Just when I might begin to forget why I love Bruce so much, I see him live and it all comes back in a flash.
Bruce's new world tour starts on April 1 in California. As with his last few tours, he decided to do a couple warm up shows at Convention Hall in Asbury Park, a tradition he started in 1999 with the Reunion Tour and continues through to today. I was lucky enough to attend the first of the two scheduled rehearsal shows.
Although there were still a few kinks to be taken care of, they showed for the millionth time why they are one of the greatest live bands around.
The band was augmented by two back up singers, Curtis King and Cindy Mizelle of Bruce's Sessions Band. At several points I felt as though the E street Band was a combination of both bands, since Charlie Giordano, Soozie Tyrell and Patti Scialfa are also in the Sessions Band. Drummer Max Weinberg's son Jay will be filling in for Max when needed, so he got to perform on a few songs also.
The setlist included 7 songs from Bruce's new Working on a Dream CD, several older songs, and a few covers.
This first warm up show was better than the warm up show I saw at Convention Hall for the Magic Tour. The sound was very good, in a space that is known for terrible sound. The pacing of the show was also better. The Magic tour seemed to be one fast song after another, whereas the setlist for this show had more variety.
The highlights for me were I Ain't Got No Home which was performed with the back up singers up front with Bruce and Soozie, Charlie and Patti alongside them. The Woody Guthrie song, which Bruce covered years ago, sounded like an electric version of the Session's Band. The same can be said of Hard Times Come Again No More, a Stephen Crane song that got the Session's Band treatment.
The pacing, for the most part, was pretty solid. The only glaring issues were the length of time between a couple of the songs, a few botched vocals and a few miscues, which were pretty noticeable. However, this is a rehearsal show and that is to be expected.
One moment which I am sure will get tossed, was an audience sing along during This Life. It was pretty clumsy, and broke the rhythm of an otherwise good performance. The bands vocal arrangement on this song was very impressive, reminiscent of Pet Sounds era Beach Boys. Also, going from Long Walk Home into Surprise,Surprise and then into Badlands seemed very unconnected, despite loving all 3 of those songs. The final songs of the main set, Badlands and No Surrender were also too reminiscent of the end of the main set during the Magic and Rising Tours.
Drummer Max Weinberg's 18 (or is he 19) year old son Jay will be filling in for Max when he joins the Max Weinberg 7 on the Tonight Show. Jay played a 5 song stretch about midway through the main set. After which Bruce stated, "There will always be a Weinberg behind the drums at an E Street Band concert". Jay is very good, and seemed to be having the time of his life. Who wouldn't. He has a harder style than Max, which sounded great on Good Eye and Radio Nowhere. I am curios to see how he will be on some of the quieter songs. Max is known for being able to slip from one style to another effortlessly, not to mention a vast knowledge of classic songs and the drum part required.
During the encores, Bruce brought up local legend John Eddie for a cover of Mustang Sally. A little sloppy, but fun nonetheless. Since they covered the first verse twice, I assume no one really knew the words. But seeing the two of them together was a lot of fun.
The show closed with another cover song, Seven Nights to Rock. This was played almost regularly on the later part of the Rising tour.
Overall a very good show. Do improvements need to be made, of course. Traditionally the E Street Band hits their stride about 10 shows into their tours, then they get better night after night after night.
Looking forward to seeing them this summer.
Here's the setlist.
Outlaw Pete
My Lucky Day
Night
Out in the Street
Working on a Dream
Johnny 99
I Ain't Got No Home
Good Eye w/Jay Weinberg
Radio Nowhere w/Jay Weinberg
Candy's Room w/Jay Weinberg
Because the Night w/Jay Weinberg
Mary's Place w/Jay Weinberg
The Wrestler
This Life
Long Walk Home
Surprise, Surprise
Badlands
No Surrender
Hard Times
Mustang Sally w/John Eddie
Thunder Road
Born to Run w/Jay Weinberg
American Land w/Jay Weinberg
Seven Nights to Rock
Bruce's new world tour starts on April 1 in California. As with his last few tours, he decided to do a couple warm up shows at Convention Hall in Asbury Park, a tradition he started in 1999 with the Reunion Tour and continues through to today. I was lucky enough to attend the first of the two scheduled rehearsal shows.
Although there were still a few kinks to be taken care of, they showed for the millionth time why they are one of the greatest live bands around.
The band was augmented by two back up singers, Curtis King and Cindy Mizelle of Bruce's Sessions Band. At several points I felt as though the E street Band was a combination of both bands, since Charlie Giordano, Soozie Tyrell and Patti Scialfa are also in the Sessions Band. Drummer Max Weinberg's son Jay will be filling in for Max when needed, so he got to perform on a few songs also.
The setlist included 7 songs from Bruce's new Working on a Dream CD, several older songs, and a few covers.
This first warm up show was better than the warm up show I saw at Convention Hall for the Magic Tour. The sound was very good, in a space that is known for terrible sound. The pacing of the show was also better. The Magic tour seemed to be one fast song after another, whereas the setlist for this show had more variety.
The highlights for me were I Ain't Got No Home which was performed with the back up singers up front with Bruce and Soozie, Charlie and Patti alongside them. The Woody Guthrie song, which Bruce covered years ago, sounded like an electric version of the Session's Band. The same can be said of Hard Times Come Again No More, a Stephen Crane song that got the Session's Band treatment.
The pacing, for the most part, was pretty solid. The only glaring issues were the length of time between a couple of the songs, a few botched vocals and a few miscues, which were pretty noticeable. However, this is a rehearsal show and that is to be expected.
One moment which I am sure will get tossed, was an audience sing along during This Life. It was pretty clumsy, and broke the rhythm of an otherwise good performance. The bands vocal arrangement on this song was very impressive, reminiscent of Pet Sounds era Beach Boys. Also, going from Long Walk Home into Surprise,Surprise and then into Badlands seemed very unconnected, despite loving all 3 of those songs. The final songs of the main set, Badlands and No Surrender were also too reminiscent of the end of the main set during the Magic and Rising Tours.
Drummer Max Weinberg's 18 (or is he 19) year old son Jay will be filling in for Max when he joins the Max Weinberg 7 on the Tonight Show. Jay played a 5 song stretch about midway through the main set. After which Bruce stated, "There will always be a Weinberg behind the drums at an E Street Band concert". Jay is very good, and seemed to be having the time of his life. Who wouldn't. He has a harder style than Max, which sounded great on Good Eye and Radio Nowhere. I am curios to see how he will be on some of the quieter songs. Max is known for being able to slip from one style to another effortlessly, not to mention a vast knowledge of classic songs and the drum part required.
During the encores, Bruce brought up local legend John Eddie for a cover of Mustang Sally. A little sloppy, but fun nonetheless. Since they covered the first verse twice, I assume no one really knew the words. But seeing the two of them together was a lot of fun.
The show closed with another cover song, Seven Nights to Rock. This was played almost regularly on the later part of the Rising tour.
Overall a very good show. Do improvements need to be made, of course. Traditionally the E Street Band hits their stride about 10 shows into their tours, then they get better night after night after night.
Looking forward to seeing them this summer.
Here's the setlist.
Outlaw Pete
My Lucky Day
Night
Out in the Street
Working on a Dream
Johnny 99
I Ain't Got No Home
Good Eye w/Jay Weinberg
Radio Nowhere w/Jay Weinberg
Candy's Room w/Jay Weinberg
Because the Night w/Jay Weinberg
Mary's Place w/Jay Weinberg
The Wrestler
This Life
Long Walk Home
Surprise, Surprise
Badlands
No Surrender
Hard Times
Mustang Sally w/John Eddie
Thunder Road
Born to Run w/Jay Weinberg
American Land w/Jay Weinberg
Seven Nights to Rock
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