This Bruce ‘concert’ was not a traditional show featuring The E Street Band. It was a much-delayed (much-anticipated!) birthday party for perhaps the world’s biggest Springsteen fan, Paul Verbesey. No one could replace Bruce, but the cover band did a great job, as did Jenn Verbesey arranging the whole thing.
Here are my top moments:
— Arriving, finding that Danny Verbesey and Jonny Verbesey were there. Woo for last-minute Pittsburgh / Ohio State road trips. Glad I wore my Jets jacket.
— Kevin, upon seeing my jacket and River tour t-shirt underneath: “That has to be my all-time favorite outfit.”
— Finally meeting Adam, talking more with Julia than ever before
— Karen Ehlin telling me at the bar not to “give away who’s downstairs — Paul doesn’t know.” I literally stopped talking (and breathing) for ten seconds, assuming she meant the giant surprise was The Boss himself — that an hour from then I’d have the meeting of my life. The band ended up being more than enough, but lol at the misunderstanding.
— Hearing from Mike McDonald about his son’s first year at William and Mary. Remembering “Atlantic City” with him at the Meadowlands 14(!) years earlier.
— Hearing from numerous people I didn’t know about their favorite Bruce memories.
The decades-old shirts alone made me misty.
— Live streaming “Hungry Heart” for Aunt Mary – it’s her favorite Bruce song.
— Bonding with Danny, Jonny, and Julia about studying abroad, Three Identical Strangers, and rare people who are impossible to talk to. After three years apart (thanks, Covid), it was a super-satisfying cousin reunion.
— The delicious buffet at Hill Country and the staff’s determination to get me a doggy bag to take home to Danny Ibanez. I wish Danny could have been there, but the food and songs before and after made up for it.
— Watching Hark once again make seniors’ nights, dancing up a storm with them. That and the lights-on “Born To Run” brought me back to Williamsburg. Lucky Evelyn was not there to nearly ruin the lead-in. I’m amazed “Unchained Melody” and “Born To Run” survived.
— Gathering the (liquid) courage to join Debbie, Jenn, Suzanne, and the rest of the family on the dance floor. By the end, I was bopping along to every song. What a night.
Grade: A
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