This was a fantastic review! sounds like it was worth the wait.
I'm happy to hear that the Big Man's son is filling that void as best he can. Also surprised/relieved/etc. to hear that the energy hasn't waned. Nobody in the band (except Clemons) is exactly young, and to keep that going for a 28 song set really says something.
Speaking of which, I suppose playing a lot of the latest record is to be expected, but looking at the setlist, I was not expecting a lot of the songs on there. At this point, it'd be easy for him to type out a 15-16 "play the hits" set and be done, but "Darlington Road: was not something I would've had on my bingo card.
Just out of curiosity, did you have a favorite song on the night? maybe "Don't Play that Song?" Apologies if I missed it in the article.
Also: Any idea why Patty Scialfa wasn't performing? Setlist.fm has her marked as "absent."
I'm not sure why she was out. She was back after a couple of dates though. Might have been COVID-related (Little Steven and Jake Clemons have both missed some shows because of it). And he does do a really good job of balancing the setlist (the hits, the newer stuff, and then what sort of comes in between). Something like "Candy's Room" is definitely not something I would've expected and yet it was on there.
I thought the performance of "Thunder Road" was probably the best of the night. Sometimes I feel with that song like I do with "Born to Run" and I just want the studio version (because they so perfectly used the studio as an instrument on that record) but it was a rendition of "Thunder Road" that was really a cut above.
Really thorough review, Thomas, and fun to read! You captured the energy Bruce & band has had for decades....at their ages, it's amazing at what great shape they're in! And, physical conditioning is the key to what and how they're doing! Especially cool to see Nils and Miami Steve (and a Clemons fam member!) still going strong, too.
I saw the Bruce tour stop at The Summit in Houston in 1978 (I was 23), and it was as you've heard...energetic, electric, and going to, at least, midnight! That night, I wouldn't have imagined Bruce & Co. would still be going strong 45 years later!
Thank you so much! I've heard some of the recordings from those Summit 78 shows and they must've been something else to see in person. It really is remarkable that he and the rest of the E Street Band is going so strong even now. But it's one of the things I love about Springsteen--that he's so committed to his craft.
Bruce got on MY radar along with the many, if not most....with "Born to Run." I had his first two albums, and worked (in '75) for Houston's CBS-owned and operated KLOL-FM, an early Springsteen outpost, as we helped make Space City (along with Austin, who did their own thing with him) Bruce-friendly, much to his appreciation.
You might enjoy my recounting those '74-'75 years, when KLOL received (from Mike Appel, to the consternation of CBS) a "Fever" bootleg tape (which we played), and an early "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" tape. As a 20-year-old jock in '75, I remember being "cautioned" to not overplay these precious gems, lest they become hated (you know', like "Don't Stop Believin'" and/or "Hotel California")!
This past December (so, it's easier to find on my Archive page, and not buried under two years of articles...one less link to have lurking on your page!), I did a piece on Bruce's "Two Faces" and the connection to Lou Christie's "Two Faces Have I".
The artists the industry is churning out these days seem to be without the craft-commitment shared by Bruce and his like, but it may take several decades to see if, say, a Swift or a Styles is even trying anymore!
I'm looking forward to reading/catching up with those pieces! I love hearing how those radio stations could make a city real receptive to an artist. Definitely something that's gone by the wayside.
I wonder that same thing too. I do think Taylor could do it as she has perhaps enough commitment to the craft (I also might have my sense of things warped as I also teach high school and see how beloved she is by the students).
You're a brave man, TB! I only dared go as far as 5th grade in my teaching journeys! I subbed a couple of times in middle school, and somehow managed to escape unscarred! Did not want to muddle my teaching challenges with those things called hormones!!
I don't doubt the longevity of Ms. Swift. She can now name her price and write her ticket in any and every part of this biz called show.
I'm toying with writing a bold pronouncement article that heralds one young Master Styles as having the potential to fashion a career as rich, varied, and creative as David Bowie. Harry can act (or, it certainly wouldn't take much for a producer, anywhere, to put him in any form of media), sing, dance, write songs, change image at will.
What would be fun to do is to A/B a timeline of both artists...where was Bowie at Styles' current age, etc? Just blue-skying...I've got so many ideas already lined up in my Q!
This was a fantastic review! sounds like it was worth the wait.
I'm happy to hear that the Big Man's son is filling that void as best he can. Also surprised/relieved/etc. to hear that the energy hasn't waned. Nobody in the band (except Clemons) is exactly young, and to keep that going for a 28 song set really says something.
Speaking of which, I suppose playing a lot of the latest record is to be expected, but looking at the setlist, I was not expecting a lot of the songs on there. At this point, it'd be easy for him to type out a 15-16 "play the hits" set and be done, but "Darlington Road: was not something I would've had on my bingo card.
Just out of curiosity, did you have a favorite song on the night? maybe "Don't Play that Song?" Apologies if I missed it in the article.
Also: Any idea why Patty Scialfa wasn't performing? Setlist.fm has her marked as "absent."
I'm not sure why she was out. She was back after a couple of dates though. Might have been COVID-related (Little Steven and Jake Clemons have both missed some shows because of it). And he does do a really good job of balancing the setlist (the hits, the newer stuff, and then what sort of comes in between). Something like "Candy's Room" is definitely not something I would've expected and yet it was on there.
I thought the performance of "Thunder Road" was probably the best of the night. Sometimes I feel with that song like I do with "Born to Run" and I just want the studio version (because they so perfectly used the studio as an instrument on that record) but it was a rendition of "Thunder Road" that was really a cut above.
Really thorough review, Thomas, and fun to read! You captured the energy Bruce & band has had for decades....at their ages, it's amazing at what great shape they're in! And, physical conditioning is the key to what and how they're doing! Especially cool to see Nils and Miami Steve (and a Clemons fam member!) still going strong, too.
I saw the Bruce tour stop at The Summit in Houston in 1978 (I was 23), and it was as you've heard...energetic, electric, and going to, at least, midnight! That night, I wouldn't have imagined Bruce & Co. would still be going strong 45 years later!
Thank you so much! I've heard some of the recordings from those Summit 78 shows and they must've been something else to see in person. It really is remarkable that he and the rest of the E Street Band is going so strong even now. But it's one of the things I love about Springsteen--that he's so committed to his craft.
Bruce got on MY radar along with the many, if not most....with "Born to Run." I had his first two albums, and worked (in '75) for Houston's CBS-owned and operated KLOL-FM, an early Springsteen outpost, as we helped make Space City (along with Austin, who did their own thing with him) Bruce-friendly, much to his appreciation.
You might enjoy my recounting those '74-'75 years, when KLOL received (from Mike Appel, to the consternation of CBS) a "Fever" bootleg tape (which we played), and an early "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" tape. As a 20-year-old jock in '75, I remember being "cautioned" to not overplay these precious gems, lest they become hated (you know', like "Don't Stop Believin'" and/or "Hotel California")!
I'm hoping your readers might enjoy it, too, if you'll pardon my link: https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/behind-the-mic-a-personal-peek-into-9a2
This past December (so, it's easier to find on my Archive page, and not buried under two years of articles...one less link to have lurking on your page!), I did a piece on Bruce's "Two Faces" and the connection to Lou Christie's "Two Faces Have I".
The artists the industry is churning out these days seem to be without the craft-commitment shared by Bruce and his like, but it may take several decades to see if, say, a Swift or a Styles is even trying anymore!
I'm looking forward to reading/catching up with those pieces! I love hearing how those radio stations could make a city real receptive to an artist. Definitely something that's gone by the wayside.
I wonder that same thing too. I do think Taylor could do it as she has perhaps enough commitment to the craft (I also might have my sense of things warped as I also teach high school and see how beloved she is by the students).
You're a brave man, TB! I only dared go as far as 5th grade in my teaching journeys! I subbed a couple of times in middle school, and somehow managed to escape unscarred! Did not want to muddle my teaching challenges with those things called hormones!!
I don't doubt the longevity of Ms. Swift. She can now name her price and write her ticket in any and every part of this biz called show.
I'm toying with writing a bold pronouncement article that heralds one young Master Styles as having the potential to fashion a career as rich, varied, and creative as David Bowie. Harry can act (or, it certainly wouldn't take much for a producer, anywhere, to put him in any form of media), sing, dance, write songs, change image at will.
What would be fun to do is to A/B a timeline of both artists...where was Bowie at Styles' current age, etc? Just blue-skying...I've got so many ideas already lined up in my Q!
And, thank you, Thomas......truly.🙏