Patti Scialfa - Paramount Theatre Asbury Park NJ 09/15/04

I have very mixed feelings about Patti Scialfa. Whereas I think there are moments during the E Street Band concerts when she is crucial (Empty Sky on the Rising Tour, Factory on the Reunion Tour), many times I feel she does not add anything critical to the band. There are many times during the E Street Band tours when she doesn't even perform. I think she would be best used as a guest performer during certain songs.
Having said that, I LOVE her solo work. She obviously is a good songwriter and I think her voice sounds great on her own recordings. So when she did a small tour in late 2004 I was excited at the chance to see her perform some of her solo work. I was lucky enough to see her do a couple of those songs at Bruce's Holiday Concerts and at the Come Together Concert in 1998.
Opening the show was Griffin House. Too many times I am not impressed with opening acts, but Griffin House was excellent. After about 2 songs, he had the crowd in the palm of his hands. He was accompanied by Paul Moak on guitar. He opened with Amsterdam and proceeded to perform many songs from his CD Lost and Found.
Patti took the stage shortly afterward and gave a great show. She had a great stage presence and had a genuine connection with the crowd. She reminisced about working on the Asbury boardwalk and growing up in the area. She performed many songs from her first 2 Cd's Rumble Doll and 23rd Street Lullaby.
Her band included fellow E Streeters Nils Lofgren and Soozie Tyrell and also the great Steve Jordan on drums. For the last 2 songs of the main set, Mr. Patti Scialfa, Bruce Springsteen, joined in on guitar and backing vocals.
Patti opened the show with Spanish Dancer accompanied by Nils on guitar. Her band, for having limited rehearsal time, I would imagine, were very tight. Nils also had a remarkable solo to end In My Imagination.
As it might be expected, the vocal arrangements stood out, and separated this from from the other band she performs in. Don't get me wrong, I love the E Street Band, but great harmonies do not come to mind when you talk about them. The addition of a cellist and Soozies violin added a wider range to the musical landscape that Patti covered.
Here is the setlist.

Spanish Dancer
Rumble Doll
23rd Street Lullaby
You Can't Go Back
Rose
In My Imagination
Yesterday's Child
Each Other's Medicine
State of Grace
Charm Light
Baby Don't
Stumbling To Bethlehem
Lucky Girl
As Long as I (Can Be With You) w/Bruce Springsteen
Love (Stand Up) w/Bruce Springsteen

Young in the City
City Boys
Valerie