LIVE REVIEW: Bruce Springsteen

Springsteen and Steve Van Zandt perform at the St. Pete Times Forum Tuesday night. [CHRIS ZUPPA | Times]

TAMPA –- Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band just don't lose fights to Father Time. For four decades, it’s always been a mismatch. From epic concerts that rumbled on with disregard for deadlines to thunderous anthems about thumbing your nose at destiny, the Jersey-born brotherhood is inherently built to push, and punish, the boundaries of the clock.

But last week, Father Time -- with his tin ear for the youthful urges of rock ’n’ roll -- landed a suckerpunch, as longtime E Street stalwart Danny Federici, 58, died from melanoma. As well as being the group’s organist, keyboardist and accordion whiz, Federici had been friends with Springsteen for 40 years. Bruce called his pal “the Phantom,” quiet, crafty, cunning.

On Tuesday, at the St. Pete Times Forum, the Boss and his band, who postponed three Florida dates to deal with the loss, staged their first show since Federici’s death. (The Tampa night was originally scheduled for Monday.)

But if you thought the Blue-Collar Bard would respond with a long, sad see-ya-later  – no way, not a chance. For more than two-and-a-half hours, they rocked and remembered in front of 16,332 faithful fans fully aware of the emotional undercurrent.

With house and stage lights dark, the band took the stage, familiar shadows walking to the well-worn spots they've worked for years. "This night is a special one," said the somber voice of the Boss. "So we'd like to start with something for Danny."

With that, a video tribute unspooled onscreen, as a recorded version of gentle acoustic homage "Blood Brothers" played. With a spotlight illuminating Danny's workplace, the band then launched into a crescendoing, cathartic "Backstreets," with its notable refrain of "You swore we'd live forever."

That's the way this memorable night went, the wistful giving way to the robust. Springsteen referenced Federici several times, including "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)," which was always Federici's time to shine on the accordion. On this night, piano man Roy Bittan took the squeezebox, as a bemused Springsteen noted, "Somebody's watching." That was followed by what Springsteen called "another fairy tale," the jubilant "Growin' Up."

For all the emotion, the night's most memorable songs were the roof-raisers, the throwdowns, songs in which your pounding fist acted almost independently: "Radio Nowhere" and "Gypsy Biker," from 2007 album "Magic." "Because the Night," with its downright fiendish guitar solo from Nils Lofgren. The tent-revival fun of "She's the One." The defiant blasts of "No Surrender" and "Long Walk Home."

Springsteen, always eager to ruffle the lapels of the proverbial powers-that-be, kept the speechifying to a minium. But after a quick tsk-tsk to the Bush administration, he threaded a series of songs about the shaky state of the union: "Livin' in the Future," "The Promised Land," "Waitin' on a Sunny Day."

The set built to a resounding, resilient wallop, especially fan fave "Badlands," in which the Big Man, Clarence Clemons, hobbled to the forefront and blew a big, fat sax solo that jolted the joint. That was followed by the chiming joy of "Out in the Street" with its chorus of guttural wahoos.   

"This one's for Dan," Springsteen said at the start of the encore, as the band roots-rocked an acoustic cover of 1929 gospel hymn "I'll Fly Away" ("Some bright morning when this life is over, I'll fly away.")

As part of this tour, Springsteen has been reaching into the crowd each night and grabbing random signs with song requests. Tampa just about blew its top for tonight's winner: "Rosalita." The rambling, rollicking song, considered by many the queen in the canon, showcased a band still intent on raging into the night. And, well, they did. "Rosalita" eventually morphed into "Born to Run," for which the house lights exploded for an all-together-now singalong. And that turned into "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out." And they just kept playing, hard, fast, ferocious, as if they had all the time in the world.    

Comments

[Marissa]

Well, hot damn. This must have been an inspiring show. I didn't expect to see the review for this on the blog until tomorrow.
I've never seen Springsteen in concert, but I've been told even if you're not a fan when you go, you'll very well walk away on the verge of fandom if not fanatic.

[jillabuster]

Good review, thanks Sean. I don't know how you wrote it because I just got home from the show and am wiped out from all the emotions (and dancing -- Rosalita!) This was my third show on this tour, 25th since 1981, and it was like no other I've seen as far as set list and tone.

The set list was a tour down memory lane, and it seemed like the band was taking that walk with their friend Dan one last time. The pace went from a soft mourning to a rabid rage to primal scream. Grief and release. (Just the guitar work alone from Bruce, Nils and Little Steven was unworldly-- and did I say, raging?), Bruce was rocking, but he was so very obviously mourning as well and it seemed he drew strength from the crowd as the night went on. Unforgettable. Just Like Danny Federici. RIP.

[leeniesmiles]

I saw my first Springsteen concert when I was 17, Born in the USA tour...now I'm 40 and this was my fourth, he/they NEVER disappoints. The music brings you back to another time. His music speaks to my soul. I also love watching my fellow fans...grown men and women, with graying hair who I imagine work as lawyers, accountants, school teachers by day...and they completely let go and dance like crazy for almost 3 hours. A boy of about ten sat close to me and my husband and he too danced wildly in the aisle the entire time...I never stopped smiling. Thank you Bruce and the E Street Band...come back soon.

[Russ]

WOW!!! Is all I need to say.. I have been a fan since 1978 and have seen the band lots of times.. the energy and dang Bruce there is no doubt you are and always will be the Boss.. best show ever.. God Speed Danny .. Still makes you feel like your part of the band and he is still as humble as ever.. Thank you ..

[Jeff in Cuba]

SD,

Nicely evocative piece; part of me feels like I was there and the other part is furious that I wasn't.

In my travels, I've discovered that you never really know what parts of American culture are going to catch on with the rest of the world. (The Hokey-Pokey? Huge in sub-Saharan Africa.)

But the Boss enjoys nigh-on universal appeal. You can tell because every country seems to have its own "Springsteen".

Jimmy Barnes (the Australian Springsteen).

Ricky Ross (the Scottish Springsteen).

And then there's me. Standing on an overturned rowboat late one night at a beach on Spain's Costa del Sol, belting out "Born in the USA" to a few dozen Spanish college students far too drunk to know or care who I was.

The Beer-Goggle Springsteen.

[Bongo Joe]

Great piece of writing Sean...

Joe

[kmcg]

Several of us expected they would honor their old partner by rocking the house and they came out in a sprint. What? Five, six bangers before a breather?

At one point I said to a friend that we'd heard maybe a dozen songs and only two were from Magic . . . Could be an epic night.

One thing, though: The crowd was off its game. (Too old?) The singalong moments (Rosalita, Long Walk Home, even Tenth Avene Freezeout) were disappointing.

[Tom T]

Great review. I was there and all I can say to the sermon is AMEN. We'll miss you Danny.

[Lisa]

This should be an example to those so-called rock stars today who lip synch. This man goes three hours plus and jumps around and gives an exciting show. Not a bunch of dancers running around to detract from the fact the "lead singer" is lip synching.

I will be at the Harley fest in Milwaukee. I do not have tickets but will listen from outside.

BRUCE!

[Jay N.]

I've been attending Springsteen shows since 1976 and last night's was among the best. Emotional, exhilarating & cathartic for both the performers and crowd. The boss paid a fitting tribute to one of his fallen "Blood Brothers".

[NickWithAnAxe]

Fantastic review, my man. They played a nice mix of tunes.

You made me feel like I was there. Only I wasn't. I was here...in PA...being further inundated with primary coverage. But hey - at least the constant barrage of ads are going to stop.

[crow's buddy]

You really brought the concert home for us fans that couldn't attend, much like your description of Jacob's Ladder at the N.O. jazz fest last year.

[Bassnote]

Great review. It made me wish I had been there to mourn and celebrate with everyone. Killer setlist.

[Guy]

This is the classic example of a Springsteen show that transcends the setlist. No real rarities (other than I'll Fly Away) - heck, even Rosalita has made multiple appearances lately. That the vibe in the arena and emotional investment of the band in their performance would have told an entirely different story illustrates yet again the difficulty of judging a Springsteen concert by its setlist alone.

[LA]

Really great review.
Amazing band, and some seriously wonderful writing.

[Marissa]

Here's one that Castro could sing to the groupies in the mock pit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzL-wzCxfD8

[Mrs. Bassnote]

Sean,
Thanks for the great review. I've seen Bruce many, many times over the years but this show was one that I really wanted to see. I knew it would be powerful, touching and absolutely rocking. Emotion is the key that brings a Bruce show so far above any other show. I'm sure that night that the emotion from the performers and audience was at an all time high.
RIP Danny, we'll miss you greatly!
Mrs, Bassnote (Laura) aka Born2r1

[Sean Daly]

Thanks, LA. Always nice to get kudos from my West Coast pal.

And thank you, Mrs. Bassnote. As my Boss-obsessed buddy Tom French said, that show was "one for the ages."

[Lizzy]

I'm still absolutely BLOWN AWAY.