Springsteen beyond words

One week ago I attended the second Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band concert in Pittsburgh this year, at Consol Energy Center.  18,000+ fans turned out to see a second edition of The River tour.  But unlike the first concert back in January, which began this year's tour, he did not play the entire set list of the two-volume River album.  Instead, he spanned his entire history, from the first album to the most recent, and lots inbetween. 

The concert began with eight violinists sitting on stage behind the band.  "New York Serenade" commenced with that so unexpected (for a rock n roll band) classical piano solo by Roy Bittan, then the voice of Bruce and his storytelling, then those heavenly violins, then the rest of the story.  (Read Brian O'Neill's human interest story here.)  That began a roller coaster ride of pure joy.  With the concert on the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11, without saying a word the band acknowledged that day and its many losses with "Into the Fire," (tears came to my eyes as I thought of how I used its faith-filled refrain in Dad's funeral Mass homily), "Lonesome Day," and a truly poignant "You're Missing."  (The line "there's too much room in my bed" always hits me hard.)  

But it was time to move on.  "Mary's Place" upped the tone and tempo, and on to early songs "It's Hard to be a Saint in the City" and, after a talkative introduction about how he had to work cutting grass, clipping hedges and tarring roofs on a 95 degree day ("the last honest work I've ever done") to save up to buy a guitar as a kid, Bruce launched into "Growin' Up."  Along the way I heard live for the first time "Lost in the Flood" and "American Skin (41 Shots)."  Pittsburghers Joe and Johnny Grushecky joined the band for raucous "Light of Day," and on and on and on.  They closed with "Bobby Jean," and three hours, 50 minutes after it started, we breathed again.  It wasn't a record (Bruce and the band broke four hours three times in concerts in New Jersey and Washington in the previous two weeks), but it was enough.  ENOUGH!  We never get enough of the Boss!

The River tour continues with eight concerts in Australia and New Zealand in January (it's summer Down Under!  Anyone up for a looooong flight?), but that's it for a while.  Bruce is rumored to be bringing out a solo album, and of course we await the publication of his autobiography later this month.

2016 was a good year to get my share of Bruce.  Three concerts, two in Pittsburgh and one in Cleveland in March, bringing me to a total of ten lifetime.  "Is there anybody ALIVE out there?"  Yes!

(All photos from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 9/12/2016.)