The Boss

Had the great opportunity to see "the Boss" Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band this past Saturday night in Greensboro, NC and was thoroughly entertained and inspired. I have no idea where the nickname comes from but after seeing the man who turns 60 this year rock a stage like a twenty year old on speed with the ability to rock a crowd that has not gone away for over 30 years now, I get it....HE IS THE BOSS!!!!
The show began with a rip roaring badlands and was followed by song after song with not a dull moment or a chance to get your breath. I have been to many arena shows in my lifetime but have not heard one nearly as loud as the Boss gets it as he is one of the four bands ever to shake Madison Square Garden while playing a live show. Usually one song would go into another song with no breaks in between but when there was a break in between the interaction with the fans was amazing. At one point he took signs from the audience to the stage while saying that the fans always try to stump them with hard songs as on each of the signs was a request for a song for the band to play. He picked the first sign which was the song entitled "7th son" a real old old song with no relation to Springsteen and the band played it perfectly the first time. Then he took another sign this time "hang on sloopy" and asked Stevie Van Sandt what key, hummed the melody asked if the band was ready, got a note played response, asked if the crowd was ready then slammed into a song they never played and did it with energy and perfection. I have never seen anything like that. Later in the show he let a girl all of 10 years old sing his songs while the band played and the crowd cheered and then let the crowd strum his guitar while he adjusted the chords during Born to Run. This is probably why many bands such as the great David Bowie, Pearl Jam, and Lou Reed have said that seeing Bruce live way back when let them know what a live show is supposed to be about the man is 60 and ran around like a teenager.
Then before the encore he advocated for the North Carolina food banks and when the crowd was dull with thier response he advocated some more until he got his point across followed by some advocacy against the death penalty which is a touchy subject down these parts. I was also shown a picture of Bruce close up by one of the security seating people on his cellphone. He said that Bruce took the time to meet every employee of the Greensboro Colesium before the show began. This is a blue collar hard working now rock star legend who never forgot where he came from and is humble and gracious enough to give back what he can.
This was my second time seeing Springsteen. My first was with the Seeger Sessions Band which was a 19 peice folk band that played classic folks ballads. That show was one of my favorites that I had ever been to just because Bruce is a performer, an entertainer and truely is the Boss. I didnt know one song of his the first time I saw him and I only knew a handful of songs the other night, my first time with the E Street Band, but I learned that whether or not I knew a song, the Boss told me at the beginning of the show that he would rock my soul with his music and he truely did. I left that show in awe of the history, the energy, the rockstar, the band, the man, and his message. Once again one of the best shows I have ever seen. Probably the greatest live performer I have ever seen. I advise anyone who hasnt to see the BOSS as he truely delivers and never disappoints thats why he is THE BOSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!