Bruce wraps it up with the greatest of Ease
Well, Sunday night wrapped up the Seeger Sessions U.S. tour with a rousing performance at Holmdel, NJ’s PNC Bank Arts Center (wrapping up a two night stand there). A highlight of the show was the closer, “The Man on the Flying Trapeze”, which was played only once prior at one of the Asbury Park rehearsal shows. So the tour ends, but worry not, folkmeisters, the tour is rumored to be resuming in the fall over across the pond.
Bruce Springsteen & the Seeger Sessions Band: The Man on the Flying Trapeze (mp3) – Live, June 25, 2006 at the PNC Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey
AN ICKMUSIC GIVEAWAY! To celebrate these last few weeks of Bruce and the band barnstorming across Europe and the U.S., I’d like to offer three Boss fans (or future Boss fans) the full final show on CD (actually, three CD’s). At the end of the day Thursday, I’ll pick 3 winners from the Comments section. Make sure you leave your email address when you leave a comment. As it says next to the Email Address field, it’s not published, so no worries.
The set list from Sunday night was: American Land/John Henry/O Mary Don’t You Weep/Old Dan Tucker/Atlantic City/Long Black Veil/Jesse James/Long Time Comin’/Erie Canal/My Oklahoma Home/If I Should Fall Behind/Mrs. McGrath/Devils & Dust/How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live?/Jacob’s Ladder/We Shall Overcome/Open All Night/Pay Me My Money Down
Encore: My City of Ruins/Ramrod/You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch)/When the Saints Go Marching In/The Man on the Flying Trapeze
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June 29 UPDATE – THE WINNERS!: Well, after reading all the great comments, I decided to choose 5 winners instead of the 3 I mentioned. Indeed, “I wish I was Mr. Gates”, so I could treat you all to the show, but I am most definitely not Mr. Gates. Good news for everybody though: all 26 folks who left comments will be getting a downloadable treat or two in their Inbox very soon.
So the winners are: Eric, Kay in the U.K., Joe (fellow music blogger), “No Luck” Chuck (now known as Lucky Chuck), and Steven. Congrats you five!
28 Comments
Tim
A great way to finish off the tour with a fine rendition of ‘The Man on the Flying Trapeze.’ In many ways a fitting description of this whole tour/project; Bruce taking a chance, doing what he wants to express himself artistically and, in the end, ‘flies through the air with the greatest of ease.’ As he says at the end of the song: ‘Nothing to it!’ I saw the shows in Phoenix and L.A. and they are right there at the top of the best Bruce shows I have ever seen. I know not all Bruce fans feel this way but I loved it. Hopefully he’ll hit the states again in the fall.
Thierry
Another great performance from this tour – now if Bruce could only come up to Toronto for a date, all my musical wishes for 2006 would be fulfilled. This is my favourite record of the year, and I have no doubt that it would be my favourite show of the year as well!
Thanks for bringing us these updates from the tour!
Malchus
It sucks that in LA (where I live) Springsteen’s shows sell out in a moments notice and that those sold out crowds are the least enthusiastic. Thanks for posting so many wonderful selections from this tour. I look forward to future postings from the Euopean leg in the Fall.
Steven
Got to see the debut of “American Land” at the Garden three nights prior to the tour finale and that blew me away but I would have given up my first born child to see Bruce sing “The Daring Young Man On The Flying Trapeze.” A song that I’ll admit that I’ve loved ever since seeing the Little Rascals perform it in one of their films so many years ago. (And, boy, does that make me feel old!) Loved every second of the show, love the Seeger Sessions cd (and I’ll go on record as saying it’s my choice for album of the year) and really do appreciate you’re posting songs from this incredible tour. Thanks Pete. Keep up the good work.
Stephen
I had the priviledge of seeing the shows on Saturday and Sunday and had seen the third dress rehearsal show and am still amazed at what I saw. To see Bruce sing “The Daring Young Man On the Flying Trapeze” was just amazing. All I can say to those fans who elected not to see him with The Seeger Sessions Band, you missed a hell of a time.
Wilbert
I would like to thank Pete for sharing his experiences AND the special songs with us. I appreciate it very much that you not only gave us the songs by Bruce but also the version by others (The Band).
Thank you Pete. I hope we can enjoy some more of this in the future.
Greetings from the Netherlands,
Wilbert
Maciek
I’m writing this post only to have a chance to win forementioned bootlegs :). Ussually I don’t write comments on web, especially here. What can you write on site like this, only one big THANKS MAN, keep on rocking… World is a better place with sites like this…
corrado
Pete, I am writing not only to keep eyes on the prize but also to thank you for your great job. I saw the show in MIlano it is one of the most funny and exciting show I attended in my “alas” long live, your offer of new songs is making that night still going on. thanks and go ahead.
Eric
My God, aren’t we lucky when, in a world as fucked-up as ours is right now, we are blessed with a musician with the creativity and strength of character as Bruce, who can lift our spirits the old-fashioned way: musically. Everything is so high-tech these days, and here he comes out of left field with a musical project so pure in its essence that it pretty much stomps everything else. Let alone the traditions Seeger has set forth, but let’s face it: Bruce is doing for Seeger’s music what people like the Stones and Stevie Ray Vaughan did for the blues. Plus it’s just a ton of fun. I can’t think of a recent album I’ve sung along with as much as “The Seeger Sessions”. Thanks so much for all your great posts, and all your work.
John
Pete:
Thanks again for posting the shows and songs from this tour. Since I didn’t get to see any shows other than the AOL selections (Springsteen and co. didn’t come to Texas this time), I’m doubly appreciative.
I’ve listened to little else since “The Seeger Sessions” was released. This is my favorite Springsteen album in a long time. The concert renditions are even better and “Open All Night” approaches pure genius.
My hope is that a soundboard recording will be presented in some form (officially or otherwise), but I’m very grateful to have gotten to follow this tour as closely as I have.
You have a great website. I look forward to it daily.
Bill Cassara
I just got turned onto your website last week, and I am eternally grateful. Your reviews of the Springsteen shows, and your willingness to share the music, have been the highlights of an otherwise boring summer. Since Bruce isn’t coming anywhere near where I live in Georgia your website has been the best opportunity to live vicariously through the ears of others. I am listening to “Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze” as I write this, and am amazed. Listening to Bruce always takes me back to when I was 19, didn’t have a care in the world, and thought I was invincible. Thanks for keeping the man and the music out front.
Kay
Hi Pete and thank you so much for all these tracks – none of us over here could see the London shows as they coincided with the exam season here, but all of us, me and my 18 and 16 year old son and daughter and my brother have appreciated all your comments from the shows and the great live tracks – we’re hoping Bruce does a lot more UK shows in the autumn. At first I thought a ‘covers’ album was a cop out but it’s great, turn it up loud when cooking and the whole family starts dancing! Also great to see him saying the things that need to be said.
Jon Lowy
A great tour! I went to the Nissan Pavillion (VA) show, early on the tour, when he sang “Bring ‘Em Home” as a pre-Memorial Day tribute. The music was amazing; I’ve been listening to nothing but “Buffalo Gals,” “Old Dan Tucker,” “How Can A Poor Man,” “Pay Me My Money Down” and others in the weeks since. Hope he comes back East for a second leg!
Jesse James
Thanks a million for the last few weeks, I’ve enjoyed the deluge of Bruce goodness!! Let’s hope he gets back on the road (and perhaps hits up the southeast, so I can witness it in person) soon!
Joe Grossman
How appropriate that we are all thanking Pete and simultaneously thanking Bruce for giving new life to songs sung by another Pete (if my name were Bruce that would tie everything up quite neatly – ah well). I had an interesting discussion with a friend, a fellow Bruce fan, about why this album and tour resonated so much with me and not with him (he’s waiting patiently for the next E Street reunion) – I believe the reason lies with our respective ages: I was brought up on folk music, my parents both being huge Pete Seeger fans (hey, they took me to see The Weavers!) and my friend, born 10 years later, was growing up on the Stones and the Beatles. I loved those old folk songs when Pete (the other Pete, not you, no offense) sang them, and hearing Bruce reinvent them, with that fabulous band he put together, was/is like heaven. Not to mention I am a proud veteran of many New Orleans Jazz Fests, and when TSSB sounds that Dixieland tone, I am THERE. Thanks for sharing these thoughts and snippets and for your blog generally – E-mail advisories or not, I visit regularly.
jb
When Springsteen came up, he brought the kind of intensity that made people believe rock and roll might be able to save the world. As we’ve heard on The Seeger Sessions and the live tracks you’ve been posting, it might be possible again. Thanks a lot.
Dan
Well, of course I have to respond!! I need to be in the running. Not only are you getting a current Boss fan, but I am the father of a couple of future Boss fans! And you know, children are our future.
Thanks for all the great Brucetunes!
Stuart
I would just like to commend to some sort of Hall Of Fame for not only the quality of music but also the quality of the writing. Thanks for keeping us entertained – long may it continue.
Leeman
I’ve seen pretty much every Bruce tour since the Darkness days, and it really hurt not to be able to attend any of this year’s Seeger Sessions Band dates, especially since here in LA they played the outdoor venue, the Greek Theatre, which would have been an amazing night. If it wasn’t for your blog and mp3 posts, I surely would have felt more disconnected with my fellow “tramps” and the tour…your efforts and passion for us fans and Bruce….are most appreciated, and I would absolutely LOVE to have a copy of the final show…I would be honored if I could get one (and as an extra bonus…being a huge PRINCE fan too…you and I are a rarity amongst fans…) best…Leeman
James
Just came across your site a couple of weeks ago. Thanks for all of the Bruce content. His tour has not come to Japan where I live so we have to experience it through the internet.
Keith Ahlstrom
I wanted to add mythanks forPosting all the great songs
Thank you so much
Keith
Mark
Great site! Thanks for posting all the songs from the tour. I’ve seen 40 Springsteen shows, and the Seeger tour show (I saw it at Nissan) was one of the best ever. What a great artists, bringing new life to classic songs. Fantastic stuff!
Aron
I was at this show and it was great!!!!!! The closer was truly a shocker. It was a great closer. I was with a large group and the look of surprise was evident on all of our faces. I told my 11 year old son all about the show. He has been listening to the We Shall Overcome CD repeatedly and I am going to buy tickets for him too when and if the tour comes back to the NY/NJ area. It looks like I have started BRUCE: The Next Generation.
Bruce
Pete,
thanks for all of the Bruce tunes – more concerts posted would be good, like you did for the Boston one, for those like me in Scotland, and others, in Japan, and elsewhere who aren’t on any tour routes. What you’ve posted has been wonderful and lets us all live the concerts vicariously. Interestingly enough I listened to the few concerts you posted, and the family was so-so, but they liked the actual CD better. Maybe it’s the chanting of the crowd – too much like sports fans for them I guess. Maybe if they saw the concert live… I know I’ll never forget the two shows I saw in 84. Thanks again!
Pendermania
What a wild ride — full circle from Asbury Park to the Arts Center, this tour had an energy unlike anything I’ve seen. Thanks for the songs and pics. They helped fill in the days between shows (and keep my productivity down around 0% at work).
And for everyone who couldn’t be at the shows, The Boss really spoke from the heart about New Orleans on every stop of this tour. The commercial areas of the city are alright, but the Lower 9th Ward / Bywater are still devastated beyond belief. Springsteen’s words and music reminded us of the debt that musicians (and music fans) owe to the city. Please help out in any way you can.
Chuck Bobrowski
I appreciate your dedication to Bruce’s latest endeavor. I’ve shared your postings with a few close friends who are also amazed. Being a Jersey boy and longtime Springsteen fan you would think I could have been at the local shows, but unfortunately, everyone else beat me to the punch. Add to the fact that I’ve met Bruce (twice) over the years at local bars at the Jersey shore where he stiffed me for an autograph the first time and politely refused a drink from me the second, I don’t seem to have what you might call the luck of the draw. It would be nice to hear the final show in it’s entirety, but if not, keep up the good work and offering the excitement of “almost” being there.
Thanks again,
“No Luck” Chuck
Pete
The Ickmusic Giveaway offer has closed! Your comments were so damn good, and dare I say, touching, that I changed my mind! So not three, but FIVE winners will soon be emailed with the good news! Standby…
toot
Doesn’t everyone out there think it’s what Dave Alvin did a few years ago? Not that it’s not a great record but because it’s Bruce this music is getting into the mainstream ( well, not really). Public Domain was really good and when I saw Dave Alvin he introduced a song as being written in the 1800’s most of the crowd laughed cause they had no idea that was the truth. Hey, if it helps I’m from N.J. too but now live in AZ.