Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in Chicago
My brother is awesome. Two Sunday’s ago, I got to see U2. This last Sunday, I saw a mind-blowing Springsteen show.
Now while U2 is just fine, I am a long-time fan of Bruce. He turns 60 today! and he is still going strong.
Bruce and the band rocked for almost three hours on Sunday. Unlike other shows—even though they always put on a great performance—this one had no filler, no pauses, no ballads, no breaks. They just blasted and pleased all night long.
Don’t believe me? Read on:
- the most fantastic concert I have ever seen. -Daily Herald
- many in attendance now consider their favorite Springsteen concert -Los Angeles Times
- The band responded with an inspired performance -Chicago Tribune
An extra special treat was the playing of the break-out album Born to Run in its entirety. right? Right?!
Awesome.
I’d like to note that the stand-up bass player, Richard Davis, you hear on the original Meeting Across the River was there tonight on the song. My boyfriend’s stand-up bass teacher was his student. So now I’m four degrees away from Bruce. Yay! Heh.
Bruce and the band are very wise in their stagecraft by now. Their live shows are legendary and built their reputation. It’s easy to see why.
They warmed up nice and solid, hit Born to Run, and moved right in to the hits off the more current albums. It’s as if they drew the fans of the older stuff out and said, “Hey, you’re still going to dance, sing, and rock with this new stuff.”
I have to think they gained some more regular concert goers that night.
There were also a lot of fist pumps and wide grins from the younger people there. Come to think of it, which of today’s music stars can put together a straight up rock show like this?
Ok, so after the newer songs, they hit audience requests. We got Da Do Ron Ron, Rockin’ Robin, and I’m Goin’ Down. It was as much fun seeing them try to figure them out (except for Down obviously) as it was to hear them.
One final note—While the United Center is obviously not Soldier Field, when Bruce wants to get connected to the audience, he simply goes for a stroll through them. Or he pulls them on stage with him.
He doesn’t need a giant claw.
Set List:
Seeds
No Surrender
Johnny 99
Cover Me
Outlaw Pete
Hungry Heart
Working on a Dream
Thunder Road
Tenth Avenue Freeze-out
Night
Backstreets
Born to Run
She’s the One
Meeting Across the River
Jungleland
Waitin’ on a Sunny Day
The Promised Land
Radio Nowhere
Lonesome Day
The Rising
Badlands
* * *
Hard Times
Raise Your Hand (instrumental)
Da Doo Ron Ron
Rockin’ Robin
I’m Goin’ Down
American Land
Dancing in the Dark
Rosalita





