Wednesday 5 September 2012

Bruce Springsteen at the Rogers Centre

i'm such a fool
i still believe that rock 'n' roll can save the world
and i'm not sure
but i think
that bruce springsteen does too

the show in toronto was joyous
it was a testament  to the power of performance

i don't think bruce has finished growing up
i think he still wakes up every afternoon
and taps into that tiny part of him that still wants to be elvis presley
and we're all better off for it
because
alongside of his biting commentary on the decline of western civilization
we get a celebration of life
that's not an easy balance to maintain

people think that dylan has a biting social commentary
really?
where?
i'm a huge dylan fan
and i don't hear it
dylan is clever rhymes and cinematic images

but bruce is cnn
and he doesn't just talk the talk
he walks the fuckin' walk
and gets us involved
people were crowding to drop money into the food bank jars as we were leaving
it's always been that way

but enough deep thoughts
let's rock
because i like rock 'n' roll
the show was deep cuts
a true springsteen fan's set list
i'm fairly stoic at concerts
bordering on analytical
but i'm pumping my fist in the air
dancing
singing along
i'm shouting out song requests
we were 10 feet from the stage
i'm 16 again and love rock 'n' roll
this is as close to church as i'm ever going to get

it took a 5 piece horn section to replace clarence
i wanted braxton hicks to get the gig
because brax knows how to blow like the big man
but the nephew did an admirable job
and it was nice to see the blood line represented
the video tribute was touching
you stand beside someone on stage for 30 years
and the world becomes different without them
 (if you search the blog archives you'll find a piece i wrote on clarence)

little steven is spending a lot more time alongside bruce
at front and centre
james brown had the cloak
springsteen has the sponge
after 3 hours - he'd collapse on stage
only to have steven come over and drip the sponge down onto to him
he'd jump up revived and count in another
it was old school greasy rock 'n' roll entertainment

the show was full of humour
i was surprised at how much time we spent laughing
there's no fourth wall to break down
there's no mystery
no forced icon like status
backstage you know he's not slurping caviar
no
he's working out the chord changes to 'murder incorporated'
he stays lean and smart
there's no trappings
everything leads to the stage
and you leave it all there

you're sixty plus years old
playing in front of tens of thousands of people
for three hours and forty five minutes
and there's not an ounce of energy left to give at the end of the night
that's the way to live a life
that's how i define rock 'n' roll

craig
september 5, 2012
coffee

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