Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Sunday November 22
HSBC Arena (Buffalo, N.Y.)
5/5 Stars
Immersed in the magic of the moment, this night was bound to be special.
“Growin’ Up,” a track off of Bruce Springsteen’s debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., was no regular version of the song.
Firstly, it was a live performance, and the Boss is known for his live shows. Secondly, it included a wonderful story of how he met larger-than-life figure and saxophonist, Clarence “Big Man” Clemons.
This was no ordinary concert either.
Springsteen and his legendary E Street Band were playing the last show on their Working on a Dream Tour, leaving many long-time fans wondering if this could be it for Springsteen and his well-documented history with the band.
But as he would later reassure, they would only be gone “for a little while.”
The show began with a new song titled “Wrecking Ball,” which has been interpreted by some as a statement of the band’s longevity.
It didn’t matter that barely a soul in the arena knew the words, Springsteen already had control of the crowd the second he said, “Good evening Buffalo,” to which the audience graciously replied “Bruuuuuce.”
From there he kicked it into high gear with “The Ties that Bind,” a song that did not receive much play this tour.
In concert Springsteen is notorious for mixing up his set lists, meaning you will never hear the same show twice.
After some crowd surfing, Springsteen introduced Greetings, an album which he and the band were set to perform in its entirety “for one time only” at the Buffalo show.
“We were trying to think of things we could do to make our last leg special, for our fans and for us, so we’ve started to play (whole) albums,” explained Springsteen.
And what a treat it was.
From the opening chords of “Blinded by the Light” to the earth-shaking “Spirit in the Night,” every one of the album’s tracks seemed to suit Springsteen’s voice so well, it felt as if you were being transported back to 1973.
It was also guitarist Steve Van Zandt’s birthday. After doing Van Zandt’s favourite, but never-before-played, “Restless Nights,” Springsteen led the audience in a singing of “Happy Birthday.”
The night was not only a birthday celebration but a flat out party. During the request portion of the show, Springsteen broke out a slew of covers that the band has put its own stamp on over the years — “Merry Christmas Baby,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and “Boom Boom.”
After playing concert-staple “Born to Run,” Springsteen closed the main set with “Tenth Avenue Freeze-out,” a self-described “story of the band.”
Then came the encores. Beginning with the magic track “I’ll Work For Your Love,” Springsteen was sending a message to his fans. He would later pick up and display an audience made “Thank You” sign, reciprocating the appreciation of this 35-year ride.
Eventually bursting into a feverous cover of John Fogerty’s “Rockin’ All Over the World,” the tour finale ended on a joyous note.
Realizing it was finally over, I stood in awe of what I had witnessed. This was not a rock concert, but a 3.5-hour transcendental experience.
Springsteen and his E Street don’t want to hang up their rock ’n’ roll shoes just yet, and it’s a good thing, because nobody else can take you higher.