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The musician's show Monday in Brooklyn featured an unlikely guest singer and another Prince tribute

Bruce Springsteen performs onstage at Madison Square Garden on March 28, 2016 in New York City.

Bruce Springsteen performs onstage at Madison Square Garden on March 28, 2016 in New York City. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

“Let’s go down the river one more time,” Bruce Springsteen told a sold-out crowd last night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. He was referring to what he and the E Street Band have been doing for the last three-plus months: Playing his 1980 album “The River” from start to finish at arenas across the country.

The show kicked off with “Meet Me in the City,” a newly unearthed outtake from “The River” sessions. Springsteen told the crowd this record was his “coming of age” album and that he wanted to “make a record that felt as big as life, as big as an E Street Band show.”

Springsteen did that over the course of 21 songs, with rocking crowd favorites such as “The Ties That Bind,” “Cadillac Ranch,” and “Sherry Darling.” During “Hungry Heart,” the first single released from the album back in October 1980, Springsteen led the crowd in a group sing-along of the first verse and took time to wander around the arena while singing. He returned to the stage by crowd-surfing through half of the floor.

 

ENLARGE
PHOTO: MIKE AYERS/THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

 

The full-album set ended on a reflective note, as Springsteen spoke about the idea that the record signified a person moving into a new phase of their life, where work and family become one’s priorities. “‘The River’ was about time slipping away,” he told the crowd as the final “River” song “Wreck on the Highway” was played.

After the album’s completion, the band broke out some rarities, including John Lee Hooker’s “Boom Boom,” Jimmy Cliff’s “Trapped,” and a unique version of “Blinded by the Light,” where a 10-year-old girl held up a sign, offering to sing the song on stage with Springsteen. He obliged, and turned the mic over to her as he strummed along beside her.

These unexpected moments were characteristic of “The River” tour; in some instances they came under unfortunate circumstances, as Springsteen paid musical tribute to musicians who died recently. At the tour opener in Pittsburgh, he played “Rebel Rebel” in honor ofDavid Bowie. In Chicago a few days later, he played “Take It Easy” in honor of late Eagles member Glenn Frey. And this past weekend, heopened with Prince’s “Purple Rain” — a song they played again at the final show on Monday evening in between two Springsteen classics, “Thunder Road” and “Born to Run.”

But there were moments, too, during the tour where Springsteen celebrated his audience, whether it was dancing with a 91-year-old fan in St. Paul during “Dancing in the Dark” or helping a couple get engaged.

 

 

The tour had some unforeseen cancellations, too. His Jan. 24 show at Madison Square Garden in New York City was postponed due to blizzard that was bearing down on the tri-state area. More recently, he cancelled his April 10 date at the Greensboro Coliseum in North Carolina in protest over the state’s controversial “HB2” law.

“To my mind, it’s an attempt by people who cannot stand the progress our country has made in recognizing the human rights of all of our citizens to overturn that progress,” he wrote on his website.

Still, “The River” tour was quite popular. According to ticket resale site StubHub, Springsteen is the second best-selling artist of 2016 so far, only behind Justin Bieber. It’s also his highest selling tour to date on StubHub.

Springsteen’s recent revisitation of “The River” coincided with a sprawling box set released in December 2015. Dubbed “The Ties That Bind: The River Collection,” the set featured 52 tracks, a documentary, and many rarities and outtakes.

Springsteen and the E Street Band are taking “The River” tour to Europe, starting on May 14 in Barcelona, Spain. Later this year, his autobiography “Born to Run” arrives on Sept. 27.

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy...tful-u-s-river-tour/

____________________________________

The SPL Rocks!

Prego che tu stia danzando con San Pietro alle porte perlacee del cielo





Pulled up to my house today
Came and took my little girl away!
Giants Stadium 8/28/03



Oats

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Well... It's a wrap for now.  Bruce will be back later in the year and It'll be a hot time this summer in the city.

As for myself, after 14 shows in 6 states and 1 in DC... I have this to say.

I'm glad so many of us got to see the full River album in it's entirety.  I'm also glad that he will be mixing it up more.  The huge Plus for me  personally is now we will have all these other songs not played yet with the live sound of the core band in fabulous, pristine sound on the O.L.D.s.  They have the mix almost down pat now.  These new songs will be a test for the mixing team.  Let's hope they are up to the task.

If last night's show was a sample of what's to come.  I think Europe will love these shows and I hope he brings them back here.  Did I hear tailgate? 

____________________________________

The SPL Rocks!

Prego che tu stia danzando con San Pietro alle porte perlacee del cielo





Pulled up to my house today
Came and took my little girl away!
Giants Stadium 8/28/03



Oats

I really enjoyed both shows I saw.  The smaller band really sounded tight and focused.  My only nitpick was "Meet Me In The City" every night as the opener.  Its a great song, but it would have been cool if he mixed the #1 slot with other River outtakes (Held Up, Party Lights, Roulette, etc).  Still, a really enjoyable tour.  

Suffering through major PBD here (post Bruce depression), only one cure for that.  Bring on the summer/fall tour!  I found it really interesting to hear songs about growing up, and starting the road to adulthood, song through the eyes of a man who'd navigated that road.  Do you know what I mean? Youth filtered through the years made for interesting song treatments.

Jersey Girls: Sinners, saints or skanks?

Yes, I forgot how much The River is an adult album.  As someone who's going through some real adult issues right now, it couldn't have come at a better time for me.  Thematically, The River was never one of Bruce's strongest records, but I was struck at how well it all hung together live.  It really worked.

I saw 4 shows, they were all great. I love the way the songs evolved. Even between Saturday and Monday there were some even betters! The River was the first album that I could relate to and still do. I love a lot of music, however for me this album helped shape my life to a certain extent. Hoping the rumors are true about Stadium summer.....can't wait for the boot. BTW Cliffy, Derek thought you were "cool". LOL

If my spelling bothers you don't read my posts

Tara posted:

I saw 4 shows, they were all great. I love the way the songs evolved. Even between Saturday and Monday there were some even betters! The River was the first album that I could relate to and still do. I love a lot of music, however for me this album helped shape my life to a certain extent. Hoping the rumors are true about Stadium summer.....can't wait for the boot. BTW Cliffy, Derek thought you were "cool". LOL

Wished I had seen you guys. I was at both MSGs and the last Brooklyn show. Hopefully in Jersey in late August or September. 

DirtDiablo posted:

Tailgate / Tailgate

I'm prepping as we speak.  this was just delivered to my door step today.

The ION Job Rocker a large bluetooth speaker and radio for the outdoors.

I'll crank it up for  a test run tomorrow sometime.   Hopefully the bass won't do this to our food... 

ION Job Rocker IPA30 Wireless Bluetooth Sound System

____________________________________

The SPL Rocks!

Prego che tu stia danzando con San Pietro alle porte perlacee del cielo





Pulled up to my house today
Came and took my little girl away!
Giants Stadium 8/28/03



Oats

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