One Step Up
This album (Tunnel of Love) and this song are like a comfortable old blanket to me.
“One Step Up”.
Just because.Birthday Boss – Bruce at the Shrine
In 1990, Bruce signed up for two intimate shows at L.A.’s Shrine Auditorium to benefit the Christic Institute, along with Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt. This here is night two. On night one, he had premiered “Red Headed Woman”, “57 Channels”, “When The Lights Go Out” , and “Real World”. This night saw the debuts of “The Wish” and “Soul Driver”.
It’s pretty hard to describe in words how completely amazing this show is. Bruce is in optimal form. It’s interesting to note the differences between this acoustic show and the Ghost of Tom Joad tour 5 years later. Somewhere in between, Bruce picked up some twang (maybe all those Harley rides out West?). At any rate, I love both sides of the spectrum, but there’s something about this particular sound, this particular performance.
If someone put a gun to my head and forced me to name my favorite Springsteen song, “Brilliant Disguise” would be my reply. And this is the single best performance of the song I have ever heard. All of the heart-wrenching, soul searching doubt about love – bursting from Bruce and his guitar.
And each song is that high in caliber. Bruce pours his heart and soul into each lyric, and each strum of the guitar – something he does on a regular basis with his band. But it seems even more pronounced here. Maybe it’s the moment in time – just a year earlier he had disbanded the E Street Band and moved to L.A. And earlier in the year, he and Patty had their first child, Evan (an experience he details before “My Hometown”). It’s the Boss, coming out on his own. And he shines.
Happy 59th, Boss – I’m awfully glad you’re around.
Bruce Springsteen
Shrine Auditorium
Los Angeles
November 17th, 1990Intro – “If You’re Moved to Clap Along, Please Don’t”
Brilliant Disguise (mp3)
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Intro – “The address was 39 and a half”
Mansion on the Hill
Intro – “We all live with our illusions”
Reason to Believe
Intro – “You gotta watch those redheads”
Red Headed Woman (mp3)
57 Channels (and Nothing On)
The Wish
Tougher Than The Rest
Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
Soul Driver
State TrooperIntro – “when that side of you is set loose”
Nebraska
When the Lights Go Out
Thunder Road
Intro – “I caught his first tear on the tip of my finger”
My Hometown
Real World
Highway 61 Revisited (w/ Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt)
Across the Borderline (w/ Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt)Live Boss: Magic in Charleston
(Photo courtesy of Backstreets)Bruce’s Magic tour rolls on with ferocity. With every show, Bruce and the band seem to get looser, honoring requests from the audience with more frequency (if you’re in the pit, bring a sign, odds are he’ll play it!), and honoring Phantom Danny Federici’s memory by going back to their roots with an infusion of (even more) joy, energy, and longer shows.
A couple of Saturdays ago, the train rolled into Charleston, South Carolina. The audience got treated to an opener of “Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love)”, and a closer of “Twist & Shout”. In between was a spirited set of tunes, including “Janey, Don’t You Lose Heart”, “No Surrender”, “Spirit in the Night”, “Growin’ Up”, “Two Hearts”, and “Out in the Street”.
I meant to send this only on to a friend, but when the goosebumps hit during “Double Shot”, I knew I couldn’t keep this to myself.
Bruce Springsteen
August 16, 2008
North Charleston Coliseum
Charleston, SCIntro > banter
Double Shot (of My Baby’s Love)
Radio Nowhere
Out In The Street
Two Hearts
Intro to…
Spirit in the Night
Intro to…
Light of Day
Growin’ Up
Janey, Don’t You Lose Heart
Audience
No Surrender
Atlantic City
Because the Night
She’s The One
Livin’ In The Future
Mary’s Place
Hungry Heart
The Rising
Last to Die
Long Walk Home
Badlands
Encore applausePSA
Streets of Fire
Jungleland
Born to Run
Rosalita
Dancing in the Dark
American Land
Encore applause
Twist and Shout
Applause / outroGordon and Bruce, then and now
[courtesy of Perez Hilton]
Nice photo of the Boss with Señor Sting at Thursday’s Police finale at Madison Square Garden in NYC.
Rewind 20 years to a nice version of “The River”…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-zOKTOajaI]
Magic Tour Highlights, including Tom Morello with the Boss
On April 7th, 2008, my wife and I sat in Anaheim’s Honda Center, watching as Bruce Springsteen brought out Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine to sit in with him and the Band on “The Ghost of Tom Joad”.
Nine minutes later, the crowd was a frenzied, jaw-dropped mass, cheering madly for Tom Morello. The guitar solos that Tom whipped up for the occasion were nothing short of amazing.
Today, everyone else can see and hear what the Honda Center crowd saw, as well as a few other highlights from Bruce’s still-going-strong Magic tour. On iTunes, the tracks are available in both audio and video.
100% of the proceeds go to the Danny Federici Melanoma Fund, in honor and memory of the late E Street-er.
============
============
‘Magic Tour Highlights’ Track Listing
1. “Always A Friend” (performed with Alejandro Escovedo)
Recording Date: 04/14/2008 (Houston, Texas)
2. “The Ghost of Tom Joad” (performed with Tom Morello)
Recording Date: 04/07/2008 (Anaheim, California)
3. “Turn Turn Turn” (performed with Roger McGuinn)
Recording Date: 04/23/2008 (Orlando, Florida)
4. “4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)” (Danny Federici’s final performance
with the E Street Band)
Recording Date: 03/20/2008 (Indianapolis, Indiana)Summertime Bruce [R.I.P. Tim Russert]
I can’t add anything too insightful about Tim Russert that hasn’t already been said or written over the last 24 hours, but I wanted to give my 2 cents. I’ve always been an NBC guy. One of my earliest memories is watching Tom Brokaw on the Today Show when I lived in Spain in the mid-70’s. I was amazed that his eyes would follow me regardless of where I stood in the room. From that point forward, when I need a TV news fix, it’s always been NBC – whether the Today Show, the Nightly News, MSNBC, or Meet the Press. I’ve grown up with the gang – especially Brokaw.
Since Russert took over Meet the Press in 1991, and through every election year, I’ve admired his passion, his tenacity, his preparation, and his bulldog mentality in his Meet the Press chair. In an industry of egos & blowhards, Tim Russert was one of the good guys – and like a lot of ’em, he was snatched from us way too early.
Russert was also a huge Springsteen fan.
Last night, I watched Tom Brokaw and Brian Williams talk about Russert’s and Williams’ mutual love of Springsteen’s music. In the early days, Russert actually booked Springsteen and the band for a February 1975 show in the gymnasium at John Carroll University in Cleveland.
I don’t have that show, but I do have this excellent 1978 show from the Agora Ballroom in Cleveland. Bruce kicks off the show with “Summertime Blues”, which is what we’re all feeling right about now with Tim’s shocking passing.
“Summertime Blues”
Rest in peace, Tim. You will be missed.
Summertime Bruce
The Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, Ohio
August 9th, 1978
Summertime Blues
Badlands
Spirit in the Night
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Factory
The Promised Land
Prove It All Night
Racing in the Streets
Thunder Road
Jungleland
Paradise by the ‘C’
Fire
Sherry Darling
Not Fade Away
Gloria / She’s the One
Growin’ Up
Backstreets
Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)
Born to Run
Because the Night
Raise Your Hand
Twist and Shout
Bonus: (from the Palladium, NYC – 9/17/78)
Kitty’s Back
Point BlankMemorial Day
Happy Memorial Day weekend. Take a few moments, reflect, and think about all of those who have sacrificed their lives for this country. And think about all of those overseas, who put their lives on the line day after day – while we get to be with our family and friends, barbecue, and drink beer.
Here, John Prine is interviewed by Bobby Bare, talking about and singing “Sam Stone”. John was 38 at the time, which puts this at 1984.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=206XaNxQ5LQ]
Here’s Bruce singing “Shut Out the Light” in Paris, 1985.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAqbN9HO68A]
Darkness and Born to Run at the Count Basie Theater
When I first checked out the set list and Backstreets review of last night’s Boss show to benefit the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank, New Jersey, I had to do a double take to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. Then I had to check the calendar to make sure Backstreets wasn’t pulling another of their infamous April Fool’s jokes.
But it’s true. Last night, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played Darkness on the Edge of Town – in sequence, in its entirety. After a break, they played Born to Run – in sequence, in its entirety.
Holy bleeping bleep!! The search begins…
Setlist:
Badlands
Adam Raised a Cain
Something in the Night
Candy’s Room
Racing in the Street
The Promised Land
Factory
Streets of Fire
Prove It All Night
Darkness on the Edge of Town
* * *
Thunder Road
Tenth Avenue Freeze-out (w/ horns)
Night
Backstreets
Born to Run
She’s the One
Meeting Across the River (w/ Mark Pender)
Jungleland
* * *
So Young and in Love (w/ horns)
Kitty’s Back (w/ horns)
Rosalita (w/ horns)
Raise Your Hand (w/ horns)
- Rolling Stone’s Rock & Roll Daily
- You can get the encore over at Boss Tracks
- As for the rest of the show? A peek at the comments section may help….
Sad News: RIP Danny Federici (1950-2008)
Danny Federici, Bruce Springsteen’s organ, keys, and accordion player for the last 40 years, passed away Thursday afternoon after a three year battle with melanoma. My prayers and warmest condolences go out to Danny’s Family and the E Street family.
Rest in Peace Danny.
- Bruce Springsteen.net
- A nice tribute from Ben at Deeper Shade of Soul.
Drive By Truckers – a new record and a stop on E Street
For Ickmusic’s Springsteen fans:
Patterson Hood Guest DJs on E Street Radio (Sirius)
Fri 4/11 4:00 pm ET
Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers gets to share his love of all things Springsteen with an hour as guest DJ. You’ll hear how he tricked his parents and snuck out to see his first Bruce show – a small act of teenage defiance that changed his entire life.Rebroadcast: Sat., Apr. 12th @ 12 am & 8 am ET.
Drive-by Truckers (DBT) are mostly known for their great live shows and categorized in the ‘southern rock’ genre. Over the past few years, though, they haven’t exactly acted like your standard ‘southern rock’ band.
Last year they backed blues woman Bettye Lavette on her Scene of the Crime
album, which was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Contemporary Blues Album category (the award went to Eric Clapton). This year, Brighter Than Creation’s Dark (New West, 2008) received 4 stars, and much praise, from Rolling Stone, amongst many others, but is also featured on CMT. Their previous album, A Blessing and a Curse (2006), had elements of early 70s rock, showing influences like Faces & the Rolling Stones.