we can all relate to, and that sense of empathy and understanding allows us to form a unique bond with him. My late wife Gloria was a passionate Springsteen fan. She felt a powerful connection to him through his songs that elevated her love of his music, and sharing her transcendent experience made me even more of a Springsteen fan. I don't know how many more large scale tours Bruce will be doing at this point, but if you get the chance to see him live, don't miss out. It's truly a one of a kind rock and roll experience.
Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band Setlist 8/26/23
Lonesome Day
No Surrender
Ghosts
Prove It All Night
Letter To You
The Promised Land
Out in the Street
Candy's Room
Kitty's Back
Nightshift
Atlantic City
Johnny 99
Mary's Place
Last Man Standing
Backstreets
Because The Night
She's The One
Wrecking Ball
The Rising
Badlands
Thunder Road
Encore 1:
Born To Run
Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
Seven Nights To Rock
Glory Days
Dancing In The Dark
Tenth Avenue Freeze Out
Encore 2:
I'll See You In My Dreams
No comments:
Post a Comment