In September, he became 73, regardless of the fact that he encountered an immense wave of sky-high expectations when he performed at the T-Mobile Center in downtown Kansas City on February 18. Bruce Springsteen’s legendary and prestigious reputation is one that only a few artists in the live-music industry possess, particularly one that has been established and honed over a 50-year profession. Meeting the expectations associated with a reputation can be a challenging endeavor.
The story comes to an end. The majority of fans suffer. At the end, artists like Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift, even these mighty artists, have little control over what happens to ticket prices in the dynamic and greedy second-hand markets. This is a lesson that all artists have learned. The reaction was a bit lukewarm for many, as fans were confronted with astronomical prices and backlash after tickets went on sale. But let’s not go into the details here. Those who were especially hopeful were hit with a real whiff of controversy in the wake of his first real controversy.
It was bright and indistinguishable, if there was even a scattering of vacant seats. From floor to ceiling, from one side to another, from one end to the other, every seat was occupied. The arena was as packed as I’ve ever seen it. Swiftly, any worries that prices would reduce the number of people attending were dismissed.
He looked regal and powerful, with his import and significant consigliere-like presence. His black boots reached almost to his knees, and his luxurious overcoat reached down to his shins. He wore a wide-brimmed hat with a garish plume, seemingly bestowed upon him from a lavish haberdashery in the mid-1800s. None of the members of Street Band E looked more swashbuckling than Zant Van Steven Little, the guitarist, as he took the stage, following the prescribed starting time by fifteen minutes.
Put differently, appropriately attired. Black occupational footwear with black trousers neatly tucked into a short-sleeved black tee: the style preferred by his superior, yet austere akin to the blue-collar demographic he enjoys documenting.
The show was about to start, with the intention of taking the crowd on a panoramic journey. Although tonight’s performance was not meant to surrender, there were no anthems or roof-rattling. Instead, the band began with a high and fast opening, working through a dozen different songs. The crowd had already vented its glee before the arrival of the band.
After a long absence due to the COVID pandemic, Eddie Manion, a seasoned musician and a close companion of Jake Clemons, returned to the stage on E Street. The crowd was ecstatic to see him back, and they cheered loudly, shouting, “COVID! What a spell!” Eddie, dealing with the challenges of the pandemic, had spent his time watching adult films, eating barbecue, and staying at a hotel. Clarence Clemons’ late nephew, Jake, who is a talented saxophonist, even introduced him. In addition to playing the saxophone, Jake also did some bookkeeping for Springsteen’s most recent studio album, “Letter to Ghosts,” which features a lively and uplifting anthem.
And he accomplished that, providing Manion with his initial opportunity to showcase his impressive skills. This could serve as the timeless motto for every Springsteen performance and tour, commencing with the song “Prove It All Night,” and featuring songs from a selection of nine out of his 20 studio albums. Afterwards, it was time to resume the main focus.
Tyrell Soozie, a multi-instrumentalist, added some warm violin lines to the mix. He also laid down some bluesy harp lines. Springsteen, known for his soulful vocals, added much polish and heft to the track. The Land of Promised featured his first appearance with four backup singers, who added a soulful touch. In this album, Springsteen swerved back to more classic songs, including a ballad titled “Letter You” which served as a palate-cleansing low-tempo track after his more beloved and upbeat songs.
The vocals of the sing-alongs crowd inflamed that already stoke the primitive, non-lyric lies-lie-lie, la-la-la, oh-oh-ohs with baubled songs, similar to many of Springsteen’s tracks from the album “The River.” The only track from the album is “Out on the Street: Then.”
Sir, please acknowledge the applause–taking on the demanding task, Max Weinberg on drums, accompanied by Springsteen, delivered impressive classic-rock melodies, followed by the instrumental section. People’s bodies swayed and dodged, arms were raised and fists were pumped, creating a wave-like motion, as the arena erupted into the chorus, culminating in an explosive crescendo. No other song, like Room Candy’s, elevated the atmosphere even further.
In 1973, The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle was unveiled, which was positioned between two tracks from his second complete album. The performance seemed slightly flawed, but the purpose felt sincere. The crowd seemed to enjoy the rendition of the Commodores’ Nightshift more than I did. There’s no need to worry.
The solos were concise yet brief, enhancing the moments in which they took place. With panache and ease, this iteration of Band Street E revived those deep-groove, jammy sounds. They delved into R&B, soul, funk, jazz, and rock, and their band was more like a polyphonic orchestra. Even though Springsteen paid homage to Dylan on stage, both musically and lyrically, he was still a different songwriter.
I eagerly awaited the live performance of my favorite song, “Born to Run” by Kitty’s USA. It was a particularly incendiary moment and I had high hopes for the night. This fleeting period in his career, which had mostly been overshadowed by the success of blockbuster hits like “Born to Run,” was deeply gratifying to watch him embrace. Among my favorite tracks from his album, “Back, Kitty’s 20,” they would perform three, including the greatest party anthems “Come Out Tonight,” “Rosalita,” and “Shuffle Street E.”
This version of Backstreets was a bit modified, both vocally and instrumentally, but it did not significantly alter its original form, which delves deep into the realm of rock opera. Johnny 99 was a high-speed journey infused with horns, set in the reverie of a Jersey rock-and-roll bar band. Almost the entire show was like an extended encore, highlighting numerous remarkable moments. It may sound like a cliché, but some clichés are fitting and deserving: Following that portion of the evening, there were plenty of magnificent moments.
Because Nils Lofgren embroidered the Night with a brief solo guitar, it felt almost Celtic-rockish, covering Something like the top spinning through it. Maybe it was Tyrell’s fiddle/violin riffs that made Ball Wrecking feel like the Pogues.
It was back to your stations for more music, with seven songs being more precise. Everyone summoned from their posts to join him up front, where they all locked arms and took a deep bow after Springsteen. After a raging bonfire rendition of Badlands, the crowd begged for more while taking shelter backstage, and there would be no formal encore, no abandoning the stage.
Most performers would have stopped after the 1-2-3 punch of Thunder Road, which seemingly ripped the mood into smithereens, if they wanted to follow in the footsteps of Rosalita and Run.
Uncle Rico, who can’t stop reliving their high school sports glory days, wrote a paean to all sorts of experiences, including 75-yard football throws and 90-mph fastballs from Springsteen’s five-decade career, which is still ironic. While there were plenty of salvos in the starting chamber with Days of Glory, Springsteen’s career continues to thrive.
I’ll show you my dreams / Death is not the end / Around the bend of the river / I’ll show you my dreams / It was a eulogy and hymn / I’ll show you my dreams / The closer it gets, the more perfect it becomes / The song only mentioned one big man – Big Man / Freeze-Out Avenue Tenth was also a tribute to the missing Clarence Clemons, and it is fail-proof and timeless.
Many people went home that night, reliving their dreams, feeling uplifted and affirmed by this show. It lasted three hours and fifteen minutes, and every minute sounded and looked like it was worth more than every penny spent. Rather than talking about dynamic pricing or ticket costs, the aftermath of this show was read, seen, and heard by everyone. However, it is completely unscientific to take this as a fact. There is no doubt that this show was uplifting and affirming.