Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Featuring the E Street Horns,
with The B Street Band on the Promenade
Prudential Center, Newark, NJ, May2, 2012

By Phil Rainone

A rather drizzly, gloomy day was heated up, as sunny rays of music like, “Darlington County,” “Trapped,” and other Springsteen live staples from over the years were heard from almost two blocks any as we made our way from Penn Station. We weren’t late for the show (we were there about three hours before), but it was one of Jersey’s best Springsteen cover bands, The B Street Band, who were performing outside on a stage, at The Prudential Center (home of the NJ Devils). We’ve seen The B Street Band many times over the years but when they, “open” for Springsteen (Bruce hasn’t had an official opening band in decades), like they did in Philly at the Spectrum last tour, they always rise to the occasion. Not only do they bring their A game, but they also amp us up right along with them!

Besides playing for almost two hours, they also swiped a page form Bruce’s live show. About halfway through their set, they brought three kids (about 8 years old), on stage to help sing “Born in the USA.” With a homemade drawing with the words, “Born in the USA,” which the kids drew, they delighted the audience with their voices, as Glen the lead singer, and brought them front and center, and he lowered the mic stand so they could be heard. It wasn’t shtick; it was more like it was heartfelt, and cool.


The B Street Band


Walking onto the stage at about 8:30 pm to an cool, 60’s western instrumental (I couldn’t think of the name of the song), Bruce and The E Street Band started off with what would turn out to be a three hour music marathon with Bruce amping up an already raucous crowd by saying, “Are you ready to be transformed?!”

Time-warping us back to 1984, when “Born in the USA” hit the charts, “No Surrender” blasted off like with the power of a Force 5 Hurricane!! From there, they launched into two back to back numbers from their new album, Wrecking Ball. The one-two punch of “We Take Care of Our Own,” followed by the title cut “Wrecking Ball,” which after about a dozen shows (most of the E Street Band didn’t play on the new album),already sounded like classic warhorses that fit perfectly into their set. I had gone to one of the shows at The Garden, about a month ago and the band was really good, but all though their set on this night, the band seemed more determined, looser, and having a blast. - With us right along with them, especially when the band launched into “Badlands.” As thousands of us sang in unison (“woo-woo-woo-woo woo!!”), you could feel the arena sway and swing!
The band focused more on their last four albums, playing about half of “Wrecking Ball.” As they regrouped for “Death to My Hometown,” the five piece E Street Horns, including trumpet player Ed Marion from The Asbury Jukes, and Clarence Clemons nephew Jake on sax, they started off with the song’s death-march cadence, that soon turned into a Ray Charles/New Orleans upbeat funeral procession, with Bruce as the ring master, singing about how the “Robber barons, and thieves,”(I'm sure the point, like many of Bruce’s songs, was made on Governor Christie when he attended one of their first shows this tour.

“My City in Ruins” followed as Bruce set up the song about loss and faith by saying, “Here’s a story about things that leave, and things that are lost, and things that stay forever. So let’s get started…” What makes songs like this so special to me is, the band digs deep into the heart and soul of a song like this, and even though you feel the pain, and the betrayal, they always leave you on higher ground with faith and hope.
As the band set up for the next round of songs, Bruce jokingly mentioned that Patti (she really is an integral part of the band with her unique voice, and stage presence), “Was home with the kids, trying to keep them out of their drug stash,” which got a big round of applause, and cheers.

Digging deep into their catalog, they dusted off “It’s hard to be a Saint in the City,” to rousing cheers! After over four decades and counting, Bruce’s devilish word-play of being an outsider in the big city, still sounded vibrant and fresh, thanks to the E Street Band’s faithful but explorative rendition. The guitar duel between Nils, Steve, and Bruce towards the end of the song was electrifying. They never cease to amaze me.

The four of us (Gary Diane, Carol, and myself), are pretty ardent Springsteen fans, going back to his first release for Columbia Records back in 1973-not the kind that have seen hundreds of shows, but the kind you can count pretty much count the shows on two hands (Diane still has her “Bruce Juice” orange juice container from back in the day when 102.7 WNEW gave it away as a promotion). Before and after the show, we compared notes, and were all just…amazed! I think Gary said it best after a deliriously fun, three hour music marathon: “It seemed like Bruce and band didn’t want to stop playing.”- And we were right there with them!


One of Bruce's guest stars

I also ran into a couple of friends who are diehard Springsteen fans (close to 100 shows, I believe), Rick and Angel from where else- JERSEY! Also, speaking of fans, I sat next to Carla and her family (her husband Rob said she was way over three digits in show attendance), to my left, and I guess as they say, ‘opposites attract,” because a guy (I didn’t get his name), to my right was texting for pretty much the whole show (never got out of his seat all through, except to leave, and he was Still texting-unbelievable)!

On “Jack of All Trades,” Nils amped up the studio version with one of his wicked slide leads. Featuring Charles on accordion, Roy on piano, Swoozie of violin, Jake on sax (he also sings, and is a multi-instrumentalist), the back-up singers, percussionist, and Max’s light, but domineering touch on drums, Steve’s guiding guitar cadence, Bruce’s honest, locked-down vocals, and the E Street Horns revved up the death waltz dance toward the end. No matter what type of configuration, time and time again this is one of the most unique, fun, bands around! They possess that endless mojo. Amazing!

Slamming right into “She’s the One,” which was one of four songs they played (their set list usually changes about six songs per show, plus surprises-wait until you hear what they did for one of their encores), from Born to Run. With the Bo Diddley Beat serpentine though-out the song, the band jammed-out on a solid joyous, brass-fueled rocker of a love song!

For “Waiting on a Sunny Day,” Bruce took a page out of The B Street Band’s notebook-no, wait it’s the other way around! I get sooo confused! It’s not easy having this much fun!! About halfway through the bright, upbeat sing-along, he pulled a boy about 10 years old up out of the audience onto the side. For about four minutes as Bruce kneeled next to him holding the mic, the kid had the crowd in the palm of his hand. He aced the chorus, took a few bows with Bruce, than Bruce gently eased him back to his family, to a stadium full of cheering, frenzied fans.-Gee-wiz, you’d think you were at a Devils game, or somethin’!


Gary, Diane, and Carol

They pulled out “Talk to Me,” which was turned into a jamin’ barnburner (I still think Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes studio version is awesome), with the E Street Horns parading around the stage like a demented Mardi Gras band, as the rest of the band belted out the songs soulful, upbeat rhythm and blues/Stax/Muscle Sholes-worthy cadence. I was looking around the place (not a bad seat in the house), with the house light up, and I’m seeing everyone on their feet (except the guy next to me STILL texting), shaking their collective tail-feathers, swingin’ and swaying to the beat! Carla, the rabid Springsteen fanatic that I had mentioned before was just… going nuts! Four of the seats in front of us were vacant for most of the show, so she jumped down there, and proceed to hold her own one-woman marching band.-She’s definitely a hardcore Springsteen fan!

Like their first show on this tour they did a Soul Medley like they did at The Apollo, in NYC. Starting out as an acappella number, “The Way You Do the Things You Do,” quickly morphed into a full band jam that raised the roof on the joint. Coupling it with Wilson Pickett’s (The Wicket Mister Pickett),”634-5789” they brought us righteously to church- first pew- with their voices raised to the heaven’s, the chorus climbing higher, and higher, and higher, and you’re right there with them singing the tag line, “634-5789!! 634-5789!!! 634-5789!!!” until it felt like you were almost having an out of body experience! Than they nailed the ending down. It was like a gigantic wave hitting the beach and clearing everything away in its path! The tension-and-release of the song was mind blowing!

During the song, Bruce sang his way down a walkway to the middle of the crowd at floor level. Like pervious shows this tour, he grabbed a beer (actually three), from a couple of fans, drinking about half, and the other half pouring down the front of his shirt.-So cool! Then the band picks up the beat and sings the chorus as Bruce crowd surfed back to the stage, arms and legs spread, and you could tell by the way the crowd handled him, NO ONE wanted to be the person to let Bruce fall into the crowd.- It was hilarious!!

By the time Bruce scrambled back on stage the band had seemed to reach the songs zenith. But when he got back to the microphone stand, and slide the mic in, It’s was absolutely PARTY TIME!! The place went nuts as Bruce and the band kicked down the doors, and took no prisoners, giving the song a hot, revved-up R&B ending, Fun! Fun! Fun!


Diehard Bruce fans Angel and Rick

“The Rising” and “Lonesome Day” brought things to a more sober level, as Nils and Steve once again traded slow-burning guitar licks. Actually, you needed the break because, looking around at the crowd, they looked like they needed a short breather (me too). But at a Springsteen show, sweaty, tired, an exuberant is like a badge of honor. “
Land of Hope and Dreams” which is one of my favorite newer songs (they had been including it on and off in their set list for the past few years, and did a studio version for “Wrecking Ball,” adding Clarence’s soulful sax), has taken on a new life. Starting off with a slow, instrumental intro, it was turned into a full-blown rocker by this capable 14 piece version of The E Street Band by the end of the song. They added a few lines from The Impressions “People Get Ready” at the end (Patti’s soulful/angelic vocals are missed), and you’re right there along with them, like you’re singing in the choir!

After taking a full-band bow, and barely two minutes to get a sip of water, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street band were back on stage, and they burst into “Born to Run” like a band with something to prove, rather than playing a song that could have been like having an albatross around your neck, that’s almost 40 years old. - Max like the rest of the band was pumped! “Rosalita” was a cool surprise, just like back in the day when, with only two studio albums (“Greetings… and “The Wild, The Innocent…), under their belt, it was one of their closing numbers. Like I said before, and I’ll say it again- IT WAS AMAZING! If I could cherry-pick a song for an encore, it would be “Rosalita.” Besides showcasing all of the E Street’s talent, it sends me right over the moon!

On “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out, when they got to the line where Bruce sings, “And the big man joined the band…” The entire band stops dead in their tracks as Bruce, both joyously and in deep respect for Clarence’s loss, repeatedly says, “Do I have to say his name?” The whole arena bursts out in a loud, almost deafening cheer for another member of the band that is gone but not forgotten. “Tenth Avenue Freeze out” was turned into a tribute to Clarence, with a short video spanning his career. Note: Jake Clemons, Clarence’s nephew, aced the sax solo, and all of Clarence’s other solos. In just a short time, like Charles who replaced Danny Federici a few years ago after Danny passed away form Melanoma, he’s become an integral part of The E Street Band.
During the song, I saw Steve go over to the side of the stage when Bruce’s Mom and family were sitting. From about five rows back the fans start handing down a poster to Steve. He brings it on stage and at first behind Bruce’s back. Steve holds it opens it up for everyone but Bruce to see and black magic maker are the words, “The Boss’ Boss.” Underneath is a full color picture of- BRUCE’s MOM! With everyone in on the joke but Bruce for the moment, Steve folds it and brings it front and center, and turns to Bruce so he can see it. Bruce practically rolls around on the stage floor, holding his stomach, with huge grin of his face, doubled over laughing!!



Just When You Think You’ve Seen And Heard It All…

As the band starts to leave the stage, waving to the crowd, for what seems like the last encore, Bruce goes to the end of the stage and takes a sign from one of the fans and says into the mic, “You’ve been holding that up all night.”- He opens it up for everyone to see, except the band, which has now, pretty much left the stage. It said, “Play One For Levon.”

The video screens light up displaying the sign for all of us to see, than Bruce, with his guitar slung around his back, with the neck hanging down, walks over to the mic and starts talking about Levon Helm (he passed away a week before the show), and how he, and The Band were influential to him and hundreds of other bands, and how good a person he was. We all thought that was a nice gesture, and then Bruce would leave the stage with the band already in the shadows. But this is a Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band show! - You NEVER know what to expect!

Bruce grabs the neck of his guitar, brings it upright to play, and starts strumming it as he talks. You can see the rest of band stop in their tracks in the shadows (it all happened within about three minutes), and start to come back to the stage slowly, grabbing their instruments and regrouping, not really knowing what’s going on, only knowing that Bruce is getting ready to sing. He’s taking about The Band’s huge body of work, and Levon’s earthy, soulful vocals. Bruce starts sings, “Pulled into Nazareth, I was feelin’ bout half-past dead…” As he finishes the line, he raises his right leg slightly, and strikes the stage with heel of his boot. As he gets ready for the next line, he and the rest of the lock into one of The Band’s best known songs, “The Weight.” Now, I’m not a musician by any means, but I’m guessing as far as the lyrics to the song which can be wordy and somewhat lengthy, they may have bring the words up on Bruce’s floor monitor as a guide. As far as the song itself, the whole band chimed in like it had been in their set list for quite a while, even though I’m sure, that they probably haven’t played it in years.

By the time they get to the chorus, we’re all singing along, as Bruce and the band have the song down pretty much body and soul. - Than you start to hear something else in the song. It’s Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band’s mojo. That ‘special something’ that, on any given night, any band might possess, might share with their audience, and the audience gives back. “The Weight” almost becomes an entirely new song, but the original version is still weaved throughout.-Amazing!

Like my Boss Jim Testa says: “Bruce has found a way to invent his own brand of rock ‘n’ roll.” Amen to That!