I am not one of those fans. I'm not much of a comparer, I am interested in a given moment and how that made me feel right then, and I worry less about how that measures against something I, or anyone else did 40 years ago. I'm not saying that's better or worse - it's just how I am.
It's one of the reasons that Springsteen is still, 30 years after I first discovered the River, the artist that means most to me musically. Yes I love the old stuff, like everyone else, the nostalgia of hearing Born to Run live never ceases to get to me, BUT I wouldn't keep going back for more if I wasn't equally effected by what he has to say right now. At 62 years of age, he is for me, still more relevant than any other artist on the planet - not to mention that his band are absolutely kick ass!!
Since he reformed the Band in 1999 and particularly since the release of 2001's The Rising with the Live in New York City DVD in 2003, I have been desperate to see him in New York. Springsteen is so famously associated with New Jersey and in years gone by I would have loved to have seen him at the Meadowlands but since the edgier, more political turn of his recent work and the obvious poignancy of the location, my ambition has changed to NYC - not least because he has a slightly different relationship with the New York crowd than the adoration in New Jersey, he has to work a little bit harder for it in NYC, and it shows in the quality of the performance.
After the tragic death of first Danny Federici and then more recently the larger than life Big Man, Clarence Clemons, I felt like if I was ever going to do it, it had to be on this tour - so when dates were announced for Easter weekend, I massacred my credit card on Ticketmaster and with flights from the UK over to the Big Apple for the Easter Monday show.
The band has grown in size over the years to accommodate some of the new material, so they took to the stage with a full horn section, including Clemons' nephew Jake (of whom more later). I had tried to keep away from set lists so I was surprised that he opened with Badlands - always a crowd pleaser and one of my favourites live. From then he went into the two songs I was expecting to open the set We Take Care of Our Own and Wrecking Ball - both went down well with the crowd and set up a great atmosphere.
Following on from Wrecking Ball was Out in the Street, in my view Bruce's ultimate feel good song, so with lots of audience participation the place was rocking at this point.
Tempo stayed up but the mood changed significantly with the angry rant, Death to My Hometown from the new album, a song that is both a tirade against everything that has gone wrong in the US economy and a look back to the less complicated days of My Hometown on the Born in the USA album. A more serious mood set, led into the poignant My City in Ruins - a song about 9/11. He took the opportunity to introduce the band here, not the lighthearted intro of past tours and the use of this song to do it was prescient, but he introduced every member that was there and then asked us to remember those that weren't - I'm not a crier but I had a tear in my eye.
Time to lighten the mood (and this is where Bruce is unlike any other I've ever seen in his ability to drag the audience from joy to despair and then have them crying with laughter all in the space of an exhausting 3 hour show) and we moved into the Classics part of the set - Spirit in the Night - huge if very old fan favourite was immense followed by an audience request Thundercrack. One aspect of Springsteen shows is he changes the set every night, often to play stuff the band haven't even rehearsed - and this was one such moment - exhilarating and hilarious at the same time.
A serious part of the show followed and Bruce talked about the plight of the ordinary working man as a result of the current recession and led into the gorgeous Jack of All Trades, for me the best song on the new album. This was followed by Trapped, She's the One and Easy Money all songs with great energy.
He does persist with Waiting on a Sunny Day which, to be honest I think is one of his weakest songs - but clearly Bruce doesn't and this was followed soon by a soul medley. This was fun and uplifting and made great use of the phenomenal backing singers he has put together for this tour.
Highlight of the Night for me was Because the Night, one of his best songs, a huge hit worldwide for Patti Smith but which only finally made its way onto a Bruce studio album with 2010's The Promise. The live version was only made better by the genius that is lead guitarist Nils Lofgren - in my view the world's greatest living guitar player - check the solo out on YT it's worth it!
The main set reached a cresendo with Back Streets and Land of Hope and Dreams which were perfect for the night (even if it meant losing my all time favourite song, Thunder Road). Another star of the show was Clarence's nephew Jake who took over sax duties as well as contributing vocals and percussion at one point. It was inspired to put him in this role, anyone trying to replace Clarence would not be accepted by the crowd but trying to do an E Street show without the sax is unthinkable - step forward Jake, his family relationship guaranteeing him crowd sympathy , which he got - what I don't think any of us expected (though why I don't know given who he learned from) was the absolute aplomb with which he would take centre stage - he was a complete revelation and real highlight of the show!
Encore stormed off with Rocky Ground, significantly improved live over the studio version, the the ultimate party song Rosalita, followed by crown favourite Born to Run and Dancing in the Dark. The 20,000 crowed had danced themselves dizzy and shouted themselves hoarse, the choruses of Brrrooooccceeee ringing out throughout.
The show ended with the Big Man's theme tune Tenth Avenue Freeze and at the line "The Big Man joined the Band" the music cut out completely and a video montage of Clarence's great moments was shown - this time I didn't want to cry it was a really joyful moment, a celebration of the man that Bruce and the band had loved for almost 40 years and who was a central piece of what make the E Street Band for all of us fans - absolutely fantastic - classy and triumphant - a great way to end an amazing show.
There has been much debate about what it is that makes the E Street Band so compelling live after 40 years, for me its simple, incredible songs, amazing stagecraft, virtuoso musicianship and above all heart, soul and something to say!! I'd happily go and watch them every night if I could.
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