Leave 'Em Wanting More
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 "Darlington County." Consecutive audibles by Bruce, the first shouted out to Max and Garry during "Reason to Believe" to follow with "Candy's Room," and then for "Prove It All Night." An incendiary, wailing, gun-slinging, foot-stomping (literally) solo by Nils Lofgren to punctuate "Prove It All Night." An audience scan for signs, leading to a relatively rare performance of "Be True." Following that, a show-stopping "Lost in the Flood" before the final five songs of the main set. And, as likely captured on YouTube already, an encore dance with Hannah during "Dancing in the Dark." Still, I couldn't escape the feeling that Bruce rushed the band through the final hour of the show as if he were late for the plane.
Not that the performance suffered too much from the breakneck pace. Clarence sounded great. Charlie Giordano fit right in, adding his own textures from Danny's spot. Patti wasn't there (Bruce's explanation, as it were, included a terribly lame joke about dealing with the kids and the hash brownies back home), so Soozie helped out with "Magic." If anything, the themes of death, life, despair, faith and hope that run through the set, and the final sequence starting with "Devil's Arcade," were amplified by the pace. The playing was nearly flawless, and Bruce's voice was in fine form. And that solo from Nils on "Prove It All Night" -- put that one on brucespringsteen.net, please! If it was Bruce's intent to keep the audience out of breath and begging for more, it worked.
But just as fast as all the songs had been, that's how fast it was all over. Or so it seemed.
The techs came out to gather the equipment, with the roadies to follow to take down the stage. That was it. Some fans filed out, some celebrated the evening, and some, well, were asking "What the #%&!?"
That's when the roar went up from behind the stage, as Bruce and the band re-appeared -- with the house lights still on -- to re-take the stage. Fans rushed back to their seats, equipment was plugged back in, techs were sent scrambling. "Kitty's Back" was a lovely mess, with Max flubbing some of the opening beats, Clarence's tech struggling with the Big Man's neck strap, and an extended guitar solo from Bruce. They gave 'em a helluva time. And left 'em wanting more.
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 "Darlington County." Consecutive audibles by Bruce, the first shouted out to Max and Garry during "Reason to Believe" to follow with "Candy's Room," and then for "Prove It All Night." An incendiary, wailing, gun-slinging, foot-stomping (literally) solo by Nils Lofgren to punctuate "Prove It All Night." An audience scan for signs, leading to a relatively rare performance of "Be True." Following that, a show-stopping "Lost in the Flood" before the final five songs of the main set. And, as likely captured on YouTube already, an encore dance with Hannah during "Dancing in the Dark." Still, I couldn't escape the feeling that Bruce rushed the band through the final hour of the show as if he were late for the plane.
Not that the performance suffered too much from the breakneck pace. Clarence sounded great. Charlie Giordano fit right in, adding his own textures from Danny's spot. Patti wasn't there (Bruce's explanation, as it were, included a terribly lame joke about dealing with the kids and the hash brownies back home), so Soozie helped out with "Magic." If anything, the themes of death, life, despair, faith and hope that run through the set, and the final sequence starting with "Devil's Arcade," were amplified by the pace. The playing was nearly flawless, and Bruce's voice was in fine form. And that solo from Nils on "Prove It All Night" -- put that one on brucespringsteen.net, please! If it was Bruce's intent to keep the audience out of breath and begging for more, it worked.
But just as fast as all the songs had been, that's how fast it was all over. Or so it seemed.
The techs came out to gather the equipment, with the roadies to follow to take down the stage. That was it. Some fans filed out, some celebrated the evening, and some, well, were asking "What the #%&!?"
That's when the roar went up from behind the stage, as Bruce and the band re-appeared -- with the house lights still on -- to re-take the stage. Fans rushed back to their seats, equipment was plugged back in, techs were sent scrambling. "Kitty's Back" was a lovely mess, with Max flubbing some of the opening beats, Clarence's tech struggling with the Big Man's neck strap, and an extended guitar solo from Bruce. They gave 'em a helluva time. And left 'em wanting more.
Comments