Bruce Springsteen General Discussion Thread

stinkle

junior joo wrote: »

This may be an unpopular post but here goes ...

Went to last Wednesday's concert and was a little bit under-whelmed overall. Now I've seen him twice before in the RDS and Belfast and I loved it. While I wouldn't have all his albums I'd have a good few. So I know more than just the big hits and I'm not an event junkie talker although there was a few annoying ones of those near me ! But I'm not the 100 Bruce gigs in the pit uber fan either. Anyway so much gets made of his epic 3 and a half hour gigs but I couldn't help but wonder during some of the songs if they were actually shorter would they be better. Seemed to me that some songs chugged on for 10 mins or so within choruses being repeated and the rhythm section plugging away while Bruce worked the crowd. Would they have actually been a bit better if they'd been a bit shorter ? Heretical I know but just a thought.

..... it could also just be the case that I was tired and cranky after a long day and only just made it to the concert before he started with no time for even one beer either!

That's crossed my mind too, not that the show would be better shorter (I could have stayed there all night!), but more that he'd have extra time to fit in a few other requests/rare songs/Bruce classics into the whole show. But then the request thing could get annoying and the buzz might falter a bit if he just panders to uber-fans by playing rarities. Also, from reading the link in the post above yours, the amount of effort he puts into the live show is unreal! I'm surprised they manage the amount of songs each night

I know what you mean about a song you aren't so keen on going on for what seems like an age! Especially when the crowd around you aren't getting into it either (we had a few disinterested types near us as well). That happens me at gigs in general, but I've found that live versions of Bruce songs I wasnt fond of before or didn't know so well often sound different/better and I get really into them afterwards. This is especially true when you can see other fans going nuts and the band enjoying it - it makes me think "what did I miss before?".

I guess Bruce and the band can't please everyone all the time but they sure try!

CiaranK

Just on RTÉ radio there he went 22 minutes past curfew and had to pay €33'000

SB-08

CiaranK wrote: »

Just on RTÉ radio there he went 22 minutes past curfew and had to pay €33'000

In Dublin? Surely not. He finished at around 10.45 on Tuesday, and before 11.10 on Wednesday so that is odd. I know in 09 he went well over both nights but he came on after 8.

clickhere

..... it could also just be the case that I was tired and cranky after a long day and only just made it to the concert before he started with no time for even one beer either! I think you could be right there.

CiaranK

SB-08 wrote: »

In Dublin? Surely not. He finished at around 10.45 on Tuesday, and before 11.10 on Wednesday so that is odd. I know in 09 he went well over both nights but he came on after 8.

Curfew must have been 10.45. It could have been 10.30, like in London, and there was the extra 15 minutes given by Dublin City Council? So he went over on the second night. Or it was 11 (which is what I thought it was) and he went over by 10 minutes on night 2.

muckwarrior

The house lights came on well before 11, which presumably coincided with the curfew time.

Dr. Nick

muckwarrior wrote: »

The house lights came on well before 11, which presumably coincided with the curfew time.

Nah, they always come on for Born To Run

rebel without a clue

Dub Ste wrote: »

Well,a week on and I'm still on a Brucie high..

The two shows last week were just stunning,both nights were fantastic for different reasons.

On the Wednesday night I thought I'd died and gone to heaven...................BACKSTREETS.........I've been waiting nearly 30 years to hear that,apparently he played it Birmingham on the Tunnel of Love tour,but my memory is shot to shiite these days,and I can't remember that far back

I had a look on the backstreets website,and there were some on there giving out saying that he only played American Land both nights because he was pandering to the Irish audience !! I don't care why he played it,I'm just glad he did,I love that song,as I love most of his songs.You get the impression that there is no pleasing some of the posters on that site.

I don't live in America so I don't get the chance to see him in multiple cities,I can't afford to go mainland Europe and see him in different countries,I live here,and when he comes here I just want to see him and The E Street Band,and to honest,I don't really care what he plays,I just enjoy being in the company of several thousand like minded people who just enjoy Bruce for his music.

I loved both nights,both nights had so many highlights,so many songs that stopped me in my tracks.
We had a band that were on fire,a band leader supreme,and a crowd that were up for it from the get go,so,all in all,two fantastic nights,I really enjoyed it,I wish he was back in town next week........................

So,all I know is

Someday girl I don't know when
we're gonna get to that place
Where we really want to go
and we'll walk in the sun
But till then tramps like us
baby we were born to run



:D:D

i was waiting for this gig, since they last played in ireland!! in the lead up to it weeks/ days before, i was getting into bruce mode- listening to albums and watching live shows(nothing new there to be honest!) then the gigs!!...........then the come down it was total escapism for those both nights, my worries were gone! is this what its like for drug addicts when they come down from a high??!!!! really hope he continues on the tour into next summer........

Dr. Nick

Really mixing it up in Bergen tonight, second night rule applies once more!

Post #1000 on the thread

stick-dan

rebel without a clue wrote: »

i was waiting for this gig, since they last played in ireland!! in the lead up to it weeks/ days before, i was getting into bruce mode- listening to albums and watching live shows(nothing new there to be honest!) then the gigs!!...........then the come down it was total escapism for those both nights, my worries were gone! is this what its like for drug addicts when they come down from a high??!!!! really hope he continues on the tour into next summer........

This is exactly what I'm going through, cept only could go to one night. He has some power to live in your thoughts through his music.

poundhound

Photo 1 by Poundhound1, on Flickr

dixiefly

junior joo wrote: »

This may be an unpopular post but here goes ...

Went to last Wednesday's concert and was a little bit under-whelmed overall. Now I've seen him twice before in the RDS and Belfast and I loved it. While I wouldn't have all his albums I'd have a good few. So I know more than just the big hits and I'm not an event junkie talker although there was a few annoying ones of those near me ! But I'm not the 100 Bruce gigs in the pit uber fan either. Anyway so much gets made of his epic 3 and a half hour gigs but I couldn't help but wonder during some of the songs if they were actually shorter would they be better. Seemed to me that some songs chugged on for 10 mins or so within choruses being repeated and the rhythm section plugging away while Bruce worked the crowd. Would they have actually been a bit better if they'd been a bit shorter ? Heretical I know but just a thought.

..... it could also just be the case that I was tired and cranky after a long day and only just made it to the concert before he started with no time for even one beer either!

I can definitely see where you are coming from. I would have been at approx. 10-12 Springsteen concerts over the years and started listening before The River came out so I have been listening to him since circa 1979 which might put me in the “uber fan” category as you put it. However, I was at the Saturday concert 2 years ago and it was quite underwhelming. I had been sick but mostly the problem was that we were way back on the pitch. The difference between being reasonably close where you can see the stage and mix and match watching the stage and screen and also having a good atmosphere in the crowd around you is huge. When you are way back there Bruce could be just another artist, added to that for me, the excitement was less than some other artists I might have seen for the first time. As far as I remember the screen at the sides were poor for people way back then as well.
Myself, I would go to a wide range of concerts and would not count mysef as just Bruce or as an uber Bruce fan. I think I have been at 5 or 6 other biggish gigs in addition to Bruce in the last year. Most of those were in Vicar Street. It is small with a great atmosphere and all of those artists would have struggled with a big outdoor gig like Bruce did.
I have spoken to a few people that were a bit back in the crowd last week and there has been a consistent view that while the concert was great there was an issue with varying sound level and other people talking & moving around the place. I actually think the ticket prices should be changed to reflect the different areas of the ground, say €100 for the pit, €80 for a section behind that with some facility to queue for pit passes as normal and €60 for the section from the middle of the ground back.

stinkle

dixiefly wrote: »

I actually think the ticket prices should be changed to reflect the different areas of the ground, say €100 for the pit, €80 for a section behind that with some facility to queue for pit passes as normal and €60 for the section from the middle of the ground back.

Great idea for the RDS! Would have loved to have been able to queue all day for pit passes and for the craic, maybe missing out on some of that dampens the experience for people, especially when you end up surrounded by folk constantly going to the bar/toilets or having a big long chat. Last time at the RDS we were about as far back (standing but not pit) and there were some good people around so it was more fun in hindsight, but last Weds' gig was by far the superior one for me

Dr. Nick

There was a seperate price for the pit for Berlin (and I think other German shows). I originally bought 'regular' pitch tickets in the pre-sale then they released pit tickets in the sale proper. The difference was only €10 I think, so I bought the pit tickets and sold the others on at a slight loss - well worth it!

ConcertKing

Went the Tuesday night and my legs were in bits from all the standing but would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

No one can touch Bruce live and I can say that as not being his biggest fan.

Not sure anything will ever top the first time I saw him on Sunday July 12th 2009 but this sure as hell was close.

He's quite simply amazing!!!

Furious-Red

Scottish rockers Snow Patrol will be feeling rather privileged when they round off the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony on Friday - after it was revealed that London’s Westminster Council will allow them to play until 1am in the morning, two and a half hours longer than rock legends Sir Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen were allowed to play before being interrupted.

In news that is surely to anger the legions of fans who were at the Hard Rock Calling event at London’s Hyde Park, Snow Patrol - who will be supported by Duran Duran, the Stereophonics, and Paolo Nutini - will be given until 1am to perform, whereas Bruce Springsteen’s epic end-of-the-night performance was cut short at 10:30pm.

Springsteen’s set saw him joined by a number of iconic musicians - including Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello and John Fogerty - and was shaping into one of the greatest performances he’s ever put on. But, with another surprise up his sleeve, he was joined by Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney for an impromptu performance of ‘I Saw Her Standing There’ and ‘Twist and Shout’.

But, before the two acts could even thank fans (let alone break into anymore of the songs they were hoping to perform), the LiveNation were forced to shut the show down, ending what some described as ‘music history in the making’ dead in it’s tracks. As you can imagine, absolutely everyone in the venue was unhappy, not least Springsteen guitarist Steven Van Zandt, who took to Twitter to ask ‘who were we disturbing?’

After LiveNation explained that they had strict curfews laid out by the local council, the blow of having their show stopped was (ever-so-slightly) softened - but now, fans and musicians alike will be angry to learn that Snow Patrol will be allowed to play until 1am, with the council describing the event as ‘exceptional’.

Audrey Lewis, a council spokesperson, told The BBC: “The opening night of the Olympics is clearly an exceptional evening and the Hyde Park show it times to run around the opening ceremony. It is not a straightforward concert night at Hyde Park – it is clearly different from commercial shows that run throughout other parts of the year.”

While we can agree that the Olympics are a very special event that doesn’t come along very often, I think we can definitely also say that Bruce Springsteen jamming with Sir Paul McCartney is pretty much a once-in-a-lifetime, super-rare, super-awesome event!

Twitter has become overrun with people feeling the same way, with one user Mark Reed writing: “So Bruce and Macca get cut off at 10.30pm and Snow Patrol get a 1am curfew? NO JUSTICE. NO PEACE.” Another, Jordan Waller, added: “What world is it where Springsteen plays to a curfew but SnowPatroohhImSoBoredIJustKilledMyself get to play through?

Scottish rockers?

CiaranK

Here's something that might interest some of you. I've a friend of a friend who works on the rigging at concerts and after night 2 he was taking the stage down, he spotted a setlist and kept it for me cause he knew I was there. Here's what it would look like if he stuck to the setlist.

1. This Hard Land
2. No Surrender
3. Radio Nowhere
4. We Take Care of Our Own
5. Wrecking Ball
6. Death to My Hometown
7. My City of Ruins
8. Spirit in The Night
9. E Street Shuffle?
10. ?
11. Jack of All Trades
12. Atlantic City
13. Because the Night
14. Easy Money
15. Darlington County
16. Waitin On A Sunny Day
17. Promised Land/River
18. River/Backstreets
19. Rising/Badlands
20. Land of Hope and Dreams

21. Rocky Ground
22. Thunder Road
23. Born To Run
24. Detroit Medley
25. Dancing in The Dark
26. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
27. Twist and Shout
28. American Land

rebel without a clue

dixiefly wrote: »

other people talking & moving around the place. I actually think the ticket prices should be changed to reflect the different areas of the ground, say €100 for the pit, €80 for a section behind that with some facility to queue for pit passes as normal and €60 for the section from the middle of the ground back.

with the price of tickets, i made sure to get there early and not be surrounded by talkers/ drinkers and the people who only know born to run!, so i got full value and enjoyment. i think it can depend on who you go with too. of all the gigs i go to, a springsteen gig is sacred!! so my mates know not to talk or annoy me during the gig! Different prices for different areas is a good idea but the pit would be sold out in seconds and id be heart broken if i had to stand at the back!!

mossie

I was lucky enough to be in the pit both nights and, as always, loved the shows. My friend got sick during the first show, left the bit and stepped in at the back for a while and reported that the sound wasn't great there. Bruce always had a rep as a perfectionist when it came to sound for his live shows, has thi changed?

Mars Bar

The two Bruce shows I was at the sound was horrid. I never got the impression he is a perfectionist when it comes to sound.

havetoquit

Me too. It was just brilliant. The instrumental talent was fantastic and loved how versatile our Brucie can be verving from rock, jazz, gospel and folk. I particularly would like to see him in one of those rare intimate concerts where there is just Bruce, his acoustic guitar and piano along with his many stories. That would be lovely. He has done a few of those in the US, but doubt that he would come so far to play to a selective audience and if so there is little chance that I would see it, as only a chosen few could attend and don't know how they go about that. I guess it would be Bono ( his friend) and a room full of appreciative fellow musicians.

havetoquit

Sorry guys, but am I alone in thinking that parents who expose their very young children to live loud music for hours on end and expect them to also stand in queues with them etc are not to be admired? I see it as totally inappropriate to be honest and having witnessed a little boy at the Bruce gig crying and asking to go home, I was convinced. What response did he get? His mother ignored him and continued to scream and shake her fist in the air.... all good normal gig behavior, but very bewildering and upsetting for a child. I was told, but do not know if it is correct that the first time Bruce allowed a little child on stage was in the US when a father literally pushed her up and after that was always a couple or two with a child up front. I cannot imagine any child that young being terribly comfortable being on stage with a stranger in front of 35000 and then asked to sing. I guess the parents train them and they do not want to let them down when the time comes. Then we saw those same little ones outside for refreshments and exposed to bad behavior and language from the usual few, so no I think the idea is preposterous.

havetoquit

I agree with you guys about the length of the songs etc, but it really was the best few hours of uplifting stuff I have had all summer. The energy, the charisma, the way this man connects to his audience is just something. Yes, about those types who clearly had had one or more too many and appeared to be having a private party of their own, I'm sorry but those kind really really do bug me and can be so disruptive if you are unlucky enough to be near them. Why are they there I ask and next time I am near such a group and cannot hear or enjoy the concert I have paid for, I will not hesitate to go find a steward and have them warned or ejected. One bunch of idiots, were singing the Fields of Athenry and generally making a scene and a steward was brought out to deal with them. I so wish those types would just stay in their pubs, drink themselves silly and just let those of us who want to hear Bruce Springsteen hear him and not them. There, I 've had my vent for today, but hey, had such a good time regardless and glad you all did too.

muckwarrior

havetoquit wrote: »

Sorry guys, but am I alone in thinking that parents who expose their very young children to live loud music for hours on end and expect them to also stand in queues with them etc are not to be admired? I see it as totally inappropriate to be honest and having witnessed a little boy at the Bruce gig crying and asking to go home, I was convinced. What response did he get? His mother ignored him and continued to scream and shake her fist in the air.... all good normal gig behavior, but very bewildering and upsetting for a child. I was told, but do not know if it is correct that the first time Bruce allowed a little child on stage was in the US when a father literally pushed her up and after that was always a couple or two with a child up front. I cannot imagine any child that young being terribly comfortable being on stage with a stranger in front of 35000 and then asked to sing. I guess the parents train them and they do not want to let them down when the time comes. Then we saw those same little ones outside for refreshments and exposed to bad behavior and language from the usual few, so no I think the idea is preposterous.

I was all ready to heartily agree with you, then I remembered that my first gig was Bruce in the RDS when I was only 10, up the front and I feckin loved it!

The Nal

muckwarrior wrote: »

I was all ready to heartily agree with you, then I remembered that my first gig was Bruce in the RDS when I was only 10, up the front and I feckin loved it!

Me too and then I realised my first gig was Buddy Guy in a filthy, sweaty, boozy National Stadium when I was 11 and it changed my outlook on music - and therefore changed my life.

blastman

Furious-Red wrote: »

Scottish rockers?

You don't want to be associated with them, do you?

And the whole thing stinks. Some "special events" aren't planned years in advance, that doesn't make them less special, so a bit of leeway/cop-on could be exhibited.

havetoquit

Ok and great to hear, but then 10 is not four or five and you did a lot of growing up in those five years and certainly wouldn't have needed the same amount of sleep as a little child or lack the confidence that is normal at that tender age. Glad it didn't leave you with anything but a love of Brucie and I can also imagine and well understand the excitement of such an occasion for a 10 year old. I just feel that bringing very young children is not acceptable and have a feeling that it the parents who are gaining more from it than the children. Perhaps if it was early in the day and not so loud, the impact would be different. Did you understand the lyrics of Bruce's songs at that age, or was it just the melodies that you enjoyed at your first concert? I am fascinated that a 10yr old would have an interest in such music which would have been way before his time, but then, I guess you were introduced to it at home and that would explain a lot. I always imagined that it was later on when young people experiment with their music that they would find an interest in a music that for many started out so long before they were even born. It was great to see so many young people supporting and enjoying Bruce and who knows, maybe like yourself they were introduced to it very early on. I recall my children being exposed to Bruce's music on our many drives down long motorways on our way to holidays, but can also still see their sarcastic looks and remarks of 'When do we get to play our tapes' Yet, I have to concede they do respect his music today, even if they have not become ardent fans. Their choices took them down different roads that's all, so I am frequently exposed to the gravelly tones of one Tom Waits, but he has also grown on me and I have become a fan, if not as obsessed as I am about Bruce.

Dr. Nick

Wow moment from Friday night - pro-shot official Drive All Night

havetoquit

Hi Dr Nick and what can I say but a HUGE HUGE thank you for that piece of pure magic! Beautiful. May I ask where the venue was? It just looks huge and quite amazing altogether. I have not heard this one for a while now and I just love it. I look forward to one day seeing Bruce at one of those small more intimate venues where there is just him, his acoustic guitar and piano and where he tells the story behind each song. I doubt if it will ever come to pass, as believe such occasions are on special invite only. There is no cheering, shouting and fist waving, but just pure quiet to absorb the music in a different way. His treatment of the songs is also totally different and you get to hear rare numbers that are not played at live arena gigs. Again, you are a star to give us the benefit of that. How come the quality was so good compared to all the other Utube recordings?

Dr. Nick

It was taken from the screen feed, up on the official site now. Gothenburg last night, he followed it up with Jungleland tonight! First time ever post-Clarence. Very emotional by all accounts.

Yes, I'm ready for another Devils n Dust/GOTJ type tour now. You might like this compilation which i just downloaded:

http://springsteenbootlegs.blogspot.com.es/2012/07/the-keys-to-my-success-piano-songs-from.html