Reply to "25 April 2008, Atlanta, GA Setlist Extravaganza"

Time for the encore - now things should get interesting again.

Amazingly enough, the Atlanta Food Bank people in the three rows in front of me left the show before the encore. I took the opportunity to help myself to their seats. Now I literally could not get any closer to the stage and had some room to move.

Bruce took the Thunder Road sign created with his own handwriting and once again turned it around to show the band. In seconds they were ready to go (of course it was also on the set list to open the encore so they were already ready to go) and the harmonica came out. It was an excellent rendition. All the ladies loved it and the crowd knew all the words. I did miss the give and take between Bruce and Clarence on opposite sides of the stage (during The Rising Tour), but still, the music was excellent.

Born to Run came early in the encore. While I will never tire of hearing this live, I was distracted by the fact the show might end earlier than it should. If we get Dancing in the Dark, American Land and then the house lights, I have to admit I would have been disappointed. I could see the ?accordion technicians? at the side of the stage ready to run up and deliver the instruments to Roy and Charlie. This worried me, but before I could get too worried, about five or six women from up in the section came down to join me in the newly freed front-row-Big-Man-side seats. Excellent - I dislike the usual sausage fest one often experiences in the pit. Even Nils came over to check them out.

Born to Run ended, the crowd went wild and Bruce turned around and seemed to ask the band if they were up for Rosie. It didn?t take long for the band to answer back by breaking right into it. The house lights stayed up and the usually subdued Atlanta crowd took the show, with the band, to the next level. This immediately made the ladies around me start screaming and dancing even more than before. It was nice to watch ? but actually distracted me from the Rock and Roll a bit.

The last time I heard Rosie was in Milan in 2003. I felt like we were all privileged to hear it in Atlanta. Something usually saved for shows with a more dedicated fan base. I am happy to report just about the entire arena was on its feet to show the respect the song and the performance deserves.

Rosie elevated the show to the level I was expecting based on the shows in Florida, but I wanted more.

As Rosie?s last notes rang out, the accordion techs were poised to run up on the stage and I was facing the prospect of a four-song encore. I know that sounds so elitist and I know Bruce owes me nothing, but it was how I felt. Then, like an unexpected gift at Christmas when you still believe in Santa Claus, Bruce turned around to the band and held his hands up as if to say stop. The accordions came back down the stairs as fast as they went up. I held my breath ? my eyes fixated on Bruce?s face. I could see him shout out one word, one syllable ? and then before I had time to consider what that word might be, Tenth Ave started with Roy and Max and the energy level in that arena went higher than I have ever seen in Atlanta. The screaming ladies around me actually started to block out the wattage of the sound system.

Tenth Ave made the show ? no question about it. It literally brought the house down. I felt like Bruce had now given us more than we deserved. They nailed it: every note, every lyric, every motion, every solo was perfect. The lead up to the first verse was extraordinary ? better than I have ever heard. The song ended with the usual audience participation and Bruce walked right over to us. I could smell him he was so close. What does he do when he gets over to us? He doesn?t flirt with the ladies (who were now climbing over me to get to him), but instead he gives a thumbs up to the two children now sitting on their respective father?s shoulders. This would have never happened in 1978 - everything changes, I guess.

I liked American Land more than I thought I would. It is an excellent way to end the show despite what you might think about the Seager Sessions. Roy and Charlie finally got their accordions and made their way to the front of the stage. They really played off each other and seemed to be pleased about being away from their respective corners.

I was exhausted when the show ended ? physically from standing/dancing the entire time and emotionally (not to mention I had to piss like a race horse). I sat down for the first time and watched the stage hands start breaking down everything. Nils? significant other was sat on the side of the stage for almost the entire show. She was nice enough to give me and a number of others a set list copy. Most of the other guests only came out for the encore, but she was there watching and enjoying the whole show.

I?m looking forward to NJ in June and whatever else I can get to before the tour ends, but I doubt I?ll ever be closer than where I was in Atlanta. I couldn?t help but think I was witnessing some history here that night. Would the E Street Band ever play Atlanta again? Time will tell.

Anyway, thank you, Bruce. You made my year.

End of Part 2