Springsteen doesn't have an opening band. Why? Because Bruce knows his fans, many of whom are hard-working people who have to save up to buy these ridiculously priced concert tickets. And if people have to fork over a lot of money to see him in concert, he's gonna give them their money's worth--a 3 hour non-stop rock & roll revival (at its best), with no need for a warm-up band.
A few highlights of last night's concert: Outlaw Pete, off the new album, was haunting and memorable. No Atlantic City, despite my wishes, and Chris wanted to hear Thunder Road, but how could I complain. The show was great.
But my favorite surprise of the night was to hear the first Springsteen song that sticks in my memory as a kid. I was 10 years old when it was released and I remember playing it over and over (on a cassette tape) in our big brown & taupe striped van. The album was We are the World. Don't laugh, it was awesome. And you probably loved it too. My favorite song on that album was Trapped and I heard it live last night like it was the first time, all over again.
8/22/09 Set List:
1. Jackson Cage (w/Max) - (from The River)
2. She's The One - (from Born to Run)
3. Working On The Highway
4. Hungry Heart
5. Outlaw Pete (from the new album)
6. Badlands
7. Working On A Dream (from the new album)
8. Seeds
9. Johnny 99
10. Point Blank - (in an almost Samba-style...odd)
[Collecting song suggestion signs from the audience]
11. Raise Your Hand
12. Burning Love
13. For You (another surprise - this song tears me up)
14, Trapped (awesome).
15. Waitin' On A Sunny Day
16. The Promised Land
17. If I Should Fall Behind (A request from Don, from the audience, who says it's his
124th show) - (beautiful)
18. Backstreets
19. Lonesome Day
20. The Rising
21. Born To Run
22. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
23. Detroit Medley (w/Jay) - (a lot of fun, but I would've loved for him to have kept Thunder Road here, like the previous night's setlist)
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24. Hard Times (an old spiritual)
25. American Land
26. Dancing In The Dark
27. Born In The USA
28. Twist & Shout (shake 'em if you got 'em)
