Orel Family

My report from the Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band concert in Columbus, March 24, 2008, as published on the official Bruce Springsteen website . Before the Cincinnati show, I told some friends that just once, I'd like to be "between the mics," that small portion of the front of the pit between Bruce and Steve. The lottery odds of that are rather small, of course, but last night my number came in. So, any veneer of objectivity I might otherwise pretend in a review will be absent in this one, there's just no way. My ears are still ringing, I'm operating on three hours sleep, I have a meeting with a new boss in half an hour, and, and... I'm feeling just fine. Even taking into account a once-in-a-lifetime (so far) position, I've seen Bruce enough times (73) to know that last night's show was pretty hot. Right from the opening salvo of "The Ties That Bind," Bruce and the band were on a mission. Shaking things up just four songs in to t...

My report from the Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band concert in Cincinnati, March 22, 2008, as published on the official Bruce Springsteen website . At just about 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band left the stage, having just completed "American Land" before a nearly packed house at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati. The crowd was loud and had been on its feet -- even back in section 201-- for nearly the entire show. But, even before Springsteen was off the stage, the house lights were on. At barely two hours, the show was over. On the floor, some long-time fans were apoplectic. What the #%&!? Anyone with an internet connection knew that, in the prior two shows, fans had been treated to incredible guest appearances. Not that anyone expected anything like that again, but here we were, on a Saturday night, with a phenomenal crowd, and it was already over? Sure, we'd collected a bunch of moments. An unusual (and unrushed) opener of ...

What does one do when a seemingly normal friend -- albeit one I've met in person only once, through more than a decade of email correspondence -- decides to climb Mt. Everest? Not that Monty can't do it, he's climbed mountains in the Himalayas before, and has had his share of near death experiences. But I'm aiming to see Monty out in Portland in August, so he better make it back it one piece! And while my travbuddy profile is now updated because I have seen the Birmingham, Alabama airport from the tarmac, I think Monty's is a bit more interesting... and scenic. So what I do is, decide to follow along with Monty's blog. It's at http://monty-val-everest.blogspot.com . Good luck, Monty, and I look forward to sharing some good wine with you in about half a year.