A note from Youngstown... by request
Since starting this blog, blogger says I've created 138 entries. Some are just pictures or quips, some are writings, and some probably have links that need to be replaced. But in some way they were all original works. Except, however, for this intro and a couple of the pictures to follow, this one is from Scott Williams, a young man from the Youngstown, Ohio, area. Scott attended Bruce Springsteen shows in Auburn Hills and Cleveland, found my email address (along with btx and a few others), and sent this report.And, Scott: Yes, "Youngstown" totally rocked.
Greetings!
Recently I had the most amazing day of my life! Since it was spring break, a teacher friend and I wanted to see if we could get another concert show under our belts before the summer (we were also going to Cleveland the following week). Since we didn't have to worry about school, we knew we had the whole day to work with, and seeing as the only concert that week with tickets still on sale was in Detroit, Michigan, off we went! On the night before the concert, I made signs. One of those signs was neon green with dark green letters that read "Greetings from Youngstown, Ohio!" We left Youngstown around 7:30 and arrived about 11:30am. We had floor tickets, and we wanted to get into the "lottery" for the pit (which is right in front of the stage). The wrist bands and numbers were passed out at 1:00pm and I was #11. If numbers 1-10 would have been drawn, or an extremely high number, I would have been in front of the stage.
Standing in line, I could see down the street where the band would be arriving. I had this feeling to RUN down there and just as I did, Bruce Springsteen arrived riding shot gun in one car, Stevie Van Zandt in the next, and the rest of the band in the last car. Seeing as most of the crowd that was there earlier was now in line, there were only 20 to 30 of us there. Bruce's car pulled inside and he got out and started walking towards us! He made his way over to me and the first thing I said was "I'm from Youngstown, Ohio!" and he said "Are ya? Cool!" I asked for a picture and he said hurry up. Leaving my camera in the car, I only had my iPod. I turned the camera on and handed it to some lady. She couldn't figure it out and kept hitting the wrong button! I knew Bruce was in a hurry and I started to panic. I said to Bruce "Sorry this is taking so long" and he put his head on my head and he said "Story of my life".
.jpg)
I finally grabbed the iPod out of her hand and turned the camera to face me and just took the picture of us myself. After that he said he had to go and started walking back towards the arena. As I also started to walk away, I yelled "Play Youngstown for me!" and as he was walking he turned and pointed at me. Back to the long line of people I went, and started showing everybody. The word that I just met Bruce spread fast, and I had people coming up to me to see it and take my picture! hahah. (Once we were inside, people were STILL taking my picture! lol) Those with floor tickets (me) were finally allowed to go inside where we then waited in the hall. We couldn't see inside the actual arena because the ushers had the blinds pulled, however, we could still hear the sound check going on. The second song of sound check was Youngstown! I couldn't believe Bruce was playing Youngstown for me!
Anyways, we got a great location on the floor and were still very close. The front pit is barricaded off, and then a small walk way separated that from the rest of the floor. I was right on the walk way where Bruce would later walk right by me while singing Wilson Pickett's "634-5789". Anyways, song number 10 of the night was Youngstown, and I started the video on my iPod just in time to hear Bruce say "By request!" I held my sign up during the song and got Bruce to point at me! I couldn't believe I actually got the Boss to play a song just for me!
After the show, I got to meet him again. He signed my "Greetings from Youngstown, Ohio" poster!
Put my picture and name online if you can. There were soooo many people who came up to me, I'm sure they would love to see it and find me on Facebok.
- Scott Williams
- Youngstown, Ohio
Follow-up from Scott:
I met Bruce after the show as well and told him, "I'll be in Cleveland next Tuesday, so play Youngstown for me again" he said "Oh alright". It was such a great day! I love the pictures that you took of that night in Detroit. By chance, would you happen to have one of when I was holding my Youngstown sign up?
My answer: No, but I did take a shot of this "Because the Night" poster before the show. Bruce played that, too.
Scott continues: For Tuesday in Cleveland, I made a new sign and put the picture of us on it! Also in Detroit, much earlier in the day before I met Bruce, I get my picture with his guitar technician! This is Kevin Buell and he catches Bruce guitar when he throws it up in the air. He has bruises all over his arms from the guitars.
Pictures: Scott supplied the pictures of the signed poster, and of himself with Kevin Buell and with Bruce Springsteen. I took the others, including Tom Rye reading #262 in the pit lottery; you can see a winner celebrating (#268 was held by former Luckytown Digest adiministrator Kevin Kinder), of the "Because the Night" poster being held up before the show (Lori and the kids were right next to it, and reported that it was shedding gold glitter at a prodigious rate), and of Bruce preparing to launch in to "Death to My Hometown" as Kevin retreats with the last guitar.
Comments