Sunday, July 9, 2017

200 -- Bruce Springsteen -- Thursday, September 1, 2016 -- Nationals Park -- DC

Any day now could bring the birth of my son.  The due date is next Monday. That day happens to be the birthday of the performer responsible for this life event, the third most intense moment of my life.

Since college, I’ve been to a lot of concerts — and written a lot of concert reviews.  Now that I’m finally caught up on all band recaps (not a minute too soon!), I can honestly say that this 2016 Bruce Springsteen Nats Park show was in a league of its own — a genuine life event.

What made it so potent – what made Concert 200 different than the other 237, including 13 of Bruce Springsteen’s?  (1)  It rewrote the rulebook — multiple times.  (2)  Bruce performed the show for me — in his basement.

I should clarify: the concert was at Nats Park, not a Jersey cellar.  For the first time at a Bruce show, however, I was in the pit.  Paul Verbesey, Jen Verbesey, and Mike McDonald were as well.  The intimacy there was unreal.  It felt like the audience was me, E Street, and a few friends who happened to have 30,000 people behind us.  In that environment, everything went out the window.

First off, I was the casual Springsteen fan in the pit.  People knew more songs than me, knew lyrics cold, and had been to many more shows.  They were rock legends; I was Nickelback.  What this meant is everything got multiplied.  I reacted to the band and 100 people in the pit.  The pit reacted to the band and each other.  The band reacted to the pit and each other.  Ripples all over.  In theory, this dynamic is true at any concert, but the devotion made it different. It was the crowd at the first Rise Against show…to an exponent.  It was James Porter’s description of me at the Madison Square Garden show…feeding off 100 me’s.

Take all that, and add a WILD setlist.  This was my third show of the River Tour, so I assumed it was going another march through the mega album before some obvious hits at the end.  Instead, they barely went near The River.  They were too busy launching deep cut after deep cut at everyone in front of me.  It started with six different songs from six different albums, half of which I didn’t even know!  It didn’t matter that I didn’t know them; the legends surrounding me did.  I took in their energy; I gave what I could back; we both grew.

I’ll be honest: at times, it became too much.  I’ve never felt that at a concert before.  It was not “too much” in the sense of undue repetition -- it never made me numb.  It was literally hard to handle.  New, happy explosions came from all angles every other minute…for three hours and forty-five minutes!  It was trench warfare and nuclear bombs at the same time!  

At one point, to my shock, I became my cat.  One day when I was a kid, my cat Harry became overwhelmed with affection that he stopped purring and bit me in the nose.  Halfway through the show, it took me a few seconds to notice that I was nibbling on my forearm!  A 67-year-old man was able to simultaneously surf a crowd, chug a beer, and sing in tune.......while I’m reduced to nibbling on my forearm.  Lunacy.

This review is starting to become as long as a Springsteen show, so I’ll start to wrap up.  For any hardcore Bruce fans, song-specific live notes appear after the clips.  No need for casual fans to read these though – they’re only for pit people. ;)  I’ll end as I started my Bruce journey -- with “Badlands.”

The “Badlands” lyrics were first an anthem for me when I studied abroad in England.  I was thinking about coming out, yet state after state was passing ballot initiatives banning gay marriage. The lyrics continued to be relevant in 2017, when, to my shock, Badlands National Park retweeted my use of the song. (They were trying to promote science and resist Trump.) https://twitter.com/mcverb/status/824051847992344576 This night, though, the lyrics took on a new meaning – they were less about resistance than acceptance.  As the song built, the pit jumped higher and moved closer. When it finished, one person came to me for a high five.  Then another came. Then a third for a high clasp. 

Before the next song, I made sure to type the following thought in my phone, so I’d never forget it: “No further need to consult the Bible.  I now know what heaven looks and feels like.  Two high fives and one high clasp.”  

Grade: A+


Badlands : Bruce Springsteen from Olas Oasch on Vimeo.
   

P.S.  Here are the live notes – only for people likely to enter the lottery to get a wristband. ;)

--- I literally sprinted around Nats Park, desperate to make it on the lottery line in time.  I end up arriving at 4:01, seconds after they stopped distributing wristbands.  Oh, well, at least I’m first in the reject line.  Woo – I win the NIT! ;)  Being serious, though, I may not be in the absolute front, but I’m glad Paul, Jen, Mike, and I still made it to the pit.

--- It’s hours before the show starts.  Fortunately, I meet a number of cool people: the mother of my former student (Carly Samuels), an Irishman who flew in from Dublin (Colin and Caelin!), and a girl who gasps when I explain about this music blog (woo, appreciation!). 

--- “New York City Serenade” to start.  They show a picture of the sheet music and title.  I’ve never seen that before.  The crowd flips out at “she won't take the train” -- whoa, these people are hardcore.  Keep singggging.  Much deeper opener than “Meet Me in the City.”

--- “Ain't No Cure for these Summertime Blues,” “Sherry Darling,” “No Surrender,” “Growin' Up,” John Hammond's “Ain't no Saint in the City”!!!! Disarray.  

--- I've never had an opening like that: stopped taking notes for five songs.  My outgoing text to James, Katie, and Hark: “Jdkdkebendod rnekbriforkfitoritkrjtjrjrnrjrjrkrlrbrnkrkrnrktkrlrbrjjrkrkorjr.  Completely different Bruce River show at Nats Park right now.  Everything turned on its head. Ecstasy.”  



  --- I abandon all the effort to get my posters noticed.  For the first time ever, I made posters for the show.  It had been drama deciding what to right, how to bring it, and how to hold it during a half-day party.  I thought it would be worth all the drama, though.  If I ever got on stage, it would be something I could show my kids forever.  They’d never get to fully experience Bruce, but a video of me “Dancing in the Dark” would give them a great window into a live show.  Seven songs in, though, I stop caring.  There are legit fifty signs more creative than mine.  Some encrusted with jewels, and some have original artwork, so they deserve to be picked.  No stress – spread the love.       

--- Two separate ROFLs at everyone’s reactions during “Spirit in the Night.”  His beer chugs, falsetto, wheeee!!!!

--- “Does this Bus Stop at 82nd Street?” / “Lost in the Flood” / “Kitty’s Back” / “Incident on 57th Street”: such a deep catalog.  I need to devour all the old albums, like I did with The Beatles this summer.

--- Rosssssssssssssssssaaaaaaallllita!!!! Soooooo clossssssse, we're in their BASEMENT, unreal.

--- Cover of Jimmy Cliff’s “Trapped.”

--- The amazing spinning, motioning virtuoso flips out at “These Are Better Days.”  So happy for him, everyone.

--- “Promised Land” into “41 Shots”: that's America, folks.  Clever juxtaposition!!!

--- “Hungry Heart” incorporates a flower girl and Jake Clemons sings during "Out in the Street"!  Nils also sings during “Darlington County”!!



--- “Downbound Train.”  Hehe at the back-to-back-butt performance of “Working on the Highway.”    

--- “I'm On Fire”!!!  Unexpected -- my favorite vocal of the night.

--- “Because The Night” sounds so powerfulllllll. Lyrrrrrrics. I need to stop giving exclamation points!!!!

--- “Badlands”!!!!!  No further need to consult the Bible.  I now know what heaven looks and feels like: two high fives and one high clasp.  

--- New charity: Hero Dogs.  Of course DC Central Kitchen.

--- “Secret Garden” comes with a beautiful breeze.  Divine intervention. 

--- “Born to Run," “Seven Nights to Rock” (played in the round), and “Jungleland”: all incredible, especially "Jungleland."  What. A. Night.  


kennedy centre honours ( part 1 ) - bruce... by runawaydream

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