Bruuuuce!

[eaglesvet]

Lots of Springsteen happenings this week!! For football and non-football fans alike, don't forget to check out the half-time show of the Super Bowl. The Boss has agreed to bring his band to this nationally televised venue (apparently after years of turning down invites), and promises to deliver quite a show. In an interview this week, he describes it as what you would hear/see during the last 12 minutes of one of his concerts at the Meadowlands (NJ)...which I can verify is absolutely hot, on-target, rock and roll :rockguitar::band:!!


I'm sure you're not surprised :stunned: to learn that I am a veteran of many a Springsteen show. In fact, during the mid-80's Born in the USA tour, if I didn't have a ticket to attend a particular show, I would still drive down to the Meadowlands each night and wait for the sounds of the encore to start. At that time, security would let people just waltz on into the stadium for free, and we'd be treated to the Boss's renowned 45 minute encores--which varied nightly!! Ahh, those were the days!! Anyway, the crowd was in an absolute FRENZY by the last 20 minutes or so...so if Bruuuuuce can reproduce that spirit at the Super Bowl , we are in for a real treat!

Bruce will be debuting his new album, "Working on a Dream," which went on sale this past week...so I imagine at least one song will be from the new one. He also opens up a new world tour, which I'll discuss in the next post.

[eaglesvet]

Bruce's new album, "Working on a Dream," received a 5-star rating from Brian Hiatt of the The Rolling Stone, who called it the best of the 3 great rock and roll albums the Boss has put out this decade. Apparently, Bruce reaches back to his roots on the Jersey shore (ala Born to Run), and made this album with sounds reminiscent of Roy Orbison and Phil Spector. Hiatt also recalls the British Invasion, the Byrds, Manfred Mann, and the Turtles when describing the various songs on the new one. Something for everyone, I gather!

Bruce kicks off his "Working on a Dream" concert tour with the Super Bowl show; and then the rest of the US arena :yay:shows begin April 1 in San Jose and finish up May 23 in the Meadowlands. He then goes to Europe. Most of the US shows go on sale this Monday Feb 2, with a few exceptions that I will point out. Locally, the vendor is 'Meadowlands All Access,' which I have never used before. I'll have to become completely familiar with their website before 9 am Monday... because Bruce will sell out the 2 arena shows here in about 30 seconds. Apparently, he caused a systems crash earlier in the week in Sweden and Norway selling out his June shows there.

The North American Tour:(On sale date 2/2 unless noted)
4/1 San Jose, CA

4/3 Glendale, AZ

4/5 Austin, TX -on sale 2/7

4/7 Tulsa, OK -on sale 2/7

4/8 Houston -on sale 2/7

4/10 Denver

4/15 LA

4/21 & 4/22 Boston

4/24 Hartford, CT

4/26 Atlanta

4/28 & 4/29 Philly

5/2 Greensboro, NC -on sale 2/6

5/4 Hempstead, NY

5/5 Charlottesville, VA

5/7 Toronto, Ontario -on sale 2/6

5/8 University Park, PA

5/11 St. Paul

5/12 Chicago

5/14 Albany, NY

5/15 Hershey, PA (the only small stadium, rather than arena)

5/18 DC

5/19 Pittsburgh

5/21 & 5/23 East Rutherford, NJ

Please double check me at www.brucespringsteen.net. (http://www.brucespringsteen.net...I) I wouldn't want to be responsible for any inaccuracies. At least locally, ticket prices are between $65 and $95...a veritable bargain for his 3+hr action-packed shows! And you can bet I will be bringing a sign request for 4th of July, Asbury Park (aka Sandy)!!

[Stars]

EV, good luck getting your tickets to see Bruce! That is exciting news about his new album and upcoming tour!:thumbsup:
I was just thinking this morning that I want to listen to clips of his new songs, then I saw your post. I'll be listening later on today, and let ya know what I think. My brother LOVES Bruce, and I know he'll be seeing him on this tour!:)

[sodascouts]

Cool! Bruce is one of my favorite musicians, but I've never seen him live. Sounds like an amazing show!

I've been seeing commercials for a different type of show lately - seems Bruce is doing a kind of documentary TV series about working on his album. Have you heard about this?

[eaglesvet]

Yup, I think it's the same DVD that's included in the 'Deluxe" version of the new album. VH1 is airing it several times this week, I've read. It's not a series, just the one show repeated. Bruce began writing songs for "Working..." while on the Magic tour in 2007-2008, and recorded it in between Magic concerts in 2008. So, given it was written and recorded relatively quickly, the DVD/ VH1 show should show some interesting footage. You should check out his website for all the background info, as well as the link to the Rolling Stone review.

Soda, you absolutely have to go to a show this tour! I remember he made your top 10 singers list, so I assumed you had seen him. You will be exhausted just watching him, Little Steven, and Nils work out on stage with their guitars....watch for Nils to do flips (literally!). Bruce's shows used to be 4 hours easily, including the 45 minute encore. In Sept. '07, we had the great luck of scoring 2 seats to a 1000-seat rehearsal in the Meadowlands arena--his last rehearsal show before the Magic tour opened officially. That show was "only" 3 1/2 hours..but it was absolutely the best by far (and by far the closest I've ever been...1st row up from the floor, in one of the first side sections slightly in front of the band :jawdrop::fainted:...you know how many years of shows it took me to get this close???) Anyway, you will not be disappointed...trust me!

[Brooke]

I like a lot of Bruce's songs (favorite is Pink Cadillac), too, but have never been to a show. My brother, however, is a huge fan. I think he went to a concert last fall in KC. He's been oodles of times. I should check out his web site.

My husband and I were trying to guess which songs he would do for the superbowl. My picks are Born In The USA, Born To Run, and Dancing In The Dark. Hubby picks Pink Cadillac. I figure that one might not be family-oriented enough! :wink:

Do you know which songs other than a new one, ev?

[eaglesvet]

Nope, don't know what songs he will be singing, but my guess is the title song to the new one. I do know, however, how many songs he will be singing...how, you ask? Well, it's an interesting story... But first, although I'm sworn to secrecy on the details, there's nothing preventing y'all from guessing it (quietly to yourselves :shh:; please don't post the #.) Hint: He'll play one song for each of Ticky's and my children.

So I have been dying to spill the beans about something I had alluded to in another thread a couple of weeks back. I think it's safe now...the public news is basically out now, for the most part. So, let me tell you my story! (PM, are you listening?) Since before Thanksgiving, I have been sitting on a thrilling bit of news (at least for me), that I've had to remain hush-hush :ziplip: about. It concerns a client of mine who owns a 12-lb terror of a terrier, a real devil-dog--let's call her 'Landshark,' and her owner Ms. Society. As you might guess, Landshark has earned her name because veterinarian, staff, and owner risk life and limb every time she visits the animal hospital for any reason whatsoever. Although she is now 7 yrs. old, she has only been a patient of our hospital for 3 1/2 yrs. Only in the last 10 mos. or so has Ms. Society realized that Dr. E is the vet most likely to successfully examine and treat Landshark with the least amount of stress, and no injury, to any party involved (animal or human); so now I have the distinction of being 'Landshark's doctor.' BTW, I attribute my success to one particularly competent veterinary assistant and judicious use of chemical restraint (ie, sedation!)

Anyway, a week before Turkey Day, Landshark needed hip surgery by an orthopedic specialist at our hospital. I was the doctor in charge of her 2-day hospitalization/ recovery. During that time at work, we got a new CD player/radio up front in the waiting room to replace the old radio-only. (Don't worry, this story is going somewhere, I promise...I just want to let the drama unfold as it actually happened...) During those 2 days, our receptionists literally had only 2 CD's to play over and over and over again, which they did--enough to drive anyone crazy :dizzy:. I finally cracked at lunchtime of the 2nd day, went out to my car, and brought in every CD I had--LROOE, Bruce's Magic, James Taylor, Jackson Browne--that I thought would be OK for waiting room use. At the end of the day, when Ms. Society came to pick Landshark up to take her home and she heard Magic playing, she asked, "Oh! Who's the Springsteen fan?" When my receptionists told her that it was me, her eyes lit up as they led her into the exam room to hear all about post-op hip care from me.

Now, prior to that moment, I didn't know anything personal about Ms. Society at all. Thankfully, Landshark had been pretty healthy up until the surgery, and so I had only had to see her a handful of times in less than a year. But, as it turns out, Ms. Society is the connection I have been waiting for my entire life ! :thumbsup:(OK, maybe just 30 years or so...:)) She proceeded to tell me that once she brought Landshark back to her house, she needed to head into NYC to her apt on Central Park, because Bruce and the E Streeters were hangin' out, waiting to plan out the Super Bowl halftime show! As my knees weakened, she pulled out her Springsteen 'staff pass' to prove she was legit (as if any self-respecting person in this neck of the woods would dare make something like that up!) At that point, I lost all semblance of professionalism and became giddy with excitement...she began to tell me the number of songs they would sing (though not which ones), and that the new album would come out at the same time, and the next world tour would start right afterward. So, I've been sitting on this info since Nov. because she made me promise not to tell anyone!

It turns out that she grew up with one of the band members, and thus became involved with them on a professional level as well. Her main involvement is with fund-raising for 2 of the charities they hold near and dear to their collective hearts. She hosts charity events and parties for them, their friends, acquaintances, business associates, and philanthropists; mainly in the city. But then she also does things like help them plan Super Bowl halftime shows in her apt. Quite a job description, huh?

So I haven't even gotten to the thrilling part. Sensing my extreme fascination in her friends, and excitement in learning who she was, she made me some offers I couldn't refuse. She promised me some Bruce setlists the next time she came in...which she delivered about 2 weeks afterward when Landshark came in for suture removal. For every concert, Bruce will hand-write a setlist (remember, every show is a little bit different), then photocopy one for every band member to have onstage. Well, she gave me 2 set lists from both Oct. 2007 Los Angeles shows (a month after I saw him at a rehearsal show at the Meadowlands). These pieces of paper were touched by :yay: Bruce and then handed to Danny Federici (the late organ player, who died of melanoma in spring 2008, and whose accordian playing is featured on the song Sandy.) It's very cool to see his handwriting, and how he abbreviates the songs... and how he abbreviates them slightly differently each night. Then, if you look at the planned set list and then what he actually played, there still might be one or two songs that vary! For example, he wrote 'BTR' on one, and 'B to R' on the other for 'Born to Run'. He wrote 'Girls' for 'Girls in Their Summer Clothes'. He wrote 'Last', and right now I can't even tell you which song that is without looking it up. I have the 2 setlists uploaded (I think) onto my computer; I would like to try to post them here later. If I am unsuccessful ( a distinct possibility), anyone who is interested can look at them on www.brucespringsteen.net (http://www.brucespringsteen.net). At the top, click on LIVE. Scroll to the bottom, and click on 2007 tour. Scroll down to Oct. 29 and 30 (my dates) and click on Set List (on the right). You'll then see a thumbnail of a hand-written list...click on it to enlarge. That's what I have!

Now, the grand finale for me...and I am waiting with bated breath for her return call... She has promised me that whenever I want a BACKSTAGE PASS TO MEET BRUCE AND THE BAND, ALL I NEED TO DO IS ASK!!! :partytime: Well, I told her that day that I would be holding her to her promise, and believe you me, I will!! I hope she calls me Sunday (from the football stadium, if she has to)... before tix go onsale, because I assume I still have to get the tix, and then she gets me the passes. But if she means she can get me the tix and the passes, all the better!! I would love not to have to chance getting sold out of seats...and that is a real possibility in this state. He can sell out 11 stadium shows in something like 15 minutes, so 2 arena shows will go before you can snap your fingers. One false keystroke, and it could be all over :-( ...but let's not think that way. Only happy thoughts...:thumbsup:

Can you tell I'm psyched?!

[eaglesvet]

I like a lot of Bruce's songs (favorite is Pink Cadillac), too, but have never been to a show. My brother, however, is a huge fan. I think he went to a concert last fall in KC. He's been oodles of times. I should check out his web site.

My husband and I were trying to guess which songs he would do for the superbowl. My picks are Born In The USA, Born To Run, and Dancing In The Dark. Hubby picks Pink Cadillac. I figure that one might not be family-oriented enough! :wink:

Do you know which songs other than a new one, ev?
Brooke, I'll trade you! How about I go to one Keith Urban show if you go to one Springsteen show? I KNOW you will love it! Think about it--:guitar::singer: "...So Rosie, come out tonight, baby come out tonight..." :applause::applause:

Unfortunately, I don't think I have ever heard them do Pink Cadillac live, but bring a sign...they were taking requests the whole second half of the last tour, so ya never know!

As for Keith, I am strongly considering seeing him this tour! As long as I like his new CD as much as I anticipate I will (considering my only knowledge of him is from the CMAs when he sang Sweet Thing :heart:), I think I'm there!

[sodascouts]

:jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop:

HOLY CRAP!!

You're going to meet Bruce backstage?!! OH MY GOSH!! That's so cool!!!!!!

You must tell us all about it!

How AWESOME!!!!!

Knew those years of vet school would come in handy one day, eh? ;)

I think I might have exhausted my concert funds for this year, but if I can manage it, I'll go to a Bruce show!

[Prettymaid]

EV, as I read your story my excitement grew and grew and grew until I exploded with joy! What a nice thing for her to do! I am so happy for you!

[ticky]

:jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop:

HOLY CRAP!!



I think that kinna sums it up for me too!! :blueblob::smitten::yay::stunned::stunned::stunned :

[Stars]

EV, WOW!!!:blueblob::yay: A chance to meet BRUUUUUCE? That is fantastic!! I can hardly wait to read all about it! I am very happy for you-wait til I tell my brother-he will be green with envy!:jealous:

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Okay - this is uber cool - I mean how exciting is that!!! And OBTW, ev - can I be your new best friend? :wink: :wink:

[eaglesvet]

:jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop:

HOLY CRAP!!

You're going to meet Bruce backstage?!! OH MY GOSH!! That's so cool!!!!!!

You must tell us all about it!

How AWESOME!!!!!

Knew those years of vet school would come in handy one day, eh? ;)

I think I might have exhausted my concert funds for this year, but if I can manage it, I'll go to a Bruce show!
:pray::pray::pray:

[eaglesvet]

EV, as I read your story my excitement grew and grew and grew until I exploded with joy! What a nice thing for her to do! I am so happy for you!
THX! I love relaying stories to you guys--thanks for indulging me the opportunity! All I asked was a little patience, right, PM?:nod:

[eaglesvet]

Okay - this is uber cool - I mean how exciting is that!!! And OBTW, ev - can I be your new best friend? :wink: :wink:
I'm about to call Ms. Society right now and give her a list of my BFs that's as long as my arm!! :nod:;)

[eaglesvet]

EV, WOW!!!:blueblob::yay: A chance to meet BRUUUUUCE? That is fantastic!! I can hardly wait to read all about it! I am very happy for you-wait til I tell my brother-he will be green with envy!:jealous:
As soon as I have confirmed sightings of backstage passes, I will alert the Border authorities! On second thought, I'll alert as soon as I have verbal confirmation... upon sighting of said passes, I might be incapable of functioning for a period of time :fainted:.:fainted:.

[Prettymaid]

THX! I love relaying stories to you guys--thanks for indulging me the opportunity! All I asked was a little patience, right, PM?:nod:

Patience is one of my virtues. ;) :pace:

[eaglesvet]

Ooh, I should've used that blue pacing guy!! :pace:... I'd been waiting since Friday for Ms. Society to call me back, so I finally left her another message about an hour ago. Her friend just called me back from the Super Bowl...I could hear my client in the background saying how much Landshark misses me :wave:! Anyway, she confirmed (through her friend) that once I have my tix, she'll be in touch next week regarding the passes! The big problem?.. I couldn't ask how many :?::shrug: :yay::yay:

[Freypower]

Good grief, EV. Go for it. What an event! :blueblob:

[Brooke]

EV!!!!!!!!!! What a cool story! That is just unbelievable! :fainting: My brother will also be salivating that you will get to meet the Boss. Yep, I'll give him a try!

And that sounds like a good trade to me. Keith will not disappoint you. You will fall in love. Get his Greatest Hits album-18 Kids so you can get to know him better before you see him. Or his latest dvd-Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy World Tour. His concerts are wild and crazy and he loves cameras and dancing, unlike those on the assisted living tour! :wink: :lol:

[eaglesvet]

:thumbsup: That, my friends, is exactly what the encore of a Springsteen concert is like--HOT!!:smokin: Well, minus the fireworks and the choir, of course. Bruce sings and races around; the crowd sings and generally goes nuts; and the band usually goes more wild than that. Tonight's crowd was particularly lucky in the amount of actual 'Boss contact' they had when he went down that front aisle of the stage...he does 'personally' greet the audience during a show, but I don't think quite to that extent. BTW, for those of you care, the red-headed guitarist is his wife Patti Scialfa, a solo singer in her own right as well as an E-Streeter. The bandanna'd guitarist is 'Miami' Steve Van Zandt, who had a lead role in the Sopranos. The drummer is 'Mighty' Max Weinberg, who also drums and leads the band on 'Late Night with Conan O'Brien.' (The Sopranos and Late Night are those band members' second jobs, obviously.)

I just tried to post my Bruce setlists, but each one exceeded the capacity of the attachments that could be uploaded onto this site...sorry! You'll just have to follow my previous directions if you are interested in viewing them from Bruce's website.

Brooke, thanks for the suggestion on Keith's greatest hits album...I love the title of it! I will definitely check it out!:grooving:

[eaglesvet]

:ack::cry::depressed::fainted: My fears have materialized...my bro and I were shut out of both NJ Bruce shows this am, despite being online right at 9am. We were shooting for 5 tix, and it would've been helpful to have the other 3 folks (our spouses and one of my very BF) :steviesmack:lending their computer hands as well...but they reportedly had somewhere like work to be at :huh:.

If history repeats itself, Bruce has always, as long as I can remember, added shows when he sells out in this neck of the woods. That is how he has sold out 10 and 15 shows on previous concert tours. So, we have decided to sit tight, keep our Bruce radar open for all rumors, and wait for additional shows...althought they probably won't happen till after he returns from the European leg in August.

Of course, I may crack and call my client later in the week just to lament our bad luck, and just see if she might offer to change her offer-- and include some actual tickets in addition to the passes. Ya never know till ya ask, right?? :hmm:

[Prettymaid]

Of course, I may crack and call my client later in the week just to lament our bad luck, and just see if she might offer to change her offer-- and include some actual tickets in addition to the passes. Ya never know till ya ask, right?? :hmm:

Go for it EV! I understand your hesitation - you don't want to seem like a cling-on to this very nice person. But I'll bet she won't mind at all hearing from you!

[Brooke]

Dang, ev, I'm so sorry, but don't give up! Have you tried getting them last minute or on ebay like some have done here for Eagles tickets? I scored a 3rd row close to the center aisle ticket for Keith last April like 2 days before the show. It's nervewracking, but worth it.

And hey, maybe you could do some, ahem, low cost vet care for your friend. For a favor. KWIM? (know what I mean in case you didn't KWIM) :lol:

I really enjoyed Bruce's 12 minutes. I did think that his mike needed to be turned up. He seemed a little quiet. Great show though!

[eaglesvet]

Dang, ev, I'm so sorry, but don't give up! Have you tried getting them last minute or on ebay like some have done here for Eagles tickets? I scored a 3rd row close to the center aisle ticket for Keith last April like 2 days before the show. It's nervewracking, but worth it.

And hey, maybe you could do some, ahem, low cost vet care for your friend. For a favor. KWIM? (know what I mean in case you didn't KWIM) :lol:

I really enjoyed Bruce's 12 minutes. I did think that his mike needed to be turned up. He seemed a little quiet. Great show though!
Oh, I definitely could go through the other markets. But we're pretty sure he'll add other shows, and then we have all those tickets to try for! Plus, I probably will just call her and ask what she might have up her sleeve. Trust me, she doesn't need any low-cost vet care...not with her home in the town where it is, plus an apt on Central Park in the city!

[TimothyBFan]

My fingers are crossed for you EV (along with anything else I could cross!) I hope this works out for you and we all get to hear your story!

[sodascouts]

Evet, I bragged on you yesterday. A friend of mine was talking about how much he loved Bruce and I said, "Well, I know someone who has a backstage pass and is going to get to meet him!" They were duly impressed. Thanks for the prestige by association. ;)

[eaglesvet]

LOL! I can do the same for Glenn-:heart:-impressionables!

[eaglesvet]

For a really interesting read, Bruce describes his experience doing the Super Bowl half time show on his website, www.brucespringsteen.net (http://www.brucesprinsteen.net). Some background you may not know: About the beginning of January, Bruce advertised on his website for volunteers (I think about 1000) who were required to spend the full week before the Super Bowl down in Tampa. They were required to be at every rehearsal daily during that week, in order to participate in the show. The volunteers' part during the show was to act as Bruce's 'concert audience'; and from Bruce's article I learned that they also were responsible for building and taking down the stage on the football field in record time. If I didn't have real life to deal with during the week, I definitely would've loved to have gone down as part of my vacation time! Anyway, I think you'll find the Boss's account of the show entertaining!

[rickmullen]

eaglesvet,

I saw Bruce for the first time last fall in Nashville and was blown away!
What a great 3 hour plus show it was. He definitely gives you your
money's worth.

Also, my wife got me his new CD for my birthday and I think it's great.
I REALLY like the opening track, "Outlaw Pete".

Rick

[Stars]

Did anyone catch Bruce on the Daily Show last night? What an awesome performance, and the interview was great too! I would love to see him on this tour-I've only seen him twice, in 1985 and in 2002, but both times were unforgettable!!:yay:

[ticky]

I did! wasn't he amazing? He looks so good! I couldn't believe it when he said he was 60. He looks 40.. okay.. 50.. and he sounds the same as he always has.

[eaglesvet]

I missed it, but I've heard that the interview and performance are on www.thedailyshow.com (http://www.thedailyshow.com). I have to check it out when I get home from work. Earlier today, 2 rehearsal shows went on sale for this tour, at the Asbury Park Convention Hall (down the shore)...of course sold out before I even had a chance. Ticketmaster was doing phone sales only, plus limiting people to 2 tickets for one show only, but I still came up empty-handed once again :brickwall:.

Bruce's rehearsal shows are great...my hubby and I had our best seats ever for a rehearsal show for the last album, Magic. They sold only a fraction of the seats in the arena--- I'd say only 1000, so everyone was free to sit/stand wherever...on the floor or in the lower tier seating. We chose the first row of the lower tier seating off to one side, because it was elevated above the rest of the crowd on the floor. Couldn't have been better. And the band plays it just like a regular concert...as professional and polished as the rest of the shows on the tour.

An update on my client, "The Connection:" Through a few recent phone messages, she has confirmed 2 backstage passes for me at the Meadowlands in May. When I relayed my inability to purchase any actual concert tickets due to the Ticketgate Fiasco that occurred here in NJ, she kinda chuckled, "Well, that would be a first...backstage passes with no seats...I guess you might be listening to the whole show from backstage, huh?" Then she said something about probably being able to get 2 actual seats for me in the "Friends and Family" section when they open up those seats a bit closer to the concert date!...I can only hope! That, or keep looking for Bruce to add more shows (which I think is a distinct possibility, when he returns from the European leg of the tour.)

[Ive always been a dreamer]

OMG - two seats in the family and friends section and backstage passes. If this woman comes through for you EV, you will owe her forever. Fingers remain crossed for you and please keep us posted!

[eaglesvet]

I did! wasn't he amazing? He looks so good! I couldn't believe it when he said he was 60. He looks 40.. okay.. 50.. and he sounds the same as he always has.
I just watched the show...he did look good! And of course sounded great! Ticky, he puts so much energy and activity into his concerts, he gives 30-yr-olds a run for their money--no joke!

[eaglesvet]

OMG - two seats in the family and friends section and backstage passes. If this woman comes through for you EV, you will owe her forever. Fingers remain crossed for you and please keep us posted!
You think??:pray::pray::pray:

[Prettymaid]

EV, all I can say is that you must be a damn good vet! Seriously, your client is very gracious to be doing this for you. And we'll be almost as excited as you are when you get to go backstage!

[sodascouts]

How amazing, evet! That is gonna be one awesome night. And hey, even if you do have to listen from backstage.... what a novel and exciting experience!!! Heck, I might even prefer it. You can seem 'em from the normal seats anytime!

"Family and friends section" would be very nice as well!

[eaglesvet]

Did anyone catch Bruce on the Daily Show last night? What an awesome performance, and the interview was great too! I would love to see him on this tour-I've only seen him twice, in 1985 and in 2002, but both times were unforgettable!!:yay:
Two other sites where the interview and performance are being shown:
www.backstreets.com (unofficial fan website) and www.brucespringsteen.net.

[eaglesvet]

EV, all I can say is that you must be a damn good vet! Seriously, your client is very gracious to be doing this for you. And we'll be almost as excited as you are when you get to go backstage!
:: buffs fingernails on jacket lapel:: :wink: Why of course I am, PM...that and very lucky...and her dog Landshark is the spittin' image of his name! All of those combined for once to find me the connection I've been waiting for all of my life!

[Stars]

EV, you will have the time of your life! I can't wait to hear all about it, and please do give him a big HUG from his Delaware fan-lol!:hug:

[eaglesvet]

How amazing, evet! That is gonna be one awesome night. And hey, even if you do have to listen from backstage.... what a novel and exciting experience!!! Heck, I might even prefer it. You can seem 'em from the normal seats anytime!

"Family and friends section" would be very nice as well!
I actually thought the same thing myself...if they would let us sit the whole night backstage, that would be neat. But, I'm thinkin' that's not very realistic. We'll see...
BTW, I'm trying to figure out what your new Glenn av is singing. It looks like we should be able to figure it out, but I just can't. I really liked your av last week, too!

[eaglesvet]

EV, you will have the time of your life! I can't wait to hear all about it, and please do give him a big HUG from his Delaware fan-lol!:hug:
I'll be happy to hug him for everyone here, because it just means a longer hug for me, right?!

[Freypower]

I actually thought the same thing myself...if they would let us sit the whole night backstage, that would be neat. But, I'm thinkin' that's not very realistic. We'll see...
BTW, I'm trying to figure out what your new Glenn av is singing. It looks like we should be able to figure it out, but I just can't. I really liked your av last week, too!


Soda can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the av is Doolin-Dalton from Don Kirshner's Rock Concert.

[Stars]

FP, you are good! How did you figure out it was "Doolin' Dalton"? Could you read his lips??8)

[Freypower]

I know that video very well, and that is my favourite part of the song. :inlove:

[sodascouts]

Give the girl a cigar! You're right, FP. The lyrics to that segment are "but some just went stir-crazy, Lord, 'cause nothing..."

[eaglesvet]

It's clear as day, now...though I wouldn't have guessed it on my own in a million years.

[eaglesvet]

Hey Peekaboo and any others close to Tulsa, OK:

Bruce is releasing $20 tickets today, Monday 4/6 at noon at bokcenter.com to benefit the Eastern Oklahoma Food Bank. The show is tomorrow night.

[Peekaboo]

Thanks for the headsup on that but sadly I have to work tomorrow night. I wish I could go. That's a great that he's doing that for the Oklahoma Food Bank. :thumbsup:

[eaglesvet]

Unfortunately, I did not get to use my backstage passes Saturday night at the Izod Arena...because despite my best attempts, neither I nor my client were able to obtain any actual tickets to the concert. How sad is that? I tried my darndest to get me just 2 seats anywhere in that arena, but no go this time around. I was veerrry sad as I realized the dream was over for the time being. However, Bruce is returning to NJ in late Sept/early Oct to play as the last musical act in Giants Stadium before it is torn down...so I'll have to hope that this time, the Ticket Fairy smiles down upon me! Should be a bit easier, considering the number of tickets available is exponentially increased. (Still, I haven't yet got up the nerve to visit Bruce's website to read about the show that I shoulda been at...I'm afraid it will break my heart!)

[Prettymaid]

Oh No EV, that's terrible news! I was so excited for you and hoping this would work out. What irony - backstage passes to a show you can't get tickets for! Hopefully things will work out later this year.

[Stars]

EV, I am so sorry you weren't able to get tix to the Bruce concert, thus not being able to use your backstage passes. However, I am so optimistic about you getting to a Giants Stadium show in the fall!:thumbsup:

[Koala]

Oh no, EV this is really sad!

[sodascouts]

How terribly disappointing! I'm so sorry! Here's hoping it works out next time, though!

[eaglesvet]

Well, Bruce managed to sell out 3 shows at Giants Stadium last week in just a few hours. I wasn't able to be at a computer, and I never even got past a busy signal on my phone during an hour of repeated dialing. But, my friend's husband got through...got us all nosebleed seats (on my friend's birthday!) True to form, though, Bruce then added 2 more shows that go on sale this Monday (when I can be on the computer)--so I will give it one more college try to see if we can better our position! Either way, we're in the stadium, which is an improvement over last month! Fingers crossed!

[Ive always been a dreamer]

We've been missing ya, ev. Glad to see you back and good luck with those tickets on Monday. If you can't get anything decent, you can always try ebay or the broker sites later. Got my fingers crossed for ya.

[Prettymaid]

EV I know this is important to you - good luck!

[TimothyBFan]

My fingers are crossed for ya Eva--I hope you get great seats this time!

[eaglesvet]

Finally! In like flint! Tickets in the first tier :yay:; second-to-last-concert-ever in Giants Stadium (before it hits the wrecking ball..)--should be an inspired and inspiring show! Happy day! :blueblob::applause::faint: :fainted:

[Prettymaid]

EV, I am :yay::blueblob: with you! That is great news! So when is your show? Sept. or Oct. right?

[eaglesvet]

Thurs Oct 8...only have to get the night off from work, a minor detail at this point. They all know my fandom, so they shouldn't be surprised. Bruce's last show, and the final show at the stadium, is the next night, Friday.

My brother and I tried an experiment yesterday with Ticketmaster. At noon, we both went online. He tried for Friday (the night everyone and their brother wanted), and I tried for Thursday. I was into 'Best Available", got my 5 first-tier tix, and out in 5 minutes. He was still waiting online to be acknowledged by Ticketmaster (due to the flood of requests) by the time I called him to let him know of our seats. He never got in...that show sold out quicker than mine, so my theory proved correct. (He was disagreeing with me before noon, as we were plotting our strategies. Sister knows best!) My hubby was trying for Friday as well, and also never got in--but he tried by phone, which is a losing battle by anyone's standards.

Of course, bro and his wife are one of the 5 who are going with me. In these parts, as many people in your party as possible try for Bruce tickets...because as bro says, "Bruce tickets are like money in the bank." You can always sell them at a drop of a hat, and at a profit if you're so inclined.

[TimothyBFan]

Good for you EV!! Now will you be able to get backstage tickets for this one also?

[eaglesvet]

That's my plan ! Especially since I didn't use the other ones...I didn't even go to pick the other ones up. I'm going to wait awhile before I call her, though, just to make it so I am less 'needy.':lol:

[Ive always been a dreamer]

:yay: :yay: :yay:

Good luck on the backstage passes, ev.

[Troubadour]

I've stayed up late to watch the highlights from the Glastonbury festival on the BBC. Primarily I wanted to see Crosby, Stills & Nash, but they showed Bruce's entire set to begin with, and it was fantastic. He rocked the stage, and was naturally very sexy! The crowd loved it. I'm sure it'll make its way onto youtube in the near future :thumbsup:

[EagleLady]

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q115/edenza919/bruce.jpg

He really is very sexy :smitten:

[eaglesvet]

I must say I agree.

[eaglesvet]

I've stayed up late to watch the highlights from the Glastonbury festival on the BBC. Primarily I wanted to see Crosby, Stills & Nash, but they showed Bruce's entire set to begin with, and it was fantastic. He rocked the stage, and was naturally very sexy! The crowd loved it. I'm sure it'll make its way onto youtube in the near future :thumbsup:
Lou, I just read on Bruce's website that the BBC covered quite a bit of his 2 1/2 hr show...how much of it did they televise, and how much did you see? It sounded like a great show, from the setlist and review!

[Troubadour]

Yeah, I only realised when I read the reviews the next day that it wasn't his entire set list shown - he went on a good while longer. So long, in fact, that he was given a fine for it!

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/springsteen-fined-for-late-show-at-glastonbury_1107968

I'd say the BBC showed about an hour and a half of Bruce. I watched the entire BBC coverage and thoroughly enjoyed it. They were great with their coverage of Neil Young, too. So often festival performances get cut and pasted together really badly, & they show maybe one or two songs from each. I have no complaints about how they handled it this year.

I've found this page on the BBC2 website. You can see photos & watch Bruce's performances. It also has the full setlist. Enjoy, Eva ;)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/glastonbury/2009/artists/brucespringsteen/

[eaglesvet]

Too funny about the fine! I'm sure Bruce can spring for the $4500, a drop in his bucket! Great comment from the British TV presenter, who didn't think he was going to stop at all, I guess... (what a thought! :thumbsup:)

[eaglesvet]

Bruce has announced 25 additional arena shows in the fall, after he returns from Europe...mostly in the South and Midwest, with a couple return sites in the Northeast. Onsale dates vary, some shows starting today. Check out www.brucespringsteen.net (http://www.brucespringsteen.net) for details.

Also, for the first time ever, his Super Bowl half time show this past winter has been nominated for not one, but four Emmys!! The main one is "Short-Format, Live-Action, Entertainment Program"---it certainly was all of that!! :wink: Congrats!!

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Wow - very impressive! Thanks for letting us know that, ev.

[rickmullen]

I was able to score some great seats for Bruce in Nashville in September.
I saw him there last year and it was fantastic! I can't wait.

Rick

[TimothyBFan]

Thought of you Eva last night. I caught the Bruce Springsteen Biography. Pretty cool!!

[sodascouts]

I had a nightmare that Bruce dreamed last night and that I heard it on the news. It was so realistic that for a moment when I woke up I still believed it had happened.

[luvthelighthouse]

I don't think Bruce "dreamed" is the correct word. Do you mean, died? If so, that is a nightmare!

[Prettymaid]

I had a nightmare that Bruce dreamed last night and that I heard it on the news. It was so realistic that for a moment when I woke up I still believed it had happened.

:lol: Soda, I don't think you're getting enough sleep! :zzz:

[sodascouts]

You're right, I meant died. But now that my post has inspired some amusement, I feel better about it. ;)

[eaglesvet]

Soda, stop your dreaming and get some real sleep, please! We can't have any more of this nonsense!

I read that Bruce is the "cover boy" on this month's AARP magazine, which is a hoot unto itself...he is nowhere near retiring, that's for sure! I imagine that might be the story line; ie, how to act like a 30-something when you are 60-something. I've asked one of the "oldertimers" at work to let me read her copy when she is through.

[eaglesvet]

Thought of you Eva last night. I caught the Bruce Springsteen Biography. Pretty cool!!
Yes, he is :inlove::cool: ! What station was it on?

[eaglesvet]

I was able to score some great seats for Bruce in Nashville in September.
I saw him there last year and it was fantastic! I can't wait.

Rick
Rick! You lucky dog! I just read that although Bruce has rescheduled the night for this show...as an added bonus, he and the band will be playing the complete Born to Run album, in its entirety from start to finish, at this show!! (Also at the Chicago show.) I can't believe it... can I come to your house? And use your tix?? :thumbsup::bow::jealous::thud:

[rickmullen]

Yes, it's been changed to November. But it will be nice to get "Born To Run" from start to finish. Also, this will be be the first time I used the
"paperless tickets". We'll see how it goes. Looking foward to it!

Rick

[AzEaglesFan]

Went to a Wal Mart today and spotted some very colorful tote bags for $12.00. I found a very nice one with BRUCE on the front. They also had AC/DC, Taylor Swift, Mariah Carey (hope I spelled that right) and several other artists. NO EAGLES what a shame. I"ll keep looking maybe one of the other stores will have them.

[eaglesvet]

What era is the Bruce pix from?

[AzEaglesFan]

I've seen this picture before, maybe on a CD cover. He is dressed in black and he is looking down. Doesn't look all that old to me but I could be way off. It's a close up picture and he looks great.

[eaglesvet]

If you want to catch an amazing TV show, scout your current local listings on the NFL Network for Working on a Dream: A Super Bowl Journal. It's a one hour mini-documentary film featuring Bruce narrating how his half-time show came about and went down. It's as if Bruce is sitting with you in your living room, describing all the details of that 12-minute concert in a most humorous, intimate, and detailed way. It shows all the backstage goings-on, as well as the on-stage goings on, as he relates what's going through his and his band-mates minds at the time. If you can find it repeated, I highly recommend you watch it!

[eaglesvet]

Aren't y'all glad ya got me to keep ya updated on the Boss? He's having a tremendous 2009, that's for sure! He's to be one of the 5 recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, DC this December. He will be joined by writer-director Mel Brooks, opera great Grace Bumbry, jazz great Dave Brubeck, and actor Robert DeNiro. The announcement earlier this week read: "With his gritty and honest songs that speak to the everyman, Bruce Springsteen has always had his finger on the pulse of America." The Awards will be given by President Obama on Dec. 5, and broadcast in a televised special on CBS on Dec. 29. Congratulations to all of the winners!:thumbsup:

[lynnzop]

Went to a Wal Mart today and spotted some very colorful tote bags for $12.00. I found a very nice one with BRUCE on the front. They also had AC/DC, Taylor Swift, Mariah Carey (hope I spelled that right) and several other artists. NO EAGLES what a shame. I"ll keep looking maybe one of the other stores will have them.

Oh I am so going to find that for one of my friends. She is a huge Bruce fan!!! Thanks Az!!

[tbs fanatic]

I've asked one of the "oldertimers" at work to let me read her copy when she is through.


LOL - Your day will come 'youngertimer' :rofl:

[AzEaglesFan]

Wal Mart had a second Bruce tote, this one is a full length picture and he looked "hot" and I'm not a real big fan of the guy. He was in black of course. The other tote has just his face.

[eaglesvet]

I just read that the other night in Chicago, in the midst of a set, Bruce and the E Streeters played the Born to Run album from start to finish...49 minutes of heart-stopping rock and roll! Only the second time in history...the third time will be in Nashville in November, to be witnessed by our own rickmullen :jealous:. What a night!

[eaglesvet]

LOL - Your day will come 'youngertimer' :rofl:
Ha! Thanks! My son used to say, when he was about 5 or 6, that anyone under 50 was still a kid! He made a lot of adults very happy with that sentiment!

[sodascouts]

I just read that the other night in Chicago, in the midst of a set, Bruce and the E Streeters played the Born to Run album from start to finish...49 minutes of heart-stopping rock and roll! Only the second time in history...the third time will be in Nashville in November, to be witnessed by our own rickmullen :jealous:. What a night!

:jawdrop: OH MY GOSH! That is INCREDIBLE! He is so awesome.
As for Rick... WOAH!! You're so lucky! I'm jealous, too.

[rickmullen]

That's right, folks, I can't wait for the show on November 18th.
It was supposed to be on September 10th, but got postponed for
some reason. I think it will be a great concert. We saw him last year
in Nashville and it was fantastic.

But next up for me is AC/DC on October 6th at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky. That should be a hoot, too!

Rick

[TimothyBFan]

By special request from Eva....

Like this version since he tells a little storytelling with it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf61K6ZKu_4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Usb9N2czOO8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4e0WrBsXbE

I hope these are the ones you wanted Eva. Please feel free to let me know if you want any more posted for this special occasion!!

And when my daughter, who always has to look over my shoulder in the morning when I'm on here, saw that I was doing this, she insisted I post this one for her! In case you don't know--she's a redhead and very very proud of it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bfPZQBWa5k

[sodascouts]

Oh, I've seen that Born to Run video before. His story gives me chills! That's is one of my favorite Springsteen songs. I adore it.

Tonight... we'll be free... all the promises will be broken!


Now THIS story below REALLY gets me choked up (it starts about 1:20 and lasts for four minutes - listen to all four minutes and you'll see why I get choked up):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg3DleXrT-o

[eaglesvet]

Thanks, Willie, and Happy 60th, Bruuuuce!!:birthday:

[eaglesvet]

Just found out that the Washington DC and Baltimore shows, which went on sale yesterday, will also feature the complete play of the Born to Run album from start to finish, as he did in Chicago and is planning in Nashville. Stars, Dreamer, these are the shows to see!!!!

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Hmmm ev - It does give me something to think about. I'm sure that it would be a great show, but the problem is (now don't throw anything at me) that I've just never been a huge Springsteen fan. I mean I do like him and I respect who he is and has become, so I may consider going.

[eaglesvet]

Dreamer, Bruce lives to entertain with his music. Even after all these years, he has said he is happiest when he is performing live and when he is "in" the show. Every show is different from the previous one; and one could even turn out differently from what he has planned at the beginning...especially with the 'sign request' portion of the show. When you see him live, and see what he can do at 60 that most men at 30 couldn't, it might make you into a true fan...and this (the BTR album) would be the show to see, that's for sure! He won't disappoint! (And anything I throw would just hit the computer screen anyway, silly! :nahnah:)

BTW, (knowing your M.O.)... if the good tix are gone, he definitely releases a few seats a few days before the show as they arrange the stage. But you have to have him on your Ticketmaster Alert to be notified of it, or else check www.Backstreets.com periodically.

[eaglesvet]

Bruce starts his run of 5 shows "in the swamps of Jersey" tomorrow night, to close out Giants Stadium for good. And this just in...:: pinch me, please:: he's just announced that he will actually play one full album each night of the stand!! :partytime: Tomorrow and Oct. 8 (my night in heaven), he gives up Born to Run... yes!!! :thud: On Oct. 3 and 9, it's Born in the USA. And on Oct.2, (my brother's 2nd show he's attending, the lucky dog), he gets Darkness on the Edge of Town! All of this in the midst of the rest of the concert's setlist...the Boss sure knows how to give a Jersey crowd a night they will never forget!

BTW, my client contacted me last week to let me know my backstage passes will be ready and waiting...I am SO PSYCHED (can you tell? :D ) to finally have concert tickets in one hand and backstage passes inthe other!! :spin: :nod:

Add'l note: While BTR and Darkness have been played in concert before (although Darkness only one other time), this will be the premiere of Born in the USA.

[TimothyBFan]

Oh Eva--I'm so excited for you!!!! Can't wait to hear all about the experience of the backstage passes!! Camera in hand? Be sure and remember everything and take lots of pics. We want to hear it ALL!!!!

[Brooke]

Wow! That is just great Ev! I'm sooooooo excited for you!

Yep! We want all the details, too! :nod:

[Koala]

That is great, I'm so excited for you! Have Fun!!!!!!!

[Prettymaid]

I couldn't be happier for you either, EV. Details - we want details! :partytime:

[sodascouts]

Wow, wow, wow, WOW!!!!

How thrilling! I can't wait to hear all about this!! Like PM says, we expect LOTS of details!!

And on top of that, a different album per night?? OH MY GOSH, how AWESOME! I sure hope these are bootlegged!

[eaglesvet]

Thanks for the rally! Giants Stadium put out a 5-page pdf document (no joke) about rules and regulations, traffic patterns, new mass transit lines, etc, to get the thousands and thousands of fans converging on the Meadowlands into the concerts safely and expeditiously. And one of the edicts was a clear NO CAMERAS rule. So, despite my intense desire to document any meeting I have with any E Street Band member :grin:, I've asked my client whether they actually allow any pix backstage (and am still awaiting her reply.) If the band members won't allow pix, then I'm not even going to attempt the ole' camera-smuggle in the false-bottomed-tote-bag trick. (If they do allow backstage pix, I've got some planning to do!) I can tell the Stadium crew means business, and here in Joisie, ya don't mess around in da Meadowlands!

That being said, Bruce bootlegs are, and have been for decades, notoriously fantastic. I'm sure they are already being planned...a 5-CD set, maybe? :hilarious:

[Ive always been a dreamer]

OMG ev, this is fantastic. I know you are going to have an awesome time, and it would be great if you can get a few pictures with "certain members of the E Street band". Good luck!!!

I'm still debating whether or not to go to the D.C. show. :headscratch:

[eaglesvet]

No debate, Dreamer! When the "Additional Seating" opens up a few days to a week before the show, go online the second they go onsale. DC is a pretty "hot" Springsteen market, and the good seats will go fast. I guarantee it will be a concert the likes of which you have not seen before! (He told me so! :thumbsup:)

[sodascouts]

Evet - I know tonight's the night - have fun and don't forget to tell us all about it!

[TimothyBFan]

Whoo Hoo--Eva---Wakey Wakey!!! Want to hear about the concert but most of all, about the backstage part of the night!!!!

[eaglesvet]

Hiya, all!! TOTALLY AWESOME!!! Just the quick version, because unfortunately, work is getting in the way of all things important and fun. My backstage pass allowed us to meet Miami Steve ("Little Steve") Van Zandt, one of the E Street's band's backup vocalist and guitarist, also star of the Sopranos. Camera successfully smuggled; photos to be posted--including those of me, my friend Sue, and Steve! Said backstage passes also allowed us to upgrade our seats from lower tier to the "pit", which is basically the FLOOR IN FRONT OF THE STAGE!!! Bruce actually came out into pit, about 40 feet away from me at the closest point...wow! Pix of him as well! More later....

[TimothyBFan]

Well--what a tease you are miss!!! :hilarious: Cool you met Little Steven! I was a fan of his back in the 80's when he was Little Steven And The Disciples of Soul--there's a blast from the past for ya!

Can't wait for the story and pictures!

[Prettymaid]

How exciting for you EV! We're waiting patiently!

[Stars]

Glad you had such a great time, EV! Can't wait to hear all about it!:thumbsup:

[Koala]

Glad you had a fantastic time, can't wait to hear more!

[Ive always been a dreamer]

ev - That must have been a thrilling evening for you! I am so happy for you. Can't wait until you get time to post more details. :thumbsup:

[eaglesvet]

I am soooo sorry to have been unable to post my Bruce adventures! My laptop has been on the blink for awhile, so I have been relegated to computing either at work or at the libe...neither location has allowed me enough time to do the concert justice! However, tonight I figured I would at least get started...I know I don't have time to tell it all, but I promise I will finish when I get the chance!

As you've probably heard me say, Bruce has been including a "Sign Request" portion in his shows since his last tour, so high on my agenda last week was an eye-catching poster for one of my favorite songs never heard in concert (by me)...4th of July, Asbury Park, also known as Sandy. Of course, last-minute-person that I am, I started it at about midnight the night before the concert...and finished it by 1 am, I am proud to say! And it was a beaut....I got a LOT of compliments on it from other fans! It featured a blown-up photo of the dog who was responsible for my backstage passes, dreaming of that song...because I knew that Bruce knew that dog (because he knew my client.) Got to have a gimmick, right?

Anyway, shortly before the day of the concert, my client called to give me the run-down on the passes. She was able to get me two, although we had a party of 5 (uh-oh); and we were to pick them up at Will Call. The "backstage" actually refers to a place called the "E-Street Lounge." And supposedly the passes she got me were the second level of "VIP-ness." Upon entering the E-Street Lounge, the folks with a pass can mill around, get drinks, watch for E Street band members to come through. Then, there would be a set of doors in the back of that room that led to "Little Steven's Underground Garage Party." Here, Miami Steve apparently would spend more time with the fans. From there, there would be only ONE WAY OUT...to the field with wristbands for the PIT! We were so psyched...this was a bonus she had never mentioned before!

Got to go... more later...sorry.

[sodascouts]

Your VIP treatment sounds like a much better version of ILAA! I can imagine how you felt when you realized that you were going to be just a few feet away from Bruce in the audience!

[Prettymaid]

OMG EV, I am so anxious to hear the rest! (Great idea putting the pic of your 'patient' on the sign!)

[eaglesvet]

So...finally...Day 4 was here! Out of the 5 Giants Stadium closing shows, that is. Springsteen's first three shows a week earlier had already made history around here, each developing a character of its own in that three different albums had already been played...and the cycle was about to rev up again! Bruce had even written a new song for the occasion, Wrecking Ball, which opened up each of the shows. As you can imagine, it was about bringing the "old lady" down. :guitar: :singer: "Bring on your wrecking ball, take your best shot..." and tells the story of the heroes and the glory of Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands, where the "mosquitoes are as big as airplanes!" Ahh, that's NJ! :wink:

Our original Party o' Five had undergone some last-minute cast changes in the previous week due to unforeseen work- and children's-commitments; and we were surprisingly having difficulty selling the two open tickets. Everyone else we knew was either already going, or having trouble getting out of their responsibilities for the night. It wasn't until the afternoon of the show that my brother Charlie found two of his friends able to come along, and ease the stress that we had been feeling build up during the last two days.

Anyway, I had made sure to keep my work schedule light the day of the concert, which in my profession is NEVER a sure bet. One never knows when an emergency will walk in the door 5 minutes before you planned on walking out of it, and I was afraid to think what I would do if that happened! Well, I was sooooo successful in trying to finish up on time that I was done with my surgeries by noon (!), only 4 hours :hilarious: before we planned to leave. I managed to stay blissfully quiet in the office with my lunch, records, and phone calls--and bopped out of there right at 4, ready to pick up my friend Sue. I've known Sue since freshman year of high school (which is a long long time for us :fear:), and she has probably been my most adventuresome concert buddy. We have stayed out on line overnight for Bruce tickets back before online tickets existed; we saw LiveAid together in Philly in 1985; and had various other escapades that later prompted us to ask ourselves, "Just what the %$#^& were we thinking?" (But it was all good in the end, thankfully.) So, of course, Sue was to be my fellow E-Street Lounger. My bro, who at one point was going to try to join us for part of the time by switching off with the pass, realized that he couldn't get there early enough to do so...so it was all off my shoulders.

So, fairly easy ride in, not too much traffic at that early hour, followed advice on where to park for quick exiting after concert. Means that we have to walk past the horse track, past the construction of the new stadium, and then 180 degrees around the current stadium to get to 'Will Call' to get the passes. Whoops, wrong 'Will Call.' Go around to the next gate...no passes here, either. Great. :-( Check at the Tower, where the Lounge is...only a little further. Yup, the passes are here! What?? She didn't say to bring a picture ID! The thought of that looong walk back to the car to get ID, and all that time wasted that could be better spent in the Lounge :brickwall: ...thankfully, the guard accepted my client's name (and photo of her dog?) as "proof" that I should have the passes that are in an envelope with my name on them, and we are home-free. Since this is a separate entrance into the Lounge, the rest of the security is pretty lax. While all the commotion was going on about: 1. my lack of ID, and 2. the beauty of my poster, no one thought to: 3. check my jacket that was tied around my waist (thus relegating the camera in my pocket to knee-height and away from detection! :thumbsup:) As I said, home-free!

[eaglesvet]

Sue and I put our "Steven's Underground Garage Party" adhesive passes on, and enter the E Street Lounge. It's 6 pm, the concert's slated to start at 7:30 but it's known that Bruce's been starting at 8:15. So we have plenty of time. There's psychedelic-type carpeting, probably about 30 tables, and 2 bars. Immediately I see the accordian-type doors at the back of the room that my client said open to the actual "Garage Party", that second level of VIP-ness. Realizing that no one is actually using those doors, we walk over to that guard and ask about them. He tells us they just go to another bar that has absolutely nothing to do with the E Street Band, Bruce, or the concert at all. Hmm, that's strange. We ask the bartender--she has NO clue what we are talking about. So we get our drinks, sit down, and decide to relax and scope out the situation for awhile. As more people arrive (the room probably held about 80-100 at its max) and mill around, we realize that there is only one room--that for some reason, my client gave me a completely wrong description of the situation. Which was not a problem except for one small detail...she had said that the wristbands to the Pit (the rows on the field directly in front of the stage) would be given out as we exited the second room; ie, not everyone in this first room would be getting into the Pit. Uh-oh.

After awhile, Little Steven's manager comes out, makes the rounds introducing himself and chatting to people. He likes my sign; I'm not convinced he has any clue who "Kweon" (the dog) nor my client are. Not good. I tell him I really want to hear the song Sandy, and to put in a good word for me. Sue and I chat, try to look for anyone famous. The manager says that Steven will come in later, so we're excited by that. But, there were no other E Streeters present that night, unfortunately.:-(

We realize that there are other folks with the white Pit bands already on...turns out they had purchased field tickets for the show. Earlier in the afternoon (unrelated to the lounge), the stadium handed out the wristbands and then did some sort of random number to see which people would get into the Pit, and which would remain in the farther part of the field. So now I am really worried that our wristbands are a pipe dream of the past. I call my brother and tell him to expect us back at our seats by showtime.


(Got to go night-night...try to post more tomorrow.)

[Brooke]

Alright, Ev! Wake up! Just as I'm getting in to this! :lol:

[eaglesvet]

(Well, I spent my allotted computer time Sunday trying to post some photos, but I think they are too big. I'll have to figure that part out another time.)

Pretty soon, the manager comes back around and says, "Come on, we've got to get this thing going," and starts collecting patrons from their tables and putting us in various lines. Sue and I comply, realizing while chatting with the others around us that we have no idea what we are waiting for. And then, into the corner of the room where all the lines are radiating towards, walks Miami Steve Van Zandt---a lead guitarist, vocalist, and founding member of the band. The manager ushers fans in to meet Steve, taking their picture as they do. When Sue and I are up, I make a big deal of my sign request, "Steve, you just hafta play Sandy for me...and Kweon! Tell Bruce!" It's now that I realize the manager does know my client, as he chimes in to Steve, "You know, Lynn's dog!" I take that as a very good omen.

By now, it's 7:40--the concert was scheduled to start 10 minutes ago, and Steve is still finishing his photo op; and, as we find out later, not even dressed in his concert garb. Patrons are thinning out to get to their seats...those with wristbands and field tickets to the field, and those with stadium seating to the tiered seating. In a last-ditch effort, and figuring I had nothing to lose and everything to gain, I waited until the manager was free. "Lynn had said that these passes allowed us to get Pit wristbands--is that right?" "Sure...you got field tickets?" "Uhhh, nope :-(." "Oh, well, that's a problem." But then, as quickly as he let my heart sink, all of a sudden, "Here, let me see what I can do." And lo and behold, he found a man with a BUNDLE of wristbands, who was only too happy to ask how many I needed without inquiring what kind of ticket I had! YES!! HOME FREE once again! As we were personally escorted out of the lounge, around the side of the stadium, and into the endzone, I realized just how much more exciting this night was going to get. Just walking out onto the football field amidst all the lights and fans was surreal, and then to be able to keep walking all the way to the front of the crowd was really special. The Pit is a walled-off rectangular area of SRO directly in front of the stage. At the back center of it was the camera area (for filming the big video screens). Behind the Pit stood the rest of the fans with field tickets, I'm guessing to about the 50-yard line or so. And then of course the 70,000 fans in the tiered seating. I call my brother to tell him NOT to expect us back at our seats by showtime.

[Prettymaid]

Eva, you really know how to tell a story! And so-o-o-o-o suspenseful! (Not sure if I like that or not!) :sigh: This is getting better and better!

[TimothyBFan]

Eva-could you put real life on hold and take a day off just so you can finish this story?:p I'm dying here with anticipation.

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Wow Eva - I can't wait to meet you. I'm telling you girl, we have got some stories to share. I just hope we have enough time! :wink:

[eaglesvet]

OK, folks, I'm so glad you're enjoying this. As I mentioned, because of my computer issues at home, I have to write either at work or the libe...the last 2 installments, I actually went into work at an ungodly hour expressly for the purpose of writing more...serious!! Now, I pretty much have the concert itself to review, which I will get to. But, as you said, life exists, and mine tends to spin out ouf control around me, so I'll do my best. Think of it as my version of The Long Story! :grin: (Now I have to proceed to locate Expando before tomorrow...)

[eaglesvet]

(Mission accomplished. Expando purchased, have already run through it twice. Can't wait until tomorrow night!)

Back to my main man, Bruce.

Sue and I staked out our piece of territory towards the back center of the Pit. Because it had taken quite awhile for me to realize that the only way we were getting into the Pit was the random sheer luck of the manager's generosity, we were actually quite late in arriving there. There was no way we were up for fighting our way to the very front, and I'm sure we would've been pushed around there all night. Our current location was comfy and closer than my wildest dreams! Plus, I had heard that Bruce had been traveling around the Pit during the show by walking on the barriers, which put him on the pathway directly toward us.

At 8:15, Bruce and the E Street Band walked onto the stage to a deafening roar. With the house lights all the way up, he opened with the new song written just for this series of shows, Wrecking Ball. The stage backdrop screen rolled the lyrics so that the crowd could sing along, although it seemed like many of them already knew it. That stage backdrop was used so effectively the entire night, alternating within each song between video of the band, the crowd, and images relating to the song lyrics themselves. Kudos to the graphic designers and photo crew!

Next came a really fun song from the album The River called Out in the Street. Here Bruce ran back and forth from one side of the stage to the other to play to all sides of the crowd, and came out a bit into the front of the Pit on the stage extensions--so I was able to get a few closer-up pix that I will try to post when I figure out what to do about their sizing.
Next, one from the new album called Outlaw Pete, where the backdrop showed some of the Western sites we saw on our vacation...beautiful! Then, it happened. On Hungry Heart, Bruce started dancing around the perimeter of the Pit, along the tops of the barriers. Of course, he started on the side opposite us :thumbsdown:, and made it all the way to the very back, where he then played to the rest of the field. At this point, he was about 30 - 40 ft away from us, and ready to head our way! All of the fans in our section were poised, cameras in one hand, other hand up to shake or high-five or just side-swipe him as he came by. I couldn't believe our luck! But then, instead of continuing around the entire pit as expected, Bruce decides to turn, face the stage, and dive into the crowd at that point. The fans crowd-surf the Boss in a horizontal position all the way from there back to the stage, while he finishes up the song! I mean, it was an exciting thing to see and all that-- but it meant not only that he never came any closer to me, but also that I was not in that portion of the crowd involved in propelling him forward :brickwall: (how touching would that have been! :wink: )

After a few more songs, the highlight of the night...the Born to Run album from start to finish. Bruce introduced it by saying, "This is the one that really kind of brought us here tonight. I remember when I wrote it--I was trying to create this picture of one long summer day...and night." And what followed was about 45 minutes of one of the most perfect record albums ever--24 hours of a NJ summer, brought to life. I had never heard him (or anyone, for that matter) say this about BTR before, and so had never actually thought of the album in this way before. I'll never think of it the same again, that's for sure! :nod:

(More to come, but I'm getting there...)

[sodascouts]

I am loving this, Evet. What an amazing experience! Like everyone else, I'm dying to hear more!

[eaglesvet]

Nice new av and sig, Soda.

[eaglesvet]

Now, on with the show...

BTR opens with the slow sweet harmonica strains of Thunder Road, the key that opens the door to this bright summer morning. One of Bruce's best...nah, one of THE best songs of all time (IMO). Next comes 10th Avenue Freeze-Out, the song that tells the story of how the members of the E Street Band met and joined together. The full horn section at the Stadium here tonight gives the song all the soul and power found on the album, and then some. It's during this song that Bruce shows off an athletic skill that I first noticed on a TV special about the making of the Super Bowl half-time show. As he is singing (sans guitar) at the mike, he goes up on his toes a bit, bends his knees, and then leans back and goes all the way down so that his head,torso, and hips are parallel to the ground about 6 inches above it. And then he stays that way for about 30 seconds or so, just looking up at the sky! (The thought of me trying to accomplish that makes my abdominals want to collapse into the floor, never mind that I wouldn't be able to make my back get there in the first place!) On the TV special, Bruce actually says that while he is in that position, he is able to tune out everything that is going on around him during the show, and just think about the stars above him, and compose himself for a moment. When he is ready, he grabs the mike stand and pulls himself up to standing, and goes right on singing!

As the album continues, 10th thunders into Night, then Backstreets, and then the overplayed but always well-received title track. I mean, you can count on hearing BTR at just about every concert he does. Bruce has said that where 10th is the band's story, BTR is his story. And no matter where it's played in the show (most often the encore, unlike tonight), it's always the same anthemic celebration: house lights up, thousands of pairs of arms in the air pumping to "tramps like us" and trying to time that 1-2-3-4 countdown before the last verse. Tonight, though, the lights shut off almost immediately-- the stage goes dark for the quieter She's the One. Next, one of a few real rarities in this show--in the words of one of my brother's friends, the song worth the whole price of admission--piano notes leading into the trumpet introduction of the intimate Meeting Across the River (the Hudson, that is.) Before the show, I couldn't even remember how this song went (having not had time to play the album recently). However, as soon as Bruce sang the first words, all of the lyrics tumbled back into my memory as if I was still a freshman in high school. It's amazing where some songs can take you in time. And then finally, the closing cut...the fireworks that is Jungleland. I was conscious of several runs of tingles down my spine near the end, watching Mighty Max Weinberg (now also of Conan O'Brien's Tonight Show Band) drum away while Bruce let out his mournful wails to finish out the song and the album. The summer night has come to an end.

[eaglesvet]

At the album's end, Bruce calls up the five 'early' E Street Band members who are playing tonight, references "Phantom Danny Federici" (his organ player who died last year of melanoma), and they take a bow to thunderous applause. The rest of the musicians hang in the backdrop. I look at my watch and realize that "only" 2 hours have passed, and we probably have at least another hour of music to go. I wonder what could possibly top what I have just witnessed. :thumbsup:

Next up is Waiting on a Sunny Day, a song from a more recent album called The Rising. True to form for this series of concerts (and I'm pretty sure at least some of the Magic shows last year), Bruce finds a cute young kid on his parent's shoulders in the front of the pit, and has him sing the chorus. Since the rest of the crowd is singing along, too (as has been the case with almost every song), Bruce actually hushes the 70,000 of us so that you could hear a pin drop. The little boy, about 5 or 6 years old and surprisingly in tune, then has the whole stadium to himself as he sings into Bruce's mike, face on the big screens and everything. Would make any NJ parent proud!

Finally, another moment I (and many many others) have been waiting for...the instrumental of Raise Your Hand, where the fans get to 'raise their hands' in the form of their signs! Every night, this is the signal to wave your signs and hoot and holler, as Bruce runs around the stage and out onto the stage extensions, scanning the crowd and pulling out about 20 signs or so. He makes a big deal as he brings them, a few at a time, up to the stage---showing some of them to the band, some to the audience, making piles that mean something to him and his band mates. I, of course, am wildly waving mine; but, alas, :-( he does not pick mine to go up front to the stage with him. His first choice is our next real rarity, and a song I actually didn't even like, from his very first album back in '73...he chose It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City. It's definitely one that only a pure hard-core Bruce fan would appreciate hearing in concert, if only to be complete and to be able to say that you indeed did hear it in concert in your lifetime. But enjoy it? Not really, at least not me. Next, an uptempo and less old song (late 90's, I think) called My Love Will Not Let You Down; and finally, the last request being the best (for me), Because the Night (a song he originally wrote for Patti Smith, but does every once in awhile in concert.) All in all, an eclectic sign request trio, but disappointingly, one that did not include the best song released back in '73...:sigh: Sandy.

FYI, Willie posted videos of both Thunder Road and 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) in the "Bruuuuce" thread for me, on the occasion of his 60th birthday on Sept. 23...in case you needed to enjoy them right now. Or later.

(In the home stretch now...)

[eaglesvet]

Tonight's show marked the return of Bruce's wife Patti Scialfa to the tour after a lengthy absence; and their duo on the not-oft played Human Touch was the next highlight of the night, allowing her vocals to shine. A few more songs, and then the band waved as they left the stage. Everyone there knew, however, that we could expect a 45-minute encore...and in moments, the band returned to the stage amid cheers and cell phone lights.

It was then I saw it. 'Professor' Roy Bittan, the keyboardist, on the front corner of the stage with an accordian. I was pretty sure it could only mean one thing...one song. I nudged Sue, but she didn't get the significance. Bruce: "We're gonna send this one out to Danny!" and then I knew it! It had been Danny Federici's song, his accordian in Sandy...my song request to open the encore!! I was in heaven! It was perfect---slow and romantic, that beautiful melody welling up in the chorus :inlove:...happiness!

After Bobby Jean, the band broke into a Celtic-style song from the Seeger Sessions called American Land. Bruce introduced the rest of his band members here, including some guest horn players that had really rounded out the Jersey shore sound tonight. Next up, Dancing in the Dark--where I witnessed a pretty blonde in a bright gold sequined tank top up on someone's shoulders just begging :heybaby: to play the Courteney Cox role...I was rather surprised Bruce didn't take her up on it. He certainly seemed to be looking at her more than once, and it would have fit in perfectly with the spontaneity of the rest of the night!

Afterwards, Bruce went back out into the Pit and grabbed one more sign...for what?!? Rosalita? A great fun song, but why waste the posterboard? It's like asking Don to close a show with Desperado! :hilarious: Anyway, Bruce and the boys give Rosie all they've got---the ultimate sing-along anthem to close a show! Oh, but wait, we're not done yet...let's pull out one more...how about Twist and Shout to keep this party going just a little longer?

[eaglesvet]

I forgot to mention that at some point during the encore, I think after the band intros in American Land, fireworks went off above the stage...first time I've ever seen pyrotechnics at at Springsteen concert!

As the band waved their final goodbyes and left the stage, no one made a move to leave at first. We were standing in the bright lights, soaking it all in---the crowd, the music, the experience, the light drizzle that had just started during the last song (after an unseasonably warm day and night, thankfully!) When we did start to walk down the football field, Sue and I both realized how much our leg muscles were 'feeling it' from all the dancing and jumping, and how hoarse our voices were. How does a man of 60 do infinitely more exercise and singing for 3 hours straight, night after night? Personal trainer, no doubt.

It took ages to walk to our car, but as expected, little time to pull out of our nifty parking space and hit the highway home. On our hike through the parking lots, I got lots more compliments and thanks for my sign...I guess they had been waiting to here Sandy for a long time too! :hilarious: We had never actually run into my brother and his friends the entire night, so I wasn't surprised when he called me on the way home and asked, "So do you think he played it for you?" "I am always going to think so!" "Yeah, I know." Now, believe it or not, that very question had crossed my mind. Maybe it had been a planned song on the set list all along. Did he really even see my sign? Or maybe Little Steven had given him my message from the lounge. Possibly my client might have tipped him off. Did I want to know? Kind of...

There's a Springsteen website where copies of his hand-written set lists are posted for all of his shows. I've since checked it... 4th of July's not on there..great, so it definitely was a last-minute addition. The day after the concert, I emailed my client to thank her profusely, mentioned something about the song, and I could tell by the excited tone of her answer that she was completely uninvolved in its playing. Will I ever know if Bruce loved :inlove: my sign, or if Steven relayed the personal request I made in the heat of the moment when our eyes met in his lounge? Nope, probably not. But it's all good.:thumbsup:

But I do know I will NEVER forget this night as long as I shall live! (I can always reread this! :wink: )

--Pix to follow--


The End

[sodascouts]

Oh my gosh, I got chills just READING this! What a wonderful night! Amazing - thank you so much for sharing all of this with us, and in such detail, too! Now I'm on a hunt for some bootlegs of these shows.

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Eva - What an amazing experience you had here. I was so excited for you as I read this and I already knew the outcome. It was such fun sharing the experience with you. You are right - this is a night that will always be a very special one for you. Hard to top these kinds of memories, isn't it? :wink:

[TimothyBFan]

Oh Eva--how exciting for you! I loved reading all about it and your passion and enthusiasm sure added to it. A night you will never forget. How cool about Little Steven. I just bet that Bruce & Co. played that song just for you and it almost sounds like he might of been asked to from several sources, including your sign. Just hold tight to that belief!

[rickmullen]

EV,

Your concert review makes me even more excited about my upcoming
show in Nashville on November 18th. We've been promised BTR for that
show, too.

I don't have backstage passes like you (unless you have a Nashville
connection for me), but we do have 1st row lower arena in the first
section from the stage. Should be pretty good.

Thanks for sharing your account of that night with us.

Rick

[Koala]

Thank you so much for this great review!I enjoyed every word!

[Prettymaid]

Eva, again, you really have a knack for telling a good tale! I was on the edge of my seat. Anxious to see some photos!

[eaglesvet]

EV,

Your concert review makes me even more excited about my upcoming
show in Nashville on November 18th. We've been promised BTR for that
show, too.

I don't have backstage passes like you (unless you have a Nashville
connection for me), but we do have 1st row lower arena in the first
section from the stage. Should be pretty good.

Thanks for sharing your account of that night with us.

Rick
Your seats will be awesome!! And I know your set list will be as well! Bring a good sign...maybe Santa Claus? There's a great story that he has told with that one in the past; and since your concert is pretty close to T'day, it might be a good choice. He's also been doing covers of a large variety of artists, everything from the Clash to Motown.

[Brooke]

Ev, thanks for the wonderful review. I felt like I was right there with you! I'm so glad Bruce did Sandy for you, whether planned or whether it was your request, who cares? You got it! :yay:

My brother went to his concert last night in St. Louis and he said it was fantastic, as usual! He is also a huge Bruce fan!

[eaglesvet]

He had a 'Born to Run' album night also. Bruce is doing an album front to back at all his remaining shows, I think. And all of them except one are' BTR', now...I think only one more will be 'Born in the USA.' No more' Darkness on the Edge of Town,' though.

[Maidstone]

I've had my tickets to this weekends Boss gigs at MADISON SQ GARDEN!
and Oh My Gosh - I just heard the news today... The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle will be the "album" this Saturday and then...(drumroll please) THE RIVER on Sunday night.

I am soooooooo psyched!

CanNOT wait for this wkd! Any other lucky souls going? I'm thrilled to finally see a Boss gig on the East Coast. I'm thinking this might be epic.

(I was gonna hang around a week to see Henley in Atlantic City. But my job said otherwise.)

:partytime: Maid

[sodascouts]

Dang, so jealous! Wish I were going! As much as I love Henley, these shows by the Boss will blows his out of the water. FULL ALBUMS - THE RIVER - Oh my gosh!!!!!

[eaglesvet]

Maidstone, I didn't know we had any Bruce concert-goers other than Rick left to see him. I heard about these two shows, and they are absolutely going to be AWESOME! Everyone's speculating on The River show as to whether or not he'll have any time to do the sign requests or not, since you got 20 or so songs just from the album....but still, what an album! Some great well-known songs, and then some rarities you're just not gonna ever hear in concert any other time!

And then, Wild and Innocent...some great oldies for the true die-hard fans. Plenty of time for sign requests there...any ideas what you might want to hear (that's not already covered in those 2 albums??)

I hear he's been closing out with a winner of a cover lately, "Higher and Higher," that's been getting better and better ever since he debuted it in Philly.

Where are you from, anyway??

[eaglesvet]

:thumbsup:From the fan reviews over on Bruce's unofficial fansite, it sounds like tonight's show was one of the best he's done in 10 years (coming from fans with many shows under their belts.) In fact, with "The Wild and Innocent," one comment was made that he hadn't played this many of the songs from that album in one show since 36 years ago in a joint called Max's Kansas City, in front of a crowd of less than 100...right after the album was released in '73! AWESOME! I'll leave it to Maidstone to give us her impressions, but I did see that he had a special guest for the last song...one who I would have loved to hear sing along!:thumbsup:

On to "The River" tomorrow!

Boy, do I wish I was back on the East Coast...

[eaglesvet]

OK, now I've just spent an hour reading all about "The River" front to back, at MSG Night 2....:thud: Just about 2 hours for the album alone, and Bruce himself said it will never be done again, "because it is too long." :sigh: After the album, he still did another 8 to 10 songs! Fans are saying it was one of the best shows EVER, and looking at a few select videos, I am quite certain they're correct. :jealous:

[Maidstone]

Hey,

I'm back from my whirlwind trip to NYC for the two Boss concerts.

I Am Exhausted.

In a good way.

It was absolutely exhilarating. I was soooo looking foward to The River night (Sunday) since that's my favorite album. But oh my gosh - The Wild, The Innocent and The E Street Shuffle (Sat. night) floored me! I am still listening to that album on my iPod every spare minute I get.

It's weird how you get older and appreciate music in different ways. The WIESS album has horns and strings and kinda mellow. The River album is full on rock - which I loved as a teenager.

So now that I'm in my (ah hem) older than a teenager, I appreciate the mellow sounds and the verbage of the earlier Boss album.

But enough about that...the concerts were incredible. James Gandolfini sat two rows in front of me and rocked out Sunday night. Bunch of Yankee ball players were in the audience and that Sat. show was all about the Yankee win.

I have photos and video - I just need to get settled and I'll share with you.

Maybe this will move the Eagles to play full albums in future concerts???

Maidstone (I flew up to NYC from Texas)

[sodascouts]

Thanks for the comments on the show and I can't wait to see the video especially.

If the Eagles would do a full album show like that I would fly up from wherever I was, too!

[Prettymaid]

It's a great idea. Never say never, but...most likely not. :roll:

[rickmullen]

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN in Nashville........one week from today!

And I'm ready.

Eaglesvet and Maidstone: Where's those pics you promised?

Rick

[eaglesvet]

OK, Rick, I have to have my son help me one more time...I'm not very computer-savvy. I'll try to do it this weekend, but this time we'll be a bit more careful...last time with my Timmy pix we came very close to losing about 500 once-in-a-lifetime vacation trips from out West. Now I realize the pitfalls, and know what to avoid!

Rick, you will SO love the show. I think the highlight is Meeting Across the River, going into Jungleland. But you let me know what you think. Have you got a sign made? Because he definitely has a chance of seeing yours, where you are sitting!

Maidstone, I read there were a TON of stars at the River show...I heard about Gandolfini, but I think also Glenn Close, Jon Stewart, Bill Maher, and a bunch of others I can't remember right now. I'll have to look them up when I get a chance. Do you ever check www.backstreets.com (http://www.backstreets.com)? Great site for Bruce news and reviews; not a great fan blog (I'm spoiled by the Border!) How was it hearing Elvis on Saturday?? I also like him, so it would have been cool!

I heard the River show highlights were: Fade Away, and the car songs...Drive All Night, Wreck on a Highway, and Stolen Car. Agree?

Cool that you could come from Texas! Lucky decision you made! I so wish I hadn't chosen that time to go to San Diego, but who woulda known? And then, of course, could I have gotten tickets??

[eaglesvet]

All right Rick and others who have been patiently waiting. I realized we had already downloaded the Bruce pix--it was just a matter of me uploading to Photobucket, because for whatever reason I have a sizing issue with my new camera. The link is: http://photobucket.com/eaglesvet and then click on my Bruce album. (I still have to label my Timmy album as such, but I have done enough for one night...)

[rickmullen]

EV,
Thanks for posting the link to your photobucket "Bruce" pics.
They are great! You can just feel the excitement.

I hope to have some pics of my own in a week.

Rick

[sodascouts]

Thanks evet! Great pics!

[TimothyBFan]

I just now got a chance to look at these. Awesome! Love the shot of you with Little Steven! And Clarence Clemons is still looking great, isn't he?

That reminds me-did I ever tell about my encounter with Little Steven? Instead of here, I really am going to go start that thread that we were talking about about celebrity encounters. See story there. :wave:

[Brooke]

Fantastic pics, Ev! Loved your sign! Thanks for sharing them! :thumbsup:

[Troubadour]

Thanks from me, too. Great pics!

[eaglesvet]

Bruce just announced the album he'll play for his last show of the current tour in Buffalo on Nov. 22, and it's another first..."Greetings from Asbury Park," his debut album from way back in 1973. He actually has played a few of these songs by request on tour, because they are fan favorites...but again, never completely in sequence like this before.

In 1973, the Boss actually put out his first two albums the same year..."Greetings..." was followed by "The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle." That was back in the days when he didn't agonize over every lyric and note to the extent that he would only a couple of years later. The song "Born to Run" took him 6 months to record in 1975 for that very reason, with the entire album taking about 2 years to be released-- much to the chagrin and anxiety of his manager and producer. (Bruce had been proclaimed "the future of rock and roll" by the media in 1974 and 1975, and the public was getting antsy.)

Anyway, I digress.

Rick, have a blast tomorrow night!:thumbsup:

[eaglesvet]

Any news or pix, Rick? I know you must have heard some good songs....

[rickmullen]

It was an absolute great show. He came out about 8:25 and played
until 11:30. Awesome. I'll try to post more later when I have time and
maybe a few pics. It's been very busy around here lately since I got
back.

Rick

[eaglesvet]

Bruce Springsteen, Dave Brubeck, Mel Brooks, Grace Bumbry, and Robert DeNiro were in Washington over the weekend to receive this year's Kennedy Center Honors. The ceremony and musical show will be broadcast on Dec. 29 on CBS at 9 pm. For a sentimental tribute by President Obama from this past Saturday's reception, visit the White House Blog at www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-reception-kennedy-center-honorees.

[TimothyBFan]

Nobody had chimed in here about this. I happen to flip channels last night and the 25th anniversary HOF concert was on and I caught just as Jeff Beck started (FANTASTIC-except the part with Sting-on the ledge about that) and then came the Bruce part of the show. Just wondering if anyone had seen it and what you thought of the performances? He performed with Sam Moore of Sam & Dave, Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine, Darlene Love and John Fogerty (they did Pretty Woman really well!).

I'm not a Bruce fan as a lot of you know so maybe I'm just being harsh but I really didn't care much for the performances. He just sounded "rough" which I know he generally does anyways (the was it's suppose to be) but I was rather disappointed in the performances by him. (SORRY EV!!!)

Here's the performances if you didn't see it yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTplny76s7M

His little speech at the beginning of this reminded me of the thread where we are talking about entertainers giving us their views. :ack:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzRbeHyIomk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQqHzPzQsMg

This was good!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDTcWqDCZi8&feature=related

She's looking good at almost 70!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIhAWJUwepA&feature=related

[Prettymaid]

I've seen it TBF, and I'm just not a big enough Bruce fan to appreciate it. But I did watch his whole segment.

[eaglesvet]

Oh, I'll let it all slide you guys. There are BRUUUUCE fans, and then there are not. That's just the way it is. Maybe some day you'll see the light, but I'll still love ya if you don't!! :angel::hilarious:

[eaglesvet]

Yeah, I only realised when I read the reviews the next day that it wasn't his entire set list shown - he went on a good while longer. So long, in fact, that he was given a fine for it!

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/springsteen-fined-for-late-show-at-glastonbury_1107968

I'd say the BBC showed about an hour and a half of Bruce. I watched the entire BBC coverage and thoroughly enjoyed it. They were great with their coverage of Neil Young, too. So often festival performances get cut and pasted together really badly, & they show maybe one or two songs from each. I have no complaints about how they handled it this year.

I've found this page on the BBC2 website. You can see photos & watch Bruce's performances. It also has the full setlist. Enjoy, Eva ;)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/glastonbury/2009/artists/brucespringsteen/
I went back to your post, Lou, because all I could remember was that it was about a festival in the UK. NEW news is that Bruce is releasing a live concert film from a DIFFERENT festival in the UK...from June 28, 2009 in London at the Hard Rock Calling Festival. "London Calling: Live in Hyde Park" will be out this June on Blu-Ray and a 2-DVD set, featuring the 26 tracks that began in daylight, progressed through sunset and into night. It also features special guest Brian Fallon from The Gaslight Anthem. Critics called that show "epic." Can't wait!:partytime:

[eaglesvet]

Rumor has it that GLEE is in talks to do a Super Bowl Sunday episode featuring the works of Springsteen, and that Bruce himself may appear as one of the student's uncles. I don't watch the show, but I might have to make it a point to watch this one. I'm actually not sure how I feel about the Boss doing this, but it's not my decision now, is it??:wink:

[sodascouts]

GLEE doing Bruce? Hmm, that would be.... interesting.

[eaglesvet]

That's about the best spin I could put on it...

[TimothyBFan]

Been thinking a LOT about Eva lately!!! Sirius ClassicRewind Channel has exclusively been playing new stuff off his upcoming (my understanding?) album. I heard his version of Fire (he wrote it right and it was done by the Pointer Sisters?) and Spanish Eyes (I think that was the title) last night while out and about in the car. This morning they played Rendezvous a bit ago. I must say, I rather enjoyed the new version of Fire!!

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Thanks for that Willie. And like you, anytime I hear any mention of Bruce, I immediately think of Eva.

[Maidstone]

Anybody watch "The Promise" the documentary behind the Darkness on the Edge of Town album? It was on HBO back in Oct. and now it's coming out tomorrow in a big ol' box set with cd's, dvd's (an old Houston 78 bootleg video on dvd!!)

Anyways, my first love will always be Bruce. Period. Saw him last year at Madison Square Garden for two nights. Ahhhhhhhhhhh.

This doc was FASCINATING on the behind the scenes working of an album. I was exhausted after watching this. Bruce is a complete perfectionist, but geez - so much work goes into making an album. And this was after his legal ordeal with his old manager, so he and the E Street band went through a lot of pain and stress during this time.

Just fascinating. Can't believe they had so much video of the recording sessions. Highly Recommend! :thumbsup:

[sodascouts]

Hmm, think I'll ask for that for Christmas!

[TimothyBFan]

Heard this morning that Clarence Clemons has suffered from a stroke. Here's a story regarding a brain surgery he had. Sounds pretty serious.

http://www.antimusic.com/news/11/june/14E_Street_Bands_Clarence_Clemons_Undergoes_Brain_ Surgeries_Following_Stroke.shtml

[Brooke]

Yeah, I heard that last night. It's sounding better for him now.

[eaglesvet]

Anybody watch "The Promise" the documentary behind the Darkness on the Edge of Town album? It was on HBO back in Oct. and now it's coming out tomorrow in a big ol' box set with cd's, dvd's (an old Houston 78 bootleg video on dvd!!)

Anyways, my first love will always be Bruce. Period. Saw him last year at Madison Square Garden for two nights. Ahhhhhhhhhhh.

This doc was FASCINATING on the behind the scenes working of an album. I was exhausted after watching this. Bruce is a complete perfectionist, but geez - so much work goes into making an album. And this was after his legal ordeal with his old manager, so he and the E Street band went through a lot of pain and stress during this time.

Just fascinating. Can't believe they had so much video of the recording sessions. Highly Recommend! :thumbsup:
About a month or so ago, Bruce released this to non-profits (gratis) in large-screen Blu-Ray, to play for large crowds as a fund-raiser for local community charities. That's actually the first time I saw it, believe it or not. It was pretty enlightening...lots of behind the scenes stuff I had only read or heard about, but very interesting to actually see. That's one awesome compilation album, that's for sure!

[secret squirrel]

Here's a poem on Shakey Graves cover of I'm on Fire. I love the original but this is sort of quirky and different.

http://secretsquirrelshorts.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/im-on-fire-shakey-graves.html

SS
xx
http://pistoriusontrial.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/who-put-story-in-pistorius-my-thoughts.html (http://bmaycreative.com/tag/shakey-graves/)