When The Change Was Made Uptown...

I stood watching the Bruce and E Street these past few nights not only thinking about how fantastic the band still is but how incredibly lucky we are as fans to all share in these shows.  With Springsteen at 63 and Jake Clemons triumphantly honoring his uncle wearing literally Clarence’s shoes, these nights have become a celebration of one of the greatest bands in history.  With hundreds of songs to draw from, the band makes it feel as if you are seeing a special show every single night out. 

(For me, these were first time they played "Savin’ Up" and a request "If I Should Fall Behind" from night one and The River’s "Stolen Car", a veteran’s day tribute first time E Street performance of "Devils and Dust", and an encore "Jungleland" from night two).

And the reinvention of the band in Clarence’s absence is extraordinary.  E Street has become a hell of a lot blacker, soulful, and funkier.  While the crowd still remains as white as ever, the band honors the finest R & B greats of the last 50 years.  Anyone who has the red, white, and blue Happy Days Fonzi image of Springsteen in their mind these days is greatly misinformed.  I always wished more people from a younger generation would realize this. Here’s a video that exemplifies everything I’m talking about:

"Shackled & Drawn" (Live in Louisville 11/3/12)

It seems like every time somebody writes about the E Street band they tend to overdose on superlatives.  Lester Bangs did it in his review of Born to Run in 1975 and its happening again with just about every review of this tour.  You cannot accurately capture what is happening during the course of these evenings without doing so. 

I remain skeptical if there will ever be somebody again on such a grand scale that can tap into the struggle of life, connect with the audience, and celebrate what it means just to be alive.  There were points each of the two nights during the shows that made my eyes tear up.  It would not surprise me if this was the norm rather than the exception. 

Springsteen is certainly full of arrogance (part of the job requirement) and the tickets cost too much, but I would argue this is a small price to pay for the restoration of one’s faith in humanity.  Here’s a toast to the most dynamic band in rock and roll.  I’m thankful to have been a part of it.

-w.u.