Friday, April 17, 2009
It was the battle of the B’s last night in Los Angeles-Bruce vs. Britney. They were both performing right down the street from one another-2 completely different crowds, 2 distinct styles of music. I opted for the classic-Springsteen. No offense Brit, you know I dig your style.
The energy inside the Los Angeles Sports Arena was frenetic and palpable, from Springsteen, the band, and the crowd. Drummer Max Weinberg gripped the congregation with his beatdown during, “Candy’s Room,” and even had his son Jay, take over his set during part of the show for “Lonesome Day,” “The Rising,” and “Born to Run.” Steven Van Zandt couldn’t get enough of the audience and didn’t even mind when Bruce, clad in his typical Americana gear of dark jeans, black T-Shirt, and black vest, playfully splashed him with a bottle of water. Patti Scialfa was noticeably absent from the festivities, but her sister, Suzie, did a fine job in her place.
Mike Ness of Social Distortion jumped on to the stage and rocked the house to his own “Bad Luck” with Bruce and company, with each taking turns singing lead on the song. During “Hungry Heart” Bruce lept upon the runway platform and provoked the audience into sheer elation. Ever the entertainer, Springsteen titillated his admirers when he used his own micstand as a pole for his stripper routine!
The throngs of people were a buzz, making declarations like, “This is the best Bruce Show ever!” and “I have never seen him play like this!” He even took requests from the showgoers in the form of homemade signs, hence the playing of “Proud Mary,” which made the people go absolutely nuts. And of course, he passionately executed the classics like “Thunder Road,” “Backstreets,” and he concluded the extravaganza with the a massive sing along to “Glory Days.”
The humanitarian side of Springsteen was also on display as he urged his followers to make donations to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to help feed the hungry. As he chanted, “I am living a dream,” he demonstrated to his fans that this night was akin to “building a music house of spirit, power, and knowledge.” This was defintely his house and his night.
