"Show A Little Faith There's Magic In The Night"-Thunder Road
Folks I just want to add I am a Bruce Springsteen fanatic. I bought everything of his I could get my hands on when I was in high school. I studied his set lists the way folks study for the Bar Exam. I know what songs are standards what songs are rare treats and what songs are just rare. But in reading everything I ever did as I kid I knew one thing for certain. This could be the night Bruce played something he rarely plays. No two shows are ever identical.
Let's see what all I can remember about this magical night first off if this was in May of 2000 I would have just started my very first office job after being a retail dude my whole life up to this point. I had already failed at Community College several times I was ready to become a working class stiff and just work my ass off till i got to the top of whatever job I landed. More on how that turned out in a separate probably not so cheery blog. So back to this night. I didn't have vacation time left so I had to work up until like 5pm and then head from East Bakersfield to the Arrow Head Pond 142 miles away.
The tickets said the show started at 7:30 but Springsteen Shows never start on time. Nonetheless we had a journey ahead of us and nothing could go wrong. The traffic must not have been so bad. I'm pretty sure we got there about 8:30ish. Here's something I remember. Every parking lot was full. In a panic we spent the money and paid for VIP Parking but the dude after we paid was like 'lots full' and we were like 'do something and fix this we already paid and the show's about to start'. Dude turned around and said 'fuck it just park right here' and we pretty much parked on the curb right outside the arena. The music was just starting as we entered the Arena. Oh we is Jeri, JJ and myself. They both come up again later.
1.Take 'Em as They Come-We totally missed the first song. It was cool though this was not one of my favorite songs. It had just come into the set list the year before and I think only because it had resurfaced on the Tracks Box Set in 1998. I don't think any of us had ever been to the Pond heck i'm pretty sure it was only like the third time i'd even ever been to Anaheim.
2. The Promised Land-We made it to our seats in time to enjoy this bad ass Bruce live standard...Mr I aint a boy no I'm a man and I believe in the Promised Land!
3. Two Hearts-Watching Bruce and Miami Steve Van Zandt go back on forth on this song is simply amazing one of Rock N Rolls most iconic duos on the stage. How many classic pics have you seen of these two singing cheek to cheek. Aint nobody gonna stop me.
4. Darlington County-JJ and I have always been best buds and I would often change the name of the character in the song from Wayne to JJ "...Seen JJ hand cuffed to the bumper of a state troopers Ford.." I would sing in my version.
5. Rendezvous-Never been a huge fan of this song.
6. Factory-ehh
7. Independence Day-Oh I loved this song. I played it a thousand times on my Live 1975 to 1985 Boxed Set. This was a treat.
8. Youngstown-Nils Lofgren absolutely shred on a guitar solo that made the hair on my arms stand up. The night was starting to get real magical real quick man. Something amazing was going to happen tonight and this was the moment I knew it. That guitar solo man.
9. Murder Incorporated-The fire Nils guitar solo started in the previous song carried on into this scorcher.
10. Badlands-We live it every day and the broken heart is the price we've paid. True that Boss Man.
11. Out in the Street-The party was in full swing by the end of this song and we still hadn't really caught our breath since Youngstown only three songs ago
12. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out-As soon as this song started I knew I had at least 10 minutes to get to the bathroom. I rolled the dice that I wouldn't miss anything crazy and decided I needed to go pee and grab some beers.
13. Roll of the Dice-Out of the bathroom and en route to the beer stand I heard this song start and I was like wft he hasn't played this live in Forever! Well not exactly forever but since 1993. Love this fucking song man and I sang it at the top of my lungs while i stood in the beer line. In line I was told it was a two beer limit. I told the dude give me two beers then go get me two more and by the time you get back i'll have finished these two. He looked at my crazy turned and walked away and I started pounding beers. I was young and in my prime back then. I finished the second beer as he set the next two on the counter. I'll never forget there was a Mexican dude also working with him and he looked at me proudly as I walked away with those two beers. Like 'my man!.
Well I've been a losin' gambler
14. No Surrender-Got back to my seat about a minute into this one. This one was special tonight because like Bruce said in the live version from Live 75-85 'here's one for friendship'. I handed JJ and Jeri each a beer stood between them with my arms around them and we all sang along.
"...believing we could cut some place of our own with these drums and these guitars..."
15. Racing in the Street-I heard a note on the piano and thought to myself no, no, he's not gonna do it. This song had found it's way back into the set list of this reunion tour on the first leg of the tour. But this was the 28th night of this tour in 2000 and he had only done it 4 times over the course of those first 28 nights. This song to me at the time was about dudes racing cars. I'd never been much of a car dude but the guys I bonded with and hung out with in high school were all total gear heads. All they did was talk about cars. I ended up loving this song over the years because it always reminded me of them and that friendship we had. That first note was right on and they played Racing in The Street. Holy shit man! The crowd absolutely lost their shit when he sang '..i met her on the stripe three years ago in a Camero with this dude from L.A....' I looked at JJ and he just grinned. To this day Jeri says it was the gayest moment she'd ever seen in her life and was shocked we didn't start making out. Jeri always said sweet things like that about all her males friends. But especially about me and JJ.
16. Light of Day-We were still wiping the tears from our eyes and they tear into this scorcher!!
First Encore:
17. Stand on It-A barn burner and only played 12 times during the Reunion Tour
18. Bobby Jean-Jeri says and I believe her 100% that she read Bruce's lips when he turned to the band yeah we had shitty seats so we could see him when he turned around we were so high up. Anyways Jeri (who incidentally is named Bobby Jean in my cell phone contacts) saw Bruce turn and yell to the band "Bobby-Jean!" then turn back around and counted off 2-3-4!!!
We told each other that we were the wildest!!!
19. Born to Run-Tamps Like Us. Epic night was in full swing every light in the arena was on and everyone was on their feet. I wanna know if Love is real!!!
Encore 2:
20. Thunder Road-We're still out of breath Bruce and the band are catching their second wind but they are a kind back and take it easy on us. A sweet sing a long we can all sit down and enjoy while we gather our wits.
21. If I Should Fall Behind-More resting
22. Land of Hope and Dreams-Everyone up that salvation's down on the tracks
24. Ramrod-Never been a huge fan of this song but I also knew it marked the end of the show. I sat back and just enjoyed the happiness and the energy. I just took it all in and tried to bottle it somewhere in my heart.
There you have it folks that's the best I can remember it. Until next time
Folks I just want to add I am a Bruce Springsteen fanatic. I bought everything of his I could get my hands on when I was in high school. I studied his set lists the way folks study for the Bar Exam. I know what songs are standards what songs are rare treats and what songs are just rare. But in reading everything I ever did as I kid I knew one thing for certain. This could be the night Bruce played something he rarely plays. No two shows are ever identical.
Let's see what all I can remember about this magical night first off if this was in May of 2000 I would have just started my very first office job after being a retail dude my whole life up to this point. I had already failed at Community College several times I was ready to become a working class stiff and just work my ass off till i got to the top of whatever job I landed. More on how that turned out in a separate probably not so cheery blog. So back to this night. I didn't have vacation time left so I had to work up until like 5pm and then head from East Bakersfield to the Arrow Head Pond 142 miles away.
1.Take 'Em as They Come-We totally missed the first song. It was cool though this was not one of my favorite songs. It had just come into the set list the year before and I think only because it had resurfaced on the Tracks Box Set in 1998. I don't think any of us had ever been to the Pond heck i'm pretty sure it was only like the third time i'd even ever been to Anaheim.
2. The Promised Land-We made it to our seats in time to enjoy this bad ass Bruce live standard...Mr I aint a boy no I'm a man and I believe in the Promised Land!
3. Two Hearts-Watching Bruce and Miami Steve Van Zandt go back on forth on this song is simply amazing one of Rock N Rolls most iconic duos on the stage. How many classic pics have you seen of these two singing cheek to cheek. Aint nobody gonna stop me.
4. Darlington County-JJ and I have always been best buds and I would often change the name of the character in the song from Wayne to JJ "...Seen JJ hand cuffed to the bumper of a state troopers Ford.." I would sing in my version.
5. Rendezvous-Never been a huge fan of this song.
6. Factory-ehh
7. Independence Day-Oh I loved this song. I played it a thousand times on my Live 1975 to 1985 Boxed Set. This was a treat.
8. Youngstown-Nils Lofgren absolutely shred on a guitar solo that made the hair on my arms stand up. The night was starting to get real magical real quick man. Something amazing was going to happen tonight and this was the moment I knew it. That guitar solo man.
9. Murder Incorporated-The fire Nils guitar solo started in the previous song carried on into this scorcher.
10. Badlands-We live it every day and the broken heart is the price we've paid. True that Boss Man.
11. Out in the Street-The party was in full swing by the end of this song and we still hadn't really caught our breath since Youngstown only three songs ago
12. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out-As soon as this song started I knew I had at least 10 minutes to get to the bathroom. I rolled the dice that I wouldn't miss anything crazy and decided I needed to go pee and grab some beers.
13. Roll of the Dice-Out of the bathroom and en route to the beer stand I heard this song start and I was like wft he hasn't played this live in Forever! Well not exactly forever but since 1993. Love this fucking song man and I sang it at the top of my lungs while i stood in the beer line. In line I was told it was a two beer limit. I told the dude give me two beers then go get me two more and by the time you get back i'll have finished these two. He looked at my crazy turned and walked away and I started pounding beers. I was young and in my prime back then. I finished the second beer as he set the next two on the counter. I'll never forget there was a Mexican dude also working with him and he looked at me proudly as I walked away with those two beers. Like 'my man!.
Well I've been a losin' gambler
Just throwin' snake eyes
Love ain't got me downhearted
I know up around the corner lies
My fool's paradise
In just another roll of the dice
In just another roll of the dice
14. No Surrender-Got back to my seat about a minute into this one. This one was special tonight because like Bruce said in the live version from Live 75-85 'here's one for friendship'. I handed JJ and Jeri each a beer stood between them with my arms around them and we all sang along.
"...believing we could cut some place of our own with these drums and these guitars..."
15. Racing in the Street-I heard a note on the piano and thought to myself no, no, he's not gonna do it. This song had found it's way back into the set list of this reunion tour on the first leg of the tour. But this was the 28th night of this tour in 2000 and he had only done it 4 times over the course of those first 28 nights. This song to me at the time was about dudes racing cars. I'd never been much of a car dude but the guys I bonded with and hung out with in high school were all total gear heads. All they did was talk about cars. I ended up loving this song over the years because it always reminded me of them and that friendship we had. That first note was right on and they played Racing in The Street. Holy shit man! The crowd absolutely lost their shit when he sang '..i met her on the stripe three years ago in a Camero with this dude from L.A....' I looked at JJ and he just grinned. To this day Jeri says it was the gayest moment she'd ever seen in her life and was shocked we didn't start making out. Jeri always said sweet things like that about all her males friends. But especially about me and JJ.
16. Light of Day-We were still wiping the tears from our eyes and they tear into this scorcher!!
First Encore:
17. Stand on It-A barn burner and only played 12 times during the Reunion Tour
18. Bobby Jean-Jeri says and I believe her 100% that she read Bruce's lips when he turned to the band yeah we had shitty seats so we could see him when he turned around we were so high up. Anyways Jeri (who incidentally is named Bobby Jean in my cell phone contacts) saw Bruce turn and yell to the band "Bobby-Jean!" then turn back around and counted off 2-3-4!!!
We told each other that we were the wildest!!!
19. Born to Run-Tamps Like Us. Epic night was in full swing every light in the arena was on and everyone was on their feet. I wanna know if Love is real!!!
Encore 2:
20. Thunder Road-We're still out of breath Bruce and the band are catching their second wind but they are a kind back and take it easy on us. A sweet sing a long we can all sit down and enjoy while we gather our wits.
21. If I Should Fall Behind-More resting
22. Land of Hope and Dreams-Everyone up that salvation's down on the tracks
23. Gloria (Them cover)- I swear this segued into California Sun by The Rivieras but I can't find proof of it on the internet so my memory may have failed my here
24. Ramrod-Never been a huge fan of this song but I also knew it marked the end of the show. I sat back and just enjoyed the happiness and the energy. I just took it all in and tried to bottle it somewhere in my heart.
There you have it folks that's the best I can remember it. Until next time
Comments
Post a Comment