Two words sum up the experience of my 20th
Bruce Springsteen concert---holy shit! It is nights like this one that remind
me why I became a fan of Bruce Springsteen in the first place. With all of the
speculation and second guessing about what was going to happen, no one was
prepared for what actually transpired. And it wasn’t just the song selection,
which was absolutely incredible.It was also the power and the energy produced
that made this an unforgettable evening. The interaction with the audience. The
boundless excitement that Bruce showed to the crowd and that the crowd showed
right back. Every single moment seemed memorable, magical, and mesmerizing. It
was pure concert bliss for over 4 hours.
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| Before The Night Began |
Yes, I did get to witness the longest show ever performed
in the United States and the second longest of Springsteen’s career. That
single fact alone would rank this as one of the best concerts I ever attended,
but as we’ve discussed before,
length isn’t everything. The power of the performance bears a lot of weight as
well. And the performance at MetLife Stadium on that warm August evening was
one for the ages.
The event began with a very special opening number. Even
though I knew it was coming, starting the concert with “New York City Serenade”
was a rare treat for me. I had only seen this song performed live once beforeway back in 1999. I have
wanted to see it again ever since. Finally, 17 years later, I would get the
chance. My patience was rewarded with a stunning rendition of this beautiful
lost classic from The Wild, The Innocent,
and the E-Street Shuffle. The song worked perfectly as an opener and it
slowly pulled the crowd in for what would be an extended night of
entertainment. Roy on the piano set “New York City Serenade” and Bruce’s short,
quick, acoustic guitar notes sang out into the stadium. We were off and
running. Serenade lasted almost fifteen minutes and the roar of approval at the
end showed just how beloved this song, and this band, is.
After “New York City Serenade” Bruce welcomed the crowd
with a grand “Good evening, New Jersey!” He then told us that they were going
to try and play the songs that they didn’t get to the first two nights. I
didn’t realize that would mean almost every track that people would want to
hear from his first two albums. 5 songs off of Greetings From Asbury Park, N.j. kicked the night into high gear
and left several jaws wide open (mine included). It was at that moment I knew this was going to be a concert like
none I had ever experienced. Perhaps every third Springsteen performance that I
see, I’ll get a track or two from one of the first two albums. Usually “Spirit
In the Night” or “Growing Up.” Almost never would I experience more than two
and never would they be 9 out of the
first 10 songs played. We were well over an hour into the show before Bruce
played an original that wasn’t from his first two albums.
“Summertime Blues,” played by sign request, served as the
perfect segue from Greetings From Asbury
Park, N.J. to The Wild, The Innocent,
and the E-Street Shuffle. I’ve always loved the E-Street version of
“Summertime Blues” and it was even more fun on that night in the Meadowlands.
After ending the song, Bruce stepped to the microphone and announced “We
haven’t played this one in quite a while.” The band then ripped into “4th
of July, Asbury Park (Sandy),” and all of us were sitting on the Jersey Shore
with Bruce, experiencing the boardwalk life, and feeling the thrill of the
rides and the smell of the surf.
A blistering “Kitty’s Back” would follow and then the
moment of the night for me occurred. I was able to witness a live performance
of “Incident On 57th Street” for only the second time in my
Springsteen concert attending career and it was brilliant! Goosebumps broke out
all over my skin as the song played on. And when we got to the end of the
number, Roy’s piano continued, just like it does on the album. Roy wasn’t
stopping and most of the fans in attendance knew what that meant. Springsteen
paused with guitar in hand and gave us all a sly look as if to ask “should I do
it?” More than a few of us screamed “Do it!’ And with that, the opening notes
of “Rosalita” hit the air and every single person in MetLife Stadium was on
their feet. The rare album sequence performance of “Incident on 57th
Street” into “Rosalita” was absolutely awesome and one of the best gifts I ever
received at a Springsteen concert.
And the night was only getting started!I got to witness
Springsteen’s cover of “Pretty Flamingo” for the first time ever and it did not
disappoint. A brilliant performance of “Atlantic City” came next and served as another
segue, this time into the pack of Born In
The USA songs that would follow. “I’m Goin’ Down,” “Darlington County,”
“Working On The Highway,” and “Downbound Train” left my throat raw from
screaming and singing at the top of my lungs. A gorgeous version of “I’m On
Fire” followed to wrap up the Born In The
USA package. I was stunned and speechless by that point, but Springsteen
was nowhere near done.
The album that was the purpose of the entire tour finally
had a couple of songs performed. “Hungry Heart,” and “Out In The Street” would
be the only representatives from The
River that night, and that was okay with everyone in the crowd. By that
point, Bruce could do no wrong. A fantastic rendition of “Living Proof” was
next, but sadly, most people sat through it. Showing once again that the 1992
Springsteen songs just don’t get any love, which is a shame. I was extremely
happy that Bruce pulled out “Living Proof” and it only added to the unique spirit
of the night for me.
Five fan favorites wrapped up the main portion of the evening.
By the time the crowd was chanting the Badlands chorus, over three hours had
passed since the opening notes of “New York City Serenade.” And we still had an
encore to go. The encore provided another first for me at a Springsteen concert.
Seeing a performance of “Secret Garden.” I forgot how grand that song is! I
would later learn, thanks to the wonderful fan site Backstreets (www.backstreets.com), that it was only
the 4thtime ever this song had been performed live. No wonder I
forgot about it!
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| MetLife Stadium Going Crazy For Bruce! |
Even though I’ve seen “Jungleland” performed quite a few
times, I have never witnessed a version like this. Perhaps it was the intensity
that the night demanded, the song selection that led up to it, or just the
setting that we were in, but this was one of the best “Jungleland” I’ve seen.
Springsteen sang with an intensity that we haven’t felt on this song for a
while, and Jake Clemons absolutely nailed the solo made famous by his uncle.
After the solo, Jake stood on the stage, motionless and Bruce walked over and
embraced him. It was a very touching moment in an emotionally charged night.
“Dancing In The Dark” found Bruce playing dance leader
and pulling people from the pit onto the stage to dance. One wise gentleman
held a sign that read “I’d go a bit woozy if I could dance with sister Soozie”
(referring to none other than violinist Soozie Tyrell, of course). He got
brought on stage. Another witty fella held a sign that read “My wife gave me
permission to dance with Patty”. He got hoisted onstage, although it took a
little extra effort to get him up. He was a big man and apparently it’s not as
easy to climb onto the stage as people think. A girl with a sign that said
“Last dance before school” got raised up. And a random girl got to dance with
Bruce. All of these people were in their glory. All of these people lived a
moment in their lives that they will never forget. He even let them all join on
the microphone and sing the chorus with him. Who does that? And that is what
makes Springsteen such a master. I am sure the security detail absolutely hates
that he brings people on stage like that, but Bruce isn’t hearing it. He wants everyone
in the building to have the night of their lives every time they perform.
The night ended with the same song that ended the
previous two MetLife Stadium shows, “Jersey Girl.” By this point it was well
after midnight, but no one had left for the parking lot. The New Jersey crowd
sang along with “Jersey Girl” to finish the night and a lot of guys held their
ladies, swaying and swooning to the Tom Waits classic that Bruce has made his
own.
When it was all over, Bruce had performed for over 4
hours (1 minute over to be exact) and I was exhausted. I was euphoric, but I
was still exhausted. After 20 Springsteen concerts, I had never witnessed one
quite like that and it immediately went to the top of my list as best
Springsteen concert ever. In a few months, we will see if it still remains
there, but I don’t see any way that this could be knocked off the top of the
perch. It may even be the best concert I’ve ever attended. The night was full
of magic and memories that are going to stay with me for a lifetime.
Setlist
New York City Serenade
Blinded By The Light
Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street?
It’s Hard To Be A Saint In The City
Spirit In The Night
Summertime Blues
4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)
Kitty’s Back
Incident On 57th Street
Rosalita (come Out Tonight)
Pretty Flamingo
Atlantic City
I’m Goin’ Down
Darlington County
Working On The Highway
Downbound Train
I’m On Fire
Hungry Heart
Out In The Street
Living Proof
Candy’s Room
She’s The One
Because The Night
The Rising
Badlands
Encore
Secret Garden
Jungleland
Born To Run
Dancing In The Dark
Tenth Avenue Freeze-out
Twist And Shout
Glory Days
Shout
Jersey Girl
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