That’s the T-shirt I bought at the Bruce Springsteen concert Sunday night in Kansas City.
There were several to choose from, but come on… there was only one choice for me. And I wear it proudly!
The “anticipation music” as I refer to it, (I’m sure it has a real name… instrumental music that they tease you with right before the band appears on stage) was what you would hear play on a carousel at an amusement park. Fun and whimsical, the mood was set. Then out he came dressed in a warn black shirt and his signature Levi’s… the crowd went wild.
This is the third time I’ve seen Springsteen and in my opinion it was his best concert yet. And yes… that does include “Born in the USA” which I never ever thought could be topped. Maybe it’s because I’m older and more appreciative of his lyrics than ever before. Bruce Springsteen is probably one of the most socially conscious mainstream artists out there, and his lyrics, old and new, are as relevant today as they’ve ever been. But more than that even, simply put… Springsteen and his E Street Band outdid themselves. They were on fire, clearly into it, and we in the crowd gave it right back to them. It was a truly magical, rockin night.
The song set was incredible too; apparently they mix it up pretty good from show to show, often performing basically on the fly. Bruce and the band responded to signs held up by the crowd which is a refreshing change from most strictly choreographed shows. It’s just incredible to me that they could play something from their repertoire with little notice (or practice), with such precision that the crowd never knew it wasn’t on the original song list. I’ve got to believe having this sort of flexibility is a key element in keeping his shows so fresh and exciting night after night. Well, that and his “arse” in those Levi’s!
Case in point… I read about a guy who was at the Charleston show a week or so ago and had the good fortune of staying in the same hotel as Bruce and the band. Further good fortune caused their path’s to cross around 4:45 in the afternoon. This guy took advantage of the opportunity and asked Bruce if he could put in a plug for "Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love)." Bruce leaned back toward the guy and said, "What?" The guy responded, "You're in the home of Carolina beach music, and I wanted to put in a plug for "Double Shot." Bruce stroked the hair below his lower lip for a few seconds and said as he looked at the guy, "It's not impossible." Five hours later he opened the show with “Double Shot”. Wow.
At nearly 60 years old, Bruce Springsteen sounds as good live as anyone out there, and it’s a good bet he’s still better than most.
My only regret of the evening?
That I didn’t splurge on that second T-shirt I really liked.
It too was black and printed on the front of it…
“Just wrap your legs 'round these velvet rims and strap your hands across my engines” …
Anytime Boss, anytime!
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