#174 Bruce Springsteen > Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
“Teardrops on the city
Bad Scooter searching for his groove”
‘Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out’ berättar vagt historien om hur E Street Band bildades. Namnet E Street Band togs från E Street där bandet huserade i en replokal på tidigt 70-tal. E Street korsar Tenth Avenue i Belmar, New Jersey. Bad Scooter i texten är sannolikt Bruce Springsteen själv (samma initialer). Springsteen har dock sagt att han själv inte har en aning om vad en ”Tenth Avenue Freeze-out” är. Själva låten svänger bedövande hårt och är det yttersta beviset på att E Street Band egentligen är ett mäktigt soulband… 

Dagen skulle följa det tänkta schemat och allt skulle flyta på som planerat. Istället infann sig ett hål i tid och rum på cirka tre och en halv timme. En lagom kreativ och framåt person skulle säkert kunna fylla denna dötid med något meningsfullt, tyvärr är det kallt ute. Istället sitter jag här i en soffa tillsammans med Bruce och lyssnar på när han berättar för mig;

I went out for a ride and I never went back
Like a river that don’t know where it’s flowing
I took a wrong turn and I just kept going

Kanske är det hans livshistoria som är på väg att bli min. Någonstans för längesedan finns ett snedsteg jag inte hittat  fast det visar sig i allt jag gör. Vad skiljer oss åt, alla ni snedsteget håller på ett oönskat avstånd? Ni är inom synhåll, jag skulle mycket väl skulle kunna gå dit. Men för säkerhets skull jag gör det inte.

Självinsikten är mitt snedsteg, på gott eller ont. Jag tror mer om mig själv än en del, tror mindre i sällskap andra. Värderar antagligen saker fel. Hoppas att någon ser ur mitt perspektiv, så att Bruce får sitta ensam.

Tre och en halv timme är så mycket mer än att bara vänta.

I’ve been playing “Waitin’ on a Sunny Day” over and over all day today. And I’m not apologizing for it. I know that this song is a bit of a joke amongst the Springsteen die-hards, but I really like it. And today, like the last few days around here, it’s been dull and damp and miserable. On top of that, it’s been a rough few weeks for so many reasons – sick kids, school woes, work deadlines sneaking up. So – I can relate to the “waitin” for something to “lift away the blues.” It will come.

I’d mentioned earlier that I was doing a hockey shoot last weekend – it was so fun! This was a girls’ league and they ranged in age from about 4 or 5 (adorable!) right up to 16. I wish I could share some of the shots with you, but they’re not really mine to share. You’ll have to trust me – so cute!

Anyway, it was great experience for me and I learned about working with people and getting them to pose and do what we needed them to do to get a good shot. Not sure it’s something I’d want to be doing every weekend (especially when it’s across town starting at 6:00 in the morning!), but I learned something – and that was, of course, the whole point.

With everything else going on, it’s been tough to get out and do a lot of shooting, but I’m trying to find something this weekend that’s a little different from anything I’d normally shoot. Not easy amidst a packed hockey and soccer schedule, which are already staples in my repertoire, but I’ll find something and bring it back here.

While I’m off doing that – here’s “Waitin’ on a Sunny Day”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcsKgzOPaDc. This one really picks me up when I need it – love the steel guitar kicking in on the second verse. Small touch – big impact (for me anyway).  

Here’s hoping for a few sunny days soon……

I’m glad to see someone else sharing my frustration with conservatives who claim to love the Boss. It’s fun to dance, but the songs have lyrics too, y’all.

Working on a Dream Tour 2009

Concerti: 83 di cui,  27 USA prima parte; 27 Europa; 29 USA seconda parte

Canzoni: 191 diverse di cui 64 covers

 USA (prima parte) 699 canzoni  di cui 100  diverse tratte da:

Europa  749 canzoni  di cui 111  diverse tratte da:

USA (seconda parte) 820 canzoni di cui 151 diverse tratte da:

Devils & Dust è l’unico album rimasto fuori con nessuna canzone  proposta

Brani sempre presenti nelle Setlist:

American Land

Born to Run

Working on a Dream è rimasto fuori dalla scaletta 1 sola volta l’08 Novembre – New York Madison Square Garden

Concerto più lungo:34 brani il 22 Novembre – Buffalo, NY HSBC Arena

Concerti più corti: 24 Brani il 7 Aprile / Tulsa, OK / BOK Center

                                         24 Brani il 15 April / Los Angeles, CA / L.A. Sports Arena

                                         24 Brani il 14 Maggio / Albany, NY / Times Union Center

                                         24 Brani il 30 Maggio / Pinkpop festival, Landgraaf (OLA) 

 Canzoni presenti 1 sola volta in scaletta: 

 

(I Don’t Want To) Hang Up My Rock’n Roll Shoes - 22 Novembre – Buffalo, NY HSBC Arena

99 Tears - 26 Aprile – Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena

All Or Nothin’ At All – 12 Settembre – Tampa, FL Ford Amphitheatre

All Shook Up – 19 Ottobre – Philadelphia, PA Spectrum

Bad Luck (w/ Mike Ness) – 16 Aprile – Los Angeles, CA - L.A. Sports Arena

Born to Be Wild – 02 Agosto  – Monte del Gozo, Santiago (SPA)

Brown Eyed Girl – 03 Novembre – Charlotte, NC Time Warner Cable Arena

Coma Girl – 27 Giugno  – Glastonbury Festival - Glastonbury (UK)

Crush On You – 08 Novembre – New York, NY Madison Square Garden

Da Doo Ron Ron – 20 Settembre – Chicago, IL United Center

Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love) - 16 Settembre – Greenville, SC Bi-Lo Center

From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come) - 30 Maggio  – Pinkpop festival, Landgraaf (OLA)

Give the Girl a Kiss - 15 Maggio - Hershey, PA - Hersheypark Stadium

Great Balls of Fire - 01 Agosto  – Estadio Josè Zorrilla, Valladolid (SPA)

Green Onions - 22 Novembre – Buffalo, NY HSBC Arena

Gypsy Biker - 05 Maggio - Charlottesville, VA - John Paul Jones Arena

Heat Wave - 23 Agosto – Mansfield, MA Comcast Center

I Wanna Be Sedated - 22 Aprile - Boston, MA - TD Banknorth Garden

If I Should Fall Behind - 22 Agosto – Mansfield, MA Comcast Center

I’ll Work For Your Love - 22 Novembre – Buffalo, NY HSBC Arena

I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide - 21 Aprile - Boston, MA - TD Banknorth Garden

Jailhouse Rock - 02 Ottobre – E. Rutherford, NJ Giants Stadium

Like A Rolling Stone - 19 Maggio  - Pittsburgh, PA - Mellon Arena

Little Bit O Soul - 13 Ottobre - Philadelphia, PA Spectrum

Little Latin Lupe Lu - 18 Maggio - Washington, DC - Verizon Center

Living Proof - 15 Novembre – Milwaukee, WI Bradley Center

Louie Louie - 07 Maggio - Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre

Mary Queen Of Arkansas - 22 Novembre – Buffalo, NY HSBC Arena

Merry Christmans Baby – 22 Novembre – Buffalo, NY HSBC Arena

My City Of Ruins - 19 Luglio  -  Stadio Olimpico – Roma (ITA)

My Generation - 08 Maggio – University Park, PA - Bryce Jordan Center

New York City Serenade - 07 Novembre – New York, NY Madison Square Garden

Pretty Woman - 02 Luglio  – Olympiastadion , Monaco (GER)

Quarter to Three - 28 Luglio  – La Cortuja Olimpic Stadium, Sivilla (SPA)

Queen of the Supermarket - 05 Giugno  – Stocholms Stadion, Stockholm (SVE)

Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man - 13 Novembre – Auburn Hills, MI Palace At Auburn Hills

Restless Nights - 22 Novembre – Buffalo, NY HSBC Arena

Ring Of Fire - 18 Novembre – Nashville, TN Sommet Center

Rockin Robin - 20 Settembre – Chicago, IL United Center

Roll Over Beethoven - 25 Ottobre – St. Louis, MO Scottrade Center

Roulette - 05 Maggio – Charlottesville, VA - John Paul Jones Arena

Save The Last Dance For Me – 20 Ottobre – Philadelphia, PA Spectrum

Seaside Bar Song – 13 Ottobre – Philadelphia, PA Spectrum

Seventh Son – 02 Maggio – Greensboro, NC - Greensboro Coliseum

Sha La La – 19 Agosto – Hartford, CT Comcast Theatre

Stand On It – 02 Novembre – Washington, D.C. Verizon Center

Stolen Car – 08 Novembre – New York, NY Madison Square Garden

Streets Of Philadelphia – 29 Aprile - Philadelphia, PA / Wachovia Spectrum

Sweet Soul Music – 08 Novembre – New York, NY Madison Square Garden

The Angel – 22 Novembre – Buffalo, NY HSBC Arena

The Dark End of the Street – 02 Giugno  – Ratina Stadium, Tampere (FIN)

The Last Time – 09 Ottobre – E. Rutherford, NJ Giants Stadium

The Wanderer – 21 Settembre – Des Moines, IA Wells Fargo Arena

Then She Kissed Me – 13 Settembre – Ft. Lauderdale, FL Bank Atlantic Center

Travelin’ Band – 21 Luglio  – Stadio Olimpico – Torino (ITA)

What Love Can Do – 14 Ottobre – Philadelphia, PA Spectrum

When You Walk In The Room – 19 Ottobre – Philadelphia, PA Spectrum

Wild Billy’s Circus Story – 07 Novembre – New York, NY Madison Square Garden

Wooly Bully – 08 Maggio - University Park, PA - Bryce Jordan Center

Wreck On The Highway – 08 Novembre – New York, NY Madison Square Garden

You Really Got Me – 05 Maggi – Charlottesville, VA - John Paul Jones Arena

Le 191  canzoni del tour, e il numero di quante volte sono state suonate

I was out on the concrete Saturday night, usual spot.  November evening, cool-to-chilly.  Dry.  I’d set up my little P.A. system and guitar and mic and tip jar and music stand and I’d been strummin’ and hummin’ for about an hour.  Decent body traffic, routine tippage.  Good times.

It’s hard to read a crowd sometimes, especially when it really isn’t a crowd, but an ebb and flow of people to the movies or from the movies to the parking lot, or…

So, sometimes, it’s just best to play because you like to and not worry about “should I do a fast one?”  “Slow one?”

I thought twice about playing “So Far Away,” the Dire Straits tune.  I do a good job with it, since it does not require one to sing like David Lee Roth or Andrea Bocelli but it’s on the slow side and I sometimes feel it’s a bit of drag (though I love the song).  So I hemmed and hawed and finally decided to play it.  About two and have verses in, I notice to my right a fella standing there.  He’d dropped a couple bucks in the guitar case and was lingering the in area.  Longish hair, tall, dark–sort of Pakistani-looking.  Big smile.

“Hey, how ya doin’?”

“Good. That’s a great song.  I recorded it for my girlfriend,”  he said and held out his i-Phone.

“Your girlfriend?”

“Yeah, she’s in Michigan.”

“And you’re here—in the sun and she’s there in the…snow.” (A play on the words of the song).  “So are you going back?”

“Yeah.  I’m just out here for work, on a project for a few weeks.  I miss her so I wanted to send her the song.”

“That’s very cool.  I’ll start it again and you can get it from the top.”

So, he laid his i-Phone down by the P.A. speak and I started the song up again and it was oh-so smooth.  While it is true that a performer must generate his/her own energy and emotion and give it away to the listener, there is still something distinctly energizing about receiving the listener’s interest and enthusiasm and playing off of it, or playing when you know somebody wants it or will be benefited by it.  It was the coolest, rockin’-est version of “So Far Away” I’d every played.  He was so knocked out, he dropped a twenty in the case and bounced away a very happy man.

I told my friend Bill Berry this little tale the next day and he made a very validating observation: busking is a direct entertainment, an opportunity to reach a single person directly–much different from going to see Bon Jovi at an arena (don’t get me wrong–I like Bon Jovi).  Of course, this is pretty obvious but when you’re out there working on your chops  or trying to make a few extra bucks and deflect the occasional ill-intentioned individual, you don’t necessarily think in terms of touching another person (or helping them to touch another person…in Michigan).

But that is what is.  I am out there as much for the good people as I am to keep my chops up or make a few extra bucks.  I have a mental scrapbook of time when I was deeply affected by a song or have been out in the crowd and was swept away by some music I was not expecting or something new that really hit the spot.  I recall one time driving my friend’s fully restored ‘67 Mercury Cougar to work (my truck was in the shop) and “All I Want” by Toad the Wet Sprocket came on the radio.  That was the first time I heard it and I had to pull the car over it affected me so much.

Those really are the moments I live for.

Visit my website at www.stevennealwagner.com

WHEW! What a whirlwind of a weekend that was! I’m back, completely exhausted, my ears are still a little ringy and my throat is still a little sore from all the screaming, but it was definitely one for the books. I’ll be making sure that this coming holiday weekend is a much more relaxed one.

As I posted the other day, Friday night I caught the BOSS (that’s Bruce Springsteen) live in concert. It was the first time he had played in Charm City since 1973. Can you believe it? And I could tell that everyone in the arena was a die-hard fan. The fact that he is (very attractive at) 60 years old didn’t stop him or his INCREDIBLE E Street Band from playing a high energy set that lasted nearly 3 and a half hours. I have been to quite a few concerts in my day and have never seen a performer that engaged the audience as much as Bruce did. He crowd surfed (while singing the whole time), took requests by pulling handmade signs from people in the audience, and ran around the stage with more energy then even I can muster up sometimes. His voice was perfect and every song was awesome; among other favorites he played the Born to Run album from start to finish. Simply amazing. Here is the view from our seats!

So. Friggin. Sweet.

Normally I wouldn’t be jealous of people on the floor, but because there was so much audience interaction down there, I was green with envy. Maybe one day I will be lucky enough to see him live again. If you have the opportunity to do so, DO IT. I promise you you won’t be disappointed.

Dork alert!

I had just recovered from the Springsteen experience when Sunday morning rolled around and it was time for me to don my Ravens Santa hat to watch us take on the Indianapolis Colts! The Colts are a very good team this year – undefeated going into yesterdays game – so I wasn’t expecting much in the way of a big win.

What I got was a HUGELY fun time at our hospitality tent sponsored by my wonderful job before the game. 2 hours of ah-may-zing food (think mini filet mignon, crab cakes, crab soup, unlimited beer, etc.) and fun stuff like visits from the mascot Poe, the cheerleaders, Rise and Conquer (our two REAL Ravens), and a performance by the team’s band, the Marching Ravens. The weather was absolutely perfect for a day of football; temps in the low 60’s and lots of sunshine.

As you can see, I was having a blast. That’s my awesome friend S by the way.

What a view!

Pretty bird!

After 2 hours of much mayhem and tossing back drinks at the tent with 30 of my best coworkers, we made our way through the gates to find out seats. WOW did we get HOOKED UP! By far these were the best seats that I’ve ever had in this stadium. It would have been even sweeter if we had actually won the game, but we did put up a great fight and I was proud of my guys. The final score was 17-15 and for a little while there, I actually thought we might have had it in the bag. Our new kicker, Billy Cundiff gave a pretty good performance too…one missed field goal, but 5 completions, tying our old kicker, Matt Stover’s team record for most kicks in a game. MUCH better than that joker we were dealing with before!

Either way, I wasn’t expecting us to do that well and I refuse to be upset over it. My least favorite team – who shall remain nameless – ended up having a rough day yesterday also, that took some of the sting out.

I arrived home last night after the game headachey, hoarse, and tired, but happy all the same. 9 hours of sleep and a giant skim peppermint mocha hasn’t done much to wake me up today, but I wouldn’t have done the weekend any differently.

Although I cannot wait to go to bed nice and early tonight and will surely be taking it easy the rest of the week.

22/11/2009 Buffalo, NY HSBC Arena

• Durata concerto: 3h 20’
• Greetings From Asbury Park suonato per intero
• MARY QUEEN OF ARKANSAS: Tour Premiere
• THE ANGEL: full band, Tour Premiere
• RESTLESS NIGHTS: Tour Premiere, dedicata a Steve per il suo compleanno
• GREEN ONIONS: Tour Premiere, un pezzo strumentale del 62 di Booker T. & the M.G.s. e reso famoso anche dai Blues Brothers
• (I DON’T WANT TO) HANG UP MY ROCK N ROLL SHOES:  brano del 73 di THE BAND, Tour Premiere
• I’LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE: Tour Premiere

Setlist:
1. Wrecking Ball
2. The Ties That Bind
3. Hungry Heart
4. Working On A Dream
5. Blinded By The Light
6. Growin Up
7. MARY QUEEN OF ARKANSAS
8. Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street?
9. Lost In The Flood
10. THE ANGEL
11. For You
12. Spirit In The Night
13. It’s Hard To Be A Saint In The City
14. Waitin On A Sunny Day
15. The Promised Land
16. RESTLESS NIGHTS
17. Surprise Surprise (for stevie)
18. GREEN ONIONS
19. MERRY CHRISTMAS BABY
20. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
21. (I DON’T WANT TO) HANG UP MY ROCK N ROLL SHOES
22. Boom Boom
23. My Love Will Not Let You Down
24. Long Walk Home
25. The Rising
26. Born To Run
27. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out

28. I’LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE
29. Thunder Road
30. American Land
31. Dancing In The Dark
32. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
33. Higher And Higher
34. Rockin All Over The World

Springsteens manager Jon Landau bekräftar för musiktidskriften Rolling Stone att Springsteen nu släpper den länge efterlängtade deluxeboxen av ‘Darkness On The Edge Of Town’. Sannolikt blir det ett upplägg liknande ’Born To Run’-boxen med en remastrad platta, dokumentär om inspelningarna samt en film från turnén 1978. En konsert i sin helhet kanske?  Som lök på laxen släpps också en DVD med material från den senaste turnén, en turné som pågått i över två år…

20/11/2009 Baltimore, MD 1st Mariner Arena 

Durata concerto: 3h e 2min.

FOR YOU: solo piano

 Setlist:

1.  Wrecking Ball
2.  Prove It All Night
3.  Hungry Heart
4.  Working On A Dream
5.  Thunder Road
6.  Tenth Avenue Freezeout
7.  Night
8.  Backstreets
9.  Born To Run
10 She’s the One
11 Meeting Across the River
12 Jungleland
13 Waiting On A Sunny Day
14 Spirit In the Night
15 Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
16 The E Street Shuffle
17 For You
18 Radio Nowhere
19 My Love Will Not Let You Down
20 Long Walk Home
21 The Rising
22 Badlands

23 Ramrod
24 Hard Times
25 Land of Hope and Dreams
26 American Land
27 Dancing In the Dark
28 Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
29 Higher and Higher
30 Glory Days

I can’t really add anything to this.

Il “Darkness Box” regalo per il prossimo Natale?

Il lavoro è già stato fatto si attende solo la comunicazione ufficiale.

 I rumors prevedono che sia così:

• CD Remastered
• CD di outtakes inedite e versioni alternative.
• “The making of”-documentario relativo alle battaglie legali con M. Appel ed ai lunghi periodi di inattività musicale a causa degli strascichi giudiziari, la record session e il Tour che seguì
• 2-DVD set dello show  completo con bonus tracks “Live at Red Bank ´76.

Hey everybody! Guess where I’m going tonight!?

I feel all patriotic just looking at this picture!

My lovely mother is currently visiting Charm City from her home in Charleston, SC. Of course she is here to see her wonderful daughter (that’s me!), but she’s also here to see THE BOSS…BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN!

Because I have the fastest fingers in the east, I was able to score 4 tickets in the section of our choice for tonight’s concert in the minutes before it sold out. Even some of the people that camped outside the arena for days were turned away for tickets, further proving how dumb it is to do that when you could sit in your nice warm office stalking Ticketmaster the day they are released.

Now I am not the most die-hard Springsteen fan on the planet, but apparently he still rocks hard and I know pretty much all the words to the majority of his songs just because I’ve heard them played for so many years. I’m super excited. I feel like this is one of those epic musical experiences that shouldn’t be missed. This guy is an American legend after all!

What is your pick?   Whhat are your favorite Tom Petty songs ?  What are his worst ?

From Rolling Stone:

His manager, Jon Landau, says the only plans for 2010 are the release of the long-delayed Darkness on the Edge of Town box set and a DVD of the Working on a Dream tour. “The Darkness box set is 93 percent done,” he tells RS. “It’s absolutely fantastic and there are just some finishing touches that we need to turn our attention to and finalize and we’ll get it out there.” As for the Dream DVD, Landau says, “We’re working on some different approaches to a DVD for this tour. We’ll release it sometime fairly soon, post-Christmas.” Grab the next issue of RS, out November 25th, to read E Street’s reflections on their magical two years on the road.

See the Dream: Springsteen launches his tour with the E Street Band.

The Darkness box will likely contain a remastered edition of the disc, a new documentary about the making of the LP, as well as live footage from the 1978 tour. A handful of pro-shot shows circulate through the fan community, but there’s no word on which concert will be brought out of the vaults for the set. In 2005, fans were stunned when a previously unknown complete performance from London in 1975 appeared on the Born to Run box set. The Darkness on the Edge of Town tour is widely regarded as the high water mark of Springsteen’s live career.

There are no plans for another E Street Band album or tour next year. “We just had back-to-back tours and back-to-back records,” Landau says. “That’s never happened before, so we’re going to have substantial downtime at this point. The E Street Band does have an illustrious future, but I don’t have anything more specific to tell you about next year except those two media projects that are on the horizon.”

Read further in the article from quotes from Nils Lofgren and Steve Van Zandt about the end of the Working on a Dream tour.

18/11/2009 Nashville, TN Sommet Center

Setlist:
1. Wrecking Ball
2. Seeds
3. Trapped
4. Something In The Night
5. Hungry Heart
6. Working On A Dream
7. Thunder Road
8. Tenth Ave Freeze Out
9. Night
10. Backstreets
11. Born To Run
12. She’s The One
13. Meeting Across The River
14. Jungleland
15. Waitin’ On A Sunny Day
16. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town
17. Two Hearts
18. Darlington County
19. You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch)
20. Lonesome Day
21. The Rising
22. Badlands

23. RING OF FIRE
24. No Surrender
25. Bobby Jean
26. American Land
27. Dancing In The Dark

17 Novembre, Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

Speciale apparizione di Bruce Springsteen.

L’evento a favore di Autism Speaks, contribuisce ad aumentare i fondi per l’organizzazione scientifica a supporto dei bambini affetti da autismo.

Setlist:
1. No Surrender
2. If I Should Fall Behind
3. Working on the Highway
4. Thunder Road

Una volta ho sognato il paradiso. Avrò avuto vent’anni. Me lo ricordo ancora perché il mio inconscio ebbe il merito di non accontentarsi della
solita rappresentazione del paradiso fatta di nuvolette, santi barbuti con la tunica e gente con l’aureola, ma preferì virare verso lo
sperimentale. Quello che sognai ero un luogo senza consistenza, abitato da ombre luminose che sapevi essere stati persone, ma che non ne avevano più le sembianze; erano piuttosto entità che emanavano luce e pace. Il paradiso che sognai era così: non un posto, ma una sensazione di pace assoluta. Quello che ho visto fuori dal Madison Square Garden alla fine della seconda di due indescrivibili serate è la cosa che più si avvicina a quel sogno. Nel piazzale c’erano persone che si muovevano senza toccare terra ed emanavano una sensazione di quieta e assoluta pace. E non c’erano parole, perché nessuno riusciva a proferire verbo. Ho incontrato anche dei mailer, ci siamo guardati negli occhi e in quelli c’era lo specchio di come ci sentivamo, ma nessuno aveva nulla da dire. O meglio, non aveva nulla che riuscisse ad esprimere. Ci siamo guardati e quello è bastato per dire: sì, ho capito, sento la stessa cosa. Ora, a più di una settimana di distanza, dovrei e vorrei descrivere
queste due serate, ma l’impresa sembra ancora titanica. Come se nulla di quello che ho provato fosse riducibile in parole. Ed è così, infatti.
Ci proverò lo stesso.

PRIMA SERATA
La descrizione più calzante per questo primo concerto non è mia, ma della mia futura moglie. Uno dei mille motivi che fanno di questa
meravigliosa donna la mia anima gemella è la sua innata capacità di guardare il mondo con gli stessi occhi dell’Holden Caulfield di The
Catcher in the Rye: non vede il primo e più ordinario aspetto della realtà, ma il suo significato nascosto in terza o quarta fila. E’ una di
quelle rare persone che capisce benissimo che quando ti fanno un regalo, sotto sotto ti senti un po’ triste. Una di quelle persone che quando
vedono il laghetto di Central Park non possono fare a meno di chiedersi che fine fanno le papere che vi sguazzano quando d’inverno quello
specchio d’acqua diventa ghiacciato. Una di quelle persone per cui la realtà nel suo significato più evidente è terribilmente noiosa e che
quindi riesce a leggere nel mondo ciò che sfugge a noi comuni mortali. Grazie a questa dote, la mia Silvia è capace di uscirsene con frasi che
definiscono perfettamente un momento che nessun altro è capace di descrivere. E di inchiodarlo al muro con tre semplice parole.
Ed è così che nel bel mezzo dell’esecuzione di The wild, the innocent & the E street shuffle si è voltata verso di me e ha detto: “questa è un’allucinazione” Non era un’iperbole, non era nemmeno una domanda gioiosamente ironica, ma una semplice, dovuta constatazione. Mi stava informando di un fatto di per sé evidente: quella era un’allucinazione. Non aveva nulla di reale, né di palpabile. Quello cui stavamo assistendo era stato fabbricato con la materia di cui sono fatti i sogni. Il Garden si era sollevato dalle sue storiche fondamenta ed ora fluttuava da qualche
parte in un luogo che non esiste, tra l’isola che non c’è e il paese delle meraviglie. Noi eravamo lì, ma lì non era da nessuna parte.
Ho iniziato a sognare ben prima di ascoltare per la prima volta The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle. Ho sognato luoghi e persone
che non c’erano sin da quando mi ricordo. Quel disco però diede un ordine e una cornice a tutta la mia fantasia. Parlava lo stesso
linguaggio, diceva le stesse cose, ma lo faceva meglio. Conoscevo già Spanish Johnny, ma non sapevo che quello fosse il suo nome. Ero già
stato mille volte in un posto come lo shore, ma ora quei luoghi avevano una consistenza. Non ero mai stato a New York, ma in fondo avevo sempre saputo come si doveva camminare per le sue strade. Quel disco mi dimostrò che al mondo c’era qualcuno che sognava nello stesso modo in cui lo facevo io. Una cosa che, a quattordici anni, mi diede un regalo unico e inestimabile: mi fece sentire meno solo.
Sono passati 25 anni e la mia fantasia non è più viva e invadente come a quel tempo; ma se voglio ricordare come sognavo allora, quale sapore e
profumo avesse la mia fantasia, mi basta riascoltare quel disco. E’ tutto lì, incapsulato in sette canzoni e lo sarà per sempre.
Essere presente all’esecuzione di Wild & Innocent ha avuto quel sapore e quel profumo, ma anche una strana forma di evanescente concretezza che solo i sogni possono avere. E’ stato come entrare in un luogo che dovrebbe essere negato ai mortali.L’unico modo che ho per descriverlo è questo: avete presente quel meraviglioso pezzo di Incident “Johnny was sittin’ on the fire escape watchin’ the kids playin’ down the street”? E’ un passaggio fantastico, c’è tutto il talento di scrivere in maniera cinematografica che aveva lo Springsteen di quegli anni. Vedere quella scena non è solo semplice, è inevitabile. Ma quella sera non si trattava solo di vederla; quella sera era come essere all’angolo di quella strada. Alzavi lo sguardo e vedevi Spanish Johnny sulla scala antincendio, lo abbassavi e vedevi i ragazzi. Avresti potuto anche parlarci, avresti potuto abbracciarli. Eri lì, con loro. Eri sullo shore mentre un ragazzo diceva addio a Sandy. E poi eri al circo, e accanto a Catlong che singhiozzava e sotto la finestra di Rosie e sulla Cadillac con Billy. Eri parte del contorno in cui si muovono i personaggi di un’opera d’arte e ballavi, camminavi, soffrivi e ridevi con loro. Ora, io potrei anche continuare e raccontarvi di come Bruce abbia incastonato quelle sette gemme sul palco, una dopo l’altra. Potrei parlarvi di come la sezione fiati ha fatto saltare il tetto del Garden su Kitty’s back o di come la sezione d’archi abbia portato New York City Serenade fino ad un livello di bellezza francamente insostenibile. Potrei dirvi e raccontarvi di quell’infinito, meraviglioso assolo alla
fine di Incident, o del passaggio tra questa e Rosalita. Potrei descrivere tanto e alla fine non dirvi niente. Sarebbero solo fatti, e
quella sera si è andati ben oltre. Una volta chiesero a Foreman se Muhammad Ali fosse il più grande pugile di tutti i tempi. Lui rispose secco: “No. Lui era più grande della boxe.” L’esecuzione di The Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle è stata più grande della musica.

SECONDA SERATA
Miglior concerto di sempre.
Ok, è un’opinione e come tale personale. E in fondo vale solo per i concerti che ho visto. Però questo show è talmente in cima alla mia
personale classifica che, come si suol dire, il secondo è arrivato terzo. Faccio anche fatica a immaginare che possa esistere qualcosa di
meglio di questa serata. Ve lo scrive uno che non mette The River nella sua sacra triade di dischi di Springsteen preferiti. E’ stata una serata perfetta che ha lasciato davvero senza parole. Parole che mi mancano anche al momento. Sono tornato solo ieri da New York, ho aperto la posta, ho letto tutti i messaggi di bruce_it e ho trovato un unico reportage. Eppure di mailer presenti ce n’erano parecchi. La cosa non mi ha minimamente sorpreso. Non sapevamo come parlare di questo concerto là fuori, appena terminato e non sappiamo come farlo ora. Posso solo dirvi quanto già detto all’inizio: ci sentivamo in pace, felici, esausti. Il modo in cui ti senti quando i grandi sogni si realizzano. Insegui per una vita il concerto perfetto e ti convinci che non esista e che va bene così, perché il bello è nella ricerca. Poi un giorno il concerto perfetto ti colpisce in piena faccia e tu rimani lì, con lo sguardo illuminato, un’espressione tra il commosso e l’ebete ed una pagina bianca in cui dovresti raccontare cosa è successo, ma non hai una singola buona parola per farlo.Tutto ciò che posso fare, perciò, è lasciarvi con una serie di immagini
di queste due serate. Solo cose che ricordo. Non sono un racconto, ma mettendole tutte assieme forse sapranno darvi un’idea di quello che è stato:
- Bruce che si inginocchia sul finale di Fade away. Bruce che allontana
sempre di più il microfono dalle labbra fino a che senti l’ultimo “I
don’t wanna fade away” urlato direttamente dalla sua voce, senza
amplificazione, nel quasi silenzio dei 20.000 del Garden
- Il rumore di 20.000 mascelle che cadono all’unisono quando entra la
sezione d’archi in NYC Serenade
- Bruce che canta Crush on you e sembra chiedersi “ho davvero scritto
questa cosa?”
- Lo sconvolgente, inenarrabile, selvaggio e primordiale muro di suono
prodotto dall’E street band su Crush on you
- L’improvvisa certezza che la convenzione di Ginevra debba dire
qualcosa a proposito di un concerto che inizia con Thundercrack e
finisce con Higher and higher
- L’intero settore 338 che, tutto in piedi, canta la più commovente
Sandy che abbia mai ascoltato
- L’intero settore 338 che zittisce con inaudita violenza due donne che
interpretano NYC Serenade come un buon momento per parlare delle
caratteristiche dei rispettivi cellulari.
- L’intero Garden che alla fine di Wreck on the highway si alza in piedi
per tributare un ammirato e infinito applauso al capolavoro lungo venti
canzoni cui hanno appena assistito
- Bruce che la seconda sera su Higher & higher trascina con se i coristi
fino al palchetto centrale dietro al pit
- Le fan che con un golpe danzante si appropriano di suddetto palco su
Dancing in the dark
- Bruce che dice “so, here we go, this is The wild… the innocent…
and the E street shuffle”
- Il ruggito incontenibile del Garden alla fine di NYC Serenade e Bruce
che lo accoglie quasi spaventato
- Il Garden che “canta” l’inizio strumentale di The price you pay,
neanche fossimo a Milano
- Bruce che canticchia la melodia di Sweet Soul Music a Curt Ramm e Curt
Ramm immediatamente esegue
- Bruce che pur di non far finire Sweet Soul Music prova a inventarsi le
parole
- Bruce che alla fine di Wreck on the highway chiama Roy, Max, Garry,
Clarence e Steve a prendere l’ovazione del Garden: “These are the guys
who recorded the record. And Phantom Danny Federici”
- Nils che, dieci passi più dietro, è quello che applaude più convinto
in tutta l’arena
- L’italiano che entrando al cesso mi guarda, agita il pugno e urla “sto
per cagare al Garden!!!”
- Bruce con le maracas su I wanna marry you
- Il Garden che canta The river
- Miami Steve Van Zandt, l’unico essere umano cui dovrebbe essere
concesso di fare i cori in una canzone di Springsteen
- I can’t help falling in love with you, così, dal nulla
- Il finale infinito di Higher and higher la seconda sera, con Bruce che
balla scatenato e sembra l’uomo più felice del mondo
- Bruce che non è l’uomo più felice del mondo, solo perché io lo sono
più di lui a vederlo ballare a quel modo

regnet, eller tja något som kanske mer liknar regn blandat med snö, faller envist utanför kontorsfönstret.
lunchdags är det också.
dags att ta på sig stora rocken och ge sig ut en sväng.
måste till bilioteket och lämna tillbaka ett par böcker som går ut just i denna dag.
några böter vill man icke ha.

ikväll ni.
bio med Mellan.
katastroffilmsdags.
2012.
åsikterna hittills blandar högt och lågt.
viss förväntan finns dock.

***

i morgon förhoppningvis vaccinationsdags för yours truly och dotter.
jag skriver förhoppningsvis.
en kollega på jobbet pratar om kaosscener och köer värre än bruce springsteen i göteborg 1985…..om du minns…

annars är det ju en typiskt mitt emellan dag.
lika långt från den gångna helgen som till den kommande.

men krönet närmar sig.
till eftermiddagen vänder det!

Oops.

I first wrote this a few years ago in preparation for a blog project I never got around to finishing. I hope to get back around to finishing the project one day, but until then, I wanted to share this story I wrote as an introduction for it. Tomorrow, I head to Nashville to see Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band for my 10th, and quite possibly my final, time. As the band dusts off old gems each night, many fans have the feeling this might be the group’s last tour, as many of them have crossed the 60-year mark and might have retirement in mind.

Nashville, here we come.

Why Bruce Springsteen?

In the late 1980s, my sister dated Scott Rose, easily one of the coolest kids at Powell County High School. He worked as a lifeguard. He had a moustache. He drove a Jeep.

To a pre-teen boy, these things are things you dream of having when you grow up, maybe having one by age 17 if you’re lucky. And here was Scott sporting all three. Toss in the fact he played on the varsity baseball team, thus securing ownership of one of those rad red jackets that weren’t quite letter jackets but were, somehow, an even bigger status symbol.

Oh yes, Scott had it all.

And he loved Bruce Springsteen.

Anytime I got in Scott’s Jeep (which really wasn’t that often since my parents were afraid of it), he would play a Springsteen cassette tape, usually something from the Live ’75-’85 collection. I can remember leaving the Stanton City Pool one hot summer day, piling into the Jeep and riding down Highway 15, the wind (and music) blowing back my hair.

It was magic.

I was hooked.

The 1990s eventually rolled around and the beginning of the decade found me smack dab in the middle of puberty. It was a confusing time, hormonally and musically. Hip-hop and grunge had yet to break big, hair metal was on the wane and there was no clear musical identity for the era, leaving people like Tevin Campbell and Timmy T to rule, albeit temporarily, the airwaves.

In my sophomore year of high school, my parents bought me a CD player for Christmas, and I proudly blasted my first four CDs from the likes of MC Hammer, the Kentucky Headhunters, Garth Brooks and Wilson Phillips.

You’ll note the complete and total absence of any Springsteen.

It was until the following year that I returned to Bruce making my first purchase not long after I received my driver’s license. The album? Born to Run, and nothing screamed “drive” to a 16-year-old like these classic tracks. Note: They still do.

When not behind the wheel, I would listen to the album on a near-constant repeat in my room, trying my best to learn the lyrics. I rejoiced the first time I could recite “just wrap your legs ‘round these velvet rims and strap your hands across my engines,” knowing he meant more than a car.

Much has changed since those days. I eventually grew facial hair, and it’s really no big deal. Jeeps no longer appeal to me. My career aspirations have moved past sitting at a pool and watching kids splash around. And, most unfortunate of all, Scott died in a car crash in the late 1990s, leaving us only with memories.

But I’ll always have Springsteen. Scott’s Springsteen. My Springsteen. As other musical fads come and go, as trends start today and end today, I’ll keep those albums, those songs, those lyrics that mean so much.

Some days I look back and think of being 16, young and invincible, the world at my feet.

Some days I look ahead and think of being old and gray, looking for one last-chance power drive.

And in between, the here and now, one day at a time, feeling my way through a world of sadness and happiness, good times and bad, light and dark. I have my music, his music, and I’m never alone, as I know others out there feel the power just the same as I do.

I’m not alone. The world isn’t bad. Things are OK.

And tramps like us, baby, we’re born to run.

(Arbitrary rating system is, as always, each album = out of 10 bat symbols)

Beach House- Devotion: Ummmm boring. I’m not a big electronica fan (I don’t even know if this counts as electronica? I’m sure it was made with things that used electricity as a power source!) but this just didn’t move me in the least. I like ‘Gila’, mostly due to the singer’s whiny voice; however, nothing else stands out. All the songs sound the same, and they make it sound like a rainy day. That’s a terrible criticism, because everyone needs rainy day music, but even my depressed music has something meaty to it. Really, this album sounds like easy listening dance music; a contradiction even Bizarro would love! 2 bat symbols.

Bob Dylan- Together Through Time: Okay, first off, his voice sounds like shit. Simply put, oh my God, he sounds like he smoked all the cigarettes in the world and then ate 500 razorblades. Hyperbole! Now, is it any good? That’s like asking if Bob Dylan is a jew! (Oh wait.) The erstwhile Robert Zimmerman manages to come through on this album. It’s essentially a blues album made my one of the greatest songwriters everrrrr, and he doesn’t give a shit about any of the lyrics. There are no crazy turns of phrase or cutting lines; it’s just a tough old guy playing some tough old blues. It’s nowhere near his best music, but it’s still pretty good. Standout tracks are ‘Beyond here Lies Nothin’ and ‘My Wife’s Home Town’. I give this bad boy 7 and a half bat symbols.

Bruce Springsteen- Live 1975-1985: Yeah I’m gonna be giving this 10 bat symbols. It’s an old 3 disc album that has different live versions from concerts by Bruce and the E Street Band that span, you guessed it, 1975-85. And it’s absolutely incredible. It’s got all the best songs from up to that point, including a few very very obscure ones (‘Candy’s Room’?). Having recently attended my first Springsteen concert, I feel that I can say these songs come the closest to capturing Bruce and the band’s spirit. Seriously, every song is great. I think the best may be ‘The River’, if only for the heartfelt story Bruce tells about his father and the Vietnam war. Also recommended is the famous live version of ‘Thunder Road’ and the best Clarence ‘the Big Man’ Clemons has ever played in ‘Tenth Avenue Freeze Out’. (Completely unscientific I-don’t-know-anything-about-music list of the greatest sax players of all time:
1. Clarence ‘the Big Man’ Clemons
2. John Coltrane
3. Dave Rubel). One big caveat about this album is that it may be for fans only; even though it serves as a sort of greatest hits plus more collection, it’s probably not the best intro for the unconverted. (Upon hearing the version of ‘Hungry Heart’, Little A asked me why the hell the audience was singing half the lyrics instead of Bruce). So, yeah 10 bat symbols out of 10 if you’re a fan, and if not go and listen to ‘Born to Run’. Don’t worry, I’ll wait.

Wilco- Wilco (The Album): For some reason I find this album title to be really funny. It really takes the conceit of the self titled album to new heights. This album is quite good, utilizing both it’s quiet moments and louder rockier moments to form a really cohesive sound. Jeff Tweedy’s voice has rarely sounded better, and the band might be the tightest they’ve been. It stays away from the more experimental sound that they’ve cultivated on past albums (especially ‘Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’). This manages to create a better album but it’s missing the absolutely EPIC songs that really won me over to the band. The best tracks are ‘You and I’ and ‘Wilco (The Song)’. 8 out of 10 bat symbols.

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band- Outer South: Better than Bright Eyes! Conor Oberst combines the rootsy sound that Bright Eyes absolutely excels at with the decision to rock out and have some fun. ‘Roosevelt Room’ is a great example of this; the electric guitar positively crackles, like a bowl of Rice Krispies (forced metaphor, say yeah!). However, he doesn’t lose the midwest vibe of his previous work. ‘Snake Hill’ sounds like it should be sung around a campfire by the cowboys taking a break from rounding up cattle. (I never understood how this worked. Are the cattle that dumb that they can easily be directed where to go by a few guys on horses? What did the horses tell the cows that they would get if they followed them?). A very good effort that actually makes me want to see Oberst live; seven out of 10 bat symbols.

Weezer- Raditude: Weezer is among many things that bring out the 15 year old girl in me. (Also included in this list: first season of the OC, Lily Allen, and She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb). You know what you’re getting with this album: delightful pop with a tinge of irony in Rivers Cuomo’s lyrics. And it works. It’s slightly repetitive, and nowhere near as Pinkerton (holy shit, Pinkerton is so good. Really, I think that has to go down as an Underrated Classic. Cuomo rips himself wide open on ‘Across the Sea’ and leaves everything in that song). Back to 2009, Raditude brings what you want from Weezer, with a few surprises including a Lil’ Wayne cameo (Yup. Is he the music equivalent of Wolverine? Shows up to boost sales even if he adds nothing to the proceedings?) Best songs are ‘I’m Your Daddy’ (unfortunately not about Pedro Martinez) and ‘The Girl Got Hot’, which has very funny lyrics. 6 bat symbols.

Dave Matthews Band- Big Whiskey And The GrooGrux King- The cult that is Dave Matthews Band returns. The Chairman Mao of the music world’s new album really left me feeling flat. Confession: I’m a DMB fan who doesn’t really care for the band at all. I love a few songs, but if the song isn’t familiar, I just don’t care for it. This doesn’t make sense, and you should rightly cast aspersions on my reviewing ability right now (ha! You did that at least 45 minutes ago). The actual songs are okay, but they aren’t classics and therefore i don’t care. Because I am a fool. I didn’t want to listen to this album again, so I’m not recommending any standout tracks. 4 bat symbols.

Next time: Ida Maria, Monsters of Folk, Todd Snider, Raekwon, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Swell Season and Serge Gainsbourg!

15/11/2009 Milwaukee, WI Bradley Center

 

Setlist:

1.   Cadillac Ranch
2.   Badlands
3.   Hungry Heart
4.   Working On A Dream
5.   Thunder Road
6.   10th Avenue Freezeout
7.   Night
8.   Backstreets
9.   Born To Run
10. She’s The One
11. Meeting Across The River
12. Jungleland
13. Darlington County
14. Waiting On A Sunny Day
15. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
16. Loose Ends
17. Jole Blon
18. Growin Up
19. Into The Fire
20. The Rising
21. No Surrender

22. LIVING PROOF
23. Kitty’s Back
24. American Land
25. Dancing In The Dark
26. Rosalita
27. Higher And Higher

If Bruce says Auburn Hills is in Ohio, it’s in Ohio, and that’s all there is to it.

Google Maps says it’s 90 minutes, tops.

I wrote these when I was in my 20’s and I was into Springsteen. I later updated them with the “Sampson and Delilah” and the “Vampire”verse- I couldn’t resist trying to find a rhyming scheme for “Deliliah” and there are just too few uses of vampires in music lyrics. There is a piano part that goes with these. Of all the songs I’ve written this is probably my favorite.

Any buyers?

IN THIS LAND (Copyright 2004)

You know I have this crazy dream

We meet so secret and sweet

We hide in The Crowd where we can’t be found

With the Legions of Defeat

You in your napalm sweater

Me in my gasoline jeans

We’ll burn This Town to the ground tonight

And find Refuge in the Heat

In this land

Where nothing is sacred man

In this land

We can live like Bonny and Clyde

But leave our guns and our gangs behind us

We’ll park our car on Nowhere St.

No lawman will ever find us

We won’t need no telephone lines

Or contracts that may bind us

We’ll shoot Silver Bullets between our teeth

And Run naked down a back water beach

In this land

We won’t let ‘em run us down

In this land

Someday, I may, come home to be

Your Sampson, and you my Delilah

You pledge your love eternally

Then smile at me all the time while ya’

Plan to steal my secret powers from me

But all the time, I would still try ta’

Find you, my love, and take your hand

And run away with you into the Desert Sand

IN this land

Betray me not, cause I’m your man

In this land

( In This Land, Con’t)

To keep our love forever I’ll be

Your sweet and secret Vampire

I’ll marry you in a Gothic Church

Then turn you at the top of the spire

Immortally, we’d see the world at night

Free from the False Fruits of man’s fires

When the world of man was finally done

We’d walk hand-in-hand into the Morning Sun

In the land

Nothing lasts forever man

In this land