BRUUUUUUUCE

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band in Seattle. Another AWESOME Bruce show but, is "The Boss" slowing down? He 'only' did a two-hour show and one - 30 minute - encore!

(NOTE: Sorry about the photo quality here; needless to say, the lighting was tricky and I admittedly grabbed some shots from the video screen. The Key Arena "camera police" were out in force.)


What a show! It is the only time anyone ever sees LeeZard dance fast - can't help it; I just get happy feet. Some concert notes;

Clarence "Big Man" Clemons seems to be suffering from some serious (back?) pain. He sat in sort of a throne when he wasn't playing and, when he did play, he could hardly move. Luckily, whatever ails him did not affect his sax playing but, gone was the gleeful interplay between Clarence and Bruce. Too bad.

The rest of the band - sans wife Patti, who was home "guarding the house" against the teen-age kids - was in fine form. Nils Lofgren had one guitar solo - during "Because the Night" - that was absolutely stupendous!

Bruce & "Little" Steve Van Zandt were up to their usual antics, howling their lyrics into the same microphone and trading guitar licks with abandon (and each other).








Max Weinberg is still one of the best Rock & Roll drummers around!











Bruce did most of his new CD ("Magic") but, left off one of my faves, "Girls in their Summer Clothes," an homage to the BIG sound of Phil Spector. He threw in some of his more obscure compositions, such as "Point Blank" from "The River." He also played more lead guitar than he has in the recent past and it was great to be reminded of how good he is.

He always connects with the audience but, last night was beyond special; he actually took "requests" from the audience, people who held up big signs with their favorite tunes written on them. Bruce grabbed two (for "Rosalita" and "Tenth Avenue Freeze-out"), did the songs, autographed the signs and gave them back to their owners. What a thrill for those folks.


Springsteen also got in his political licks, railing against the "rolling back of our civil liberties" and "attacks on our constitution." The set included a rare sing-along - with lyrics rolling on the screen - to his 2006 Composition (from his "Seeger Sessions" tour) "American Land." I've included the lyrics below.
















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What is this land America so many travel there
I'm going now while I'm still young my darling meet me there
Wish me luck my lovely I'll send for you when I can
And we'll make our home in the American land

Over there all the woman wear silk and satin to their knees
And children dear, the sweets, I hear, are growing on the trees
Gold comes rushing out the rivers straight into your hands
When you make your home in the American Land

There's diamonds in the sidewalk the's gutters lined in song
Dear I hear that beer flows through the faucets all night long
There's treasure for the taking, for any hard working man
Who will make his home in the American Land

I docked at Ellis Island in a city of light and spires
She met me in the valley of red-hot steel and fire
We made the steel that built the cities with our sweat and two hands
And we made our home in the American Land

There's diamonds in the sidewalk the's gutters lined in song
Dear I hear that beer flows through the faucets all night long
There's treasure for the taking, for any hard working man
Who will make his home in the American Land

The McNicholas, the Posalski's, the Smiths, Zerillis, too
The Blacks, the Irish, Italians, the Germans and the Jews
Come across the water a thousand miles from home
With nothin in their bellies but the fire down below

They died building the railroads worked to bones and skin
They died in the fields and factories names scattered in the wind
They died to get here a hundred years ago they're still dyin now
The hands that built the country were always trying to keep down

There's diamonds in the sidewalk the gutters lined in song
Dear I hear that beer flows through the faucets all night long
There's treasure for the taking, for any hard working man
Who will make his home in the American Land
Who will make his home in the American Land
Who will make his home in the American Land