Concert Review: 1/31/2016, Prudential Center, Newark, NJ

"Good Evening New Jersey!"

It's one of the greatest sounds a Bruce fan can hear.  There's nothing quite like that moment when the house lights go out, the stage lights go on and Bruce takes the stage.  And you know for the next 3+ hours, you're about to see a legend in concert, and he won't disappoint.  He never has before, and he isn't going to tonight.  And man, was Bruce ON tonight.

I almost didn't make it to this concert, as tickets were incredibly difficult to get when they went on sale.  Fortunately, my good buddy Kyle called me a few minutes after they went on sale while I was still trying to get them and told me he had gotten tickets.  So off I went to the lovely Prudential Center in downtown Newark, NJ with Kyle, his girlfriend, and brother.  This was the first time in a long time I was going to see Bruce without my fellow Legends Of Springsteen contributors.  I was a little nervous that perhaps my fandom might be a little much for the others in my group, but they kept up right along with me belting out the lyrics to "Out In The Street", dancing on the floor of the Prudential Center to "Cadillac Ranch", and chugging beers like we were still in college to "Sherry Darling".  We also met a really nice father and son on the floor who had been to countless shows together and were huge fans.  I suggested that they visit this site later, so Matt and Joe if you see this, we had a blast rocking out with you!

The first thing I noticed about this show, was that the E Street Band was much smaller than it's been on the past few tours.  That's actually a good thing, as I specifically remember thinking the last time I saw Bruce that the band had gotten comically large.  Gone is the horns section, save Jake Clemons of course, and gone are the background singers, and back up percussionists.  This is the lineup from the original River tour, except for the members who have passed away and been replaced, and plus Patti and Soozi Tyrell.

Also, this is kind of a strange tour.  The River is a classic Bruce album, no doubt about it.  But it's not one of his most classic.  And 35 isn't exactly a milestone year.  Put it this way, I'll be turning 35 in a few short years, and I don't in any way see it as a milestone.  What did I care though?  If it meant going to see Bruce live, I didn't care how strange the touring circumstances were.

But of course, Bruce explained it perfectly.  This wasn't his  introduction to rock and roll like Greetings From Asbury Park or his masterpiece Born To Run.  And he was still a few years away from the height of his popularity with Born In The USA.  This was him proving he still had "it".  It was the album Bruce wrote in his 30s, way past the point where he can say he was the new guy, the up and comer.  He had been around for too long and had way too much success.  But he wasn't done, so he wasn't at the point where he could just rest on his laurels, and call it a career.  Hell, I don't even think he's at that point now, nor does he want to be.  Bruce proved tonight what he's proved to me every night that I've gone to see him: that he wants to be better than he was the last time he played.

And of course, after he played The River  in it's entirety he played a setlist that would rival any of his other previous ones.  Non-stop crowd pleasers, including having the house lights on for his entire encore.  By the end of the night, there wasn't a disappointed fan in all of the Prudential Center.  I would write more, but I'm exhausted and need to go to bed now.  Bottom line: if you're debating on whether or not to go see Bruce on this tour, don't.  It's 100% worth every penny, and for the first time in a long time, I left a Bruce concert without thinking "This might be the last tour I get to see him on."  He's looks and sounds better than any performer half his age and shows absolutely no desire to slow down any time soon.

Click here for the entire setlist.

Concert Review – Prudential Center, NJ May 2

Last night in Newark, Bruce closed out the first US leg of his Wrecking Ball tour in typical fashion: a perfect powerhouse performance that spotlighted the new album, offered rarities to satiate the diehards and brought out enough of the classics so not to alienate the newcomers.

The night featured two of the most esoteric moments I’ve witnessed at a Bruce Springsteen concert. The first was when he referenced literary great Philip Roth, citing him as both a Newark native and a badass. The second was when he launched into “Bishop Danced” a head-scratching curio from Disc 1 of Tracks. In his intro, Bruce stated it would be the first time they’d ever played the song as a full band. “Bishop Danced” is a song that the Legends of Springsteen editors have long puzzled over, noting its utter incoherence, even by Bruce standards. It’s by no means a great song but hearing it live gave us that uncanny (and completely unfounded) feeling that so many people express at a Bruce concert, like he was playing the song specifically for us.

A moment that will surely go down in the annals of Bruce legends was the beginning of the encore when Bruce trotted over to an audience member and grabbed a sign requesting a tribute to Levon Helm, the singer and drummer from The Band, who died in mid-April. Before launching into a beautiful cover of “The Weight”, Bruce said, "We’re gonna do our best on this." Ah, his false humility charms me every time.

The more predictable elements of the show (in as far as a Bruce show can be predictable) were fantastic as well. He opened with “No Surrender” (keeping the lights on) and then segued into the angriest version of “We Take Care of Our Own” that I’ve noticed; growling, “Where’s the promise, from sea to shining sea,” with vitriol.

“Death to my Hometown” was as invigorating as ever but I almost wish it came later in the set when the crowd is at a fever pitch. After leaving off “Shackled and Drawn” from the two Izod nights, Bruce played it for the first time in New Jersey and I was really glad I had the opportunity to see it live. Bruce's ‘shackled shuffle’ dance moves are up there with his “Death to my Hometown” ‘kicking off dust’ footwork and the horn section parading along the stage during the conclusion was a great sight.

I’m currently reading Dave Marsh’s “Glory Days” and couldn’t help but catch a Rolling Stones allusion in the lyrics to “Shackled and Drawn.” As Marsh chronicles, Bruce was a fan of playing “Street Fighting Man” during his encores in the 1980s and had an affinity for the lyric “Well, what can a poor boy do, except to sing for a rock n roll band.” In retrospect, it’s easy to hear that sentiment echoed in “Shackled and Drawn” with “What’s a poor boy to do but keep singing his song.”

In characteristically epic style, Bruce brought the three-hour show to a thundering conclusion gliding from “Born to Run” to “Dancing in the Dark” to “Rosalita” to “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out.” It doesn’t get much better than that and the crowd couldn’t have been happier.

This was my third show of the tour and I’ve got tickets for when Bruce returns stateside in the fall. Despite being fortunate enough to see multiple shows, I’m still incredibly envious of the Europeans who will be enjoying Bruce concerts all summer long.