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Scheduled: 19:30 Local Start Time ??:?? / End Time ??:??Final show of The Rising Tour. "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" includes a snippet of "Stagger Lee" in the intro. Tour and E Street premiere with "I Wish I Were Blind". Also in the set: "Back In Your Arms" and "Quarter To Three" with Gary U.S. Bonds, as well as his wife Laurie Anderson and daughter Laurie Tobias, Garland Jeffreys, Willie Nile, and Jon Landau. Bob Dylan guests for "Highway 61 Revisited"; while Nile and Landau guest on "Dancing In The Dark". Bonds, Jeffreys, Nile, Landau, Brendan O'Brien, and Don Ienner all play on "Twist And Shout" (which includes "La Bamba"). Thirty song set is the longest of the tour. "Mary's Place" includes "The Monkey Time" and "Baby I've Been Missing You". "Blood Brothers" closes the tour, just as it did in 2000. With their performances at this show, eight songs were played at every show on the Rising Tour: "The Rising", "Lonesome Day", "Empty Sky", "Waitin' On A Sunny Day", "Badlands", "Mary's Place", "Born To Run", and "My City Of Ruins" (though "Badlands" and "My City Of Ruins" were skipped at the first two and the third full rehearsal shows, respectively).
- Laurie Anderson (Guest)
- Gary U.S. Bonds (Guest)
- Bob Dylan (Guest)
- Don Ienner (Guest)
- Garland Jeffreys (Guest)
- Jon Landau (Guest)
- Willie Nile (Guest)
- Brendan O'Brien (Guest)
- Laurie Tobias (Guest)
incl. Rehearsals.
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Audience tape and video. Released as 'Shea', 'Flushing' and another 'Shea' (Juan Samuez), which is far superior (and a different source tape) to all the others. Available on DVD 'The Last Dance' which is a two-cam mix.
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Intro to “Empty Sky”
´´Alright, good evening….welcome, welcome to Shea on this, it stopped raining, though (chuckles) hope it stays off….”
Intro to “Waitin’ On a Sunny Day”
´´Alright, welcome to the last dance….I’m getting a little misty right about now….Steve, cheer me up, will you ?….”
Middle of “Mary’s Place”
´´Are you ready ?….are you ready ?….are you ready….are you ready….are you ready for a house party ? (cheers) are you ready for a Jersey house party by way of Long Island, New York City, Queens (?) ? (cheers)….alright I wanna introduce on our stage, Professor Roy Bittan on the piano….Sister Soozie Tyrell on the violin and vocals….the hardest working man in stage and screen, the coolest little dj in the U.S.A, that Little Steven Van Zandt….on the bass guitar, Mr.Garry W.Tallent….on the drums, the man that bring the power hour after hour, night after night, week after week, year after year, Minister of the big beat, Secretary of syncopation and star of ´Late Night (crowd : ´Television´) Mighty Max Weinberg….on the guitar, one of the greatest guitarists in rock and roll, Brother Nils Lofgren….on the organ, Minister of mystery on E Street, Brother Dan Federici…..to the far side of the stage, the First Lady of love, natural Viagra, my sweetie baby honey child, on the guitar and vocals, Miss Patti Scialfa.….kisses on you, baby…I’m coming home….and last but not least…. last but not least…. last but not least…. last but not least…. last but not least….ladies and gentlemen, let’s put him in the White House in 2004, I’m talking about Clarence Big Man Clemons….you the man, you, you, you, you….I want you to put your hands together, your arms together, your asses together for the houserocking, pants-dropping, brain-shocking, earthquaking, booty-shaking, Viagra-taking, lovemaking, sexifying, electrifying, women shrieking, grown men crying, legendary E Street Band….give it up for (?)…did I mention electrifying pants-droppers ?….”
Intro to “Back in Your Arms”
´´Girls, I wanna know has there ever been a moment when your man has taken you for granted (some cheers) it’s not so bad (chuckles)….sometimes on that Saturday or Sunday afternoon he maybe wants to watch that football….but you´ve got something else in mind…. or he may wanna stay up and watch Late Night (crowd : ´Television´) that´s right (chuckles) instead of attending to his….business…..well, now, girls, this goes for you too….´cause sometimes you can not appreciate everything that your man is doing for you….not very often but maybe once in a while (chuckles)….oh, that´s right….and I’m guilty, baby….I’m talking about myself too….let this be a cautionary tale….”
Intro to “Highway 61 Revisited”
´´Yeah….we have my great friend and inspiration with us tonight, Mr.Bob Dylan….”
Intro to “My City of Ruins”
´´(Bob Dylan leaves the stage) I wouldn’t be here tonight without him….(long pause)….I just wanna take a second and uh, thank everybody for coming out tonight, thank you very much….and I wanna thank all the fans for supporting our tour and coming out to see us over the past year….we gotta thank Jon Landau, George Travis, Miss Barbara Carr….(?) out there doing the sound, Chris on the video….man, we got a, we got a fabulous crew, please do me a favor and give them a tremendous round of applause, all the folks that put this show on with us night after night….we, uh…..the past four or five years have been some of the most fun and uh, exciting times, I think, of, of my life and I just wanna say thanks for sharing them with us so….this is for our friends tonight from The Coalition for the Homeless, tonight in New York City 39,000 people gonna sleep in shelters, including 17,000 children….The Coalition for the Homeless, they offer (?) soup kitchen, crisis intervention services, job training and other programs aimed at ending homelessness in New York City, if you see them on your way out, please check out and support The Coalition for the Homeless, this is for them….”
Intro to “Land of Hope and Dreams”
´´Thank you, my friends, thank you….it was, uh….it was Bob’s work that when I was, when I was first trying to write songs that….at a particular time in our country´s history….he was one of those fellas who came along and has been willing to stand in the fire.…and uh….I remember when I was growing up in my little town, he just made me think big thoughts, you know, he, his music really empowered me and uh, got me thinking about the world….outside of my own little town….and uh….I don't know if great men make history or if history makes great men but for me Bob, Bob's one of the greatest….now and forever….so I’m gonna, uh, dedicate this one to him tonight, I wanna thank him for gracing my stage.…and for being such an inspiration….and uh, when I wrote this one, I was trying my best to follow along in his….in his footsteps….it’s a time right now in our country when….there’s a lot of questions
in the air about the forthrightness of our government, playing with the truth during wartime has been a part of both Democratic and Republican administrations in the past…and uh, once again the lives of our sons and our daughters are on the line….so it’s a good time to be ….good vigilant citizens and uh….protecting the democracy we ask our sons and our daughters to die for is our sacred trust….demanding accountability from our leaders…and taking our time to search out the truth….that´s the American way….and I learned that from Bob Dylan, this is ´Land of Hope and Dreams´….”
Intro to “Rosalita”
´´Alright, let’s have a party….the night was young, the moon was yellow…and the leaves came tumbling down….Rosie, I’m home !….”
End of “Dancing in the Dark”
´´Mr.Jon Landau, Willie Nile….come on, Bonds…. Bonds down there ?….where is he ?…. anybody seen Bonds ?….Bonds is pissing, according to the guys under the stage….we´ve got Garland Jeffreys…..oh, here he comes…..I told ´em what I learned from Bob, I don´t wanna tell ´em what I learned from you (chuckles)….”
Intro to “Quarter to Three”
´´Alright, key of ´C´….background singers, where is Mrs.Bonds ?…Mrs.Bonds ! (chuckles) we’re gonna have it all figured out in a minute….(?) come on up, kids, get us another mike ….oh, ladies and gentlemen, it ain´t been done in a long time (chuckles) but this is the man that did it….get up, everybody, let’s do it….”
Intro to “Twist and Shout”
´´Alright, we got one more for you…start kissing my woman, Bonds, stick around, we’re gonna do another one, Bonds…..stay up, stay up, yeah, we’re gonna do another one…(?)…”
| Compiled by : Johanna Pirttijärvi. |
| Clete | Another (hopefully not the last) tour is over. Another invigorating ride over so many months for fans like myself has ended. Bruce really went out in style. Just as at the end of the reunion tour in NYC, this time Bruce was not overly playful, but rather he sent his message through the excellence of his playing and singing. The crowd knew what they were seeing, and they showed their appreciation accordingly. The rain ended shortly before showtime and stayed away for the performance, and the temperature was certainly bearable (much more mild than night 2). 30 songs, 3 + hours, many guests - it was just what a tour finale should be. Of course, seeing Bob Dylan onstage with Bruce was a momentous treat, but I enjoyed "Quarter to Three" with Gary US Bonds just as much. My personal highlights were "Johnny 99", "Tunnel", again the power trio of "Because the Night", "Badlands", and "Prove It", "Back in Your Arms", and of course, the guest-filled encores. As an aside, how did the author of "Seven Nights to Rock" write the perfect Bruce show song? Above all else, however, the image that I will always remember was during the final verse of the final song ("Blood Brothers"), while Bruce was holding hands with the E Streeters. The camera flashed a close-up of Clarence with tears streaming down his cheeks. I think that the Big Man knows something that we don't (or that we don't want to know). Thanks to Bruce for another fabulous journey. His art really touches me. |
| Neil | While the tour finale was a great show, especially with surprise guest Bob Dylan, there was definitely more magic in the night on Friday — the prelude to the last Rising Tour performance. Last show began quite uneventful and somewhat subdued until Bruce and band rocked on "Johnny 99" through "Mary's Place," then quieted things down with a soulful "Back in Your Arms" and opening segment closer "Into the Fire." What shows! What a tour! Tickets: $85 T-shirts: $35 Parking: $20 "Rising Tour" finales: PRICELESS. |
| Bill Noke | Historic, poignant, and a party all wrapped up into 1 show. One of the great "am I seeing what I think I'm seeing?!" moments, with the Boss and the E Street Band serving as the back-up for Dylan on "Highway 61 Revisited". Bruce couldn't stop smiling during the entire song. New lyrics added to "Blood Brothers" (but different from what he added at the MSG finale in 2000) — a perfect, fitting close to the show and tour. Will they ever play a stadium gig again? |
| NS | Look, I love the Boss as much as anyone else but the last show was not a classic. Great in many ways. But, no Thunder Road. No Backstreets. No Jungleland. No Promised Land. So many songs that will live forever and he barely gave us any. I know it's the Rising Tour, not the re-hash tour but I live for, long for, those songs. I'm glad I was I there and I'll gladly go see Bruce again, hoping against hope that he'll play the songs that made him great and special to legions of fans the world over. |
| Kevin McDevitt | What a way to say goodbye. 30 songs. He started by tipping his proverbial Mets cap to the closing show of the Reunion Tour, opening now as he did then with "Code of Silence", and thus telling us that "Blood Brothers" was coming to close. But this show was much different than the close of the RT; although both had their somber moments, this show was also part celebration. The setlist speaks for itself, with the wonderful "I Wish I Were Blind" through to the very loose "Quarter-to-Three". "Johnny 99" was given the full band "Hank Williams" country treatment. "Waiting on a Sunny Day" was precluded by Bruce claiming "This is the last dance, and I'm gettin' a little misty up here. Steve! Cheer me up!" Light of Day was also a great RT staple, but this version was shorter (no "train" or "I've Been Everywhere" bridge…damnit!) Bob Dylan…what was it Eddie Murphy used to say about James Brown…"I don't know what Bob is singing about.." but it was a very big moment for Bruce; the proud grin on his face almost saying "Hey, this one's for me!". Bruce became more talkative than customary, repeatedly paying homage to Dylan, saying that "we wouldn't be here tonight without him" and "I don't know if great men make history or history makes great men, but Bob is one of the greatest; he made me think big thoughts, and got me thinking about the world outside my little town.." After LOHAD, Bruce said "Let's have a party", and did his best Ricky Ricardo voice into "Rosie, I'm Hoooommeee…". The two songs after Dancing were very loose and fun, with Garland J, Gary US (and his wife), Jon Landau and a cast of others joining the band onstage.. but after Twist & Shout everyone quietly gave the stage back to the E-Streeters. They joined hands out front. The Big Man had the big waterworks going. Everything dies, baby, that's a fact. But the man at the microphone had one last thing to say…"Until we meet again"." |
| Pete | Needed a couple of days to digest things, as I believe Saturday night closed out another chapter in the life of the E-Street Band. Bruce was beaming with joy as Dylan jammed with the band. It was weird, I got this strange vibe that Bruce felt complete - that it don't get better than this, if you know what I mean…Very cool show - They went out in style…on top of the world. |
| Tom Carpini | I have to admit I had mixed feelings about the "last dance". Deep down inside I was skeptical that the anticipation of "the killer final show" might turn out to be just hype. He can't possibly be consistently great in every show for 30 years running. Would this be the night it finally falls apart? Hell, he's 54 years old. Clarence has been collecting Social Security for a few years now. And I'm 51. Bruce and the band have never let me down before, but I know that someday I just may be leaving a show muttering to myself that it's all over, no more glory days, ever again. Its inevitable, the law of large numbers and the natural order of the universe dictates these things. And that's the way it started last night. First the rain. Cold rain. And the forecast called for 38 degree weather. I was dressed for a football game in January, not a rock and roll show. I couldn't even show off my Springsteen colors under all the sweatshirts and rain gear. And perhaps its the jaded and native Jerseyan in me that knows these damn New Yorkers just can't throw a house party as well as those of us from the proper side of the river, and the NY crowd sure did seem lame. Hey, Bruce is from MY state. New York has no right to get this show. Oh sure, the audience kicked it up during the "hits", but the obscure and not-so-obvious song selections seemed to cause more yawns that cheers. Granted, Bruce pulled out some gems…"Roulette", "I wish I were Blind", a smoking full band rockabilly style "Johnny 99" featuring in-your-face accordion and violin , and the gut wrenching "Back in Your Arms" all sounded great, but Bruce can't feed off off a lack of energy and the show just didn't seem to be the seamless effort I've come to expect. And Bruce looked tired, rightfully so after 2 years of concerts twice around the world. I was worried that this just might be the moment I've been secretly dreading since I was first transformed on a magical Passaic NJ September night in 1978. So maybe I should be glad that the "big one" is in New York. If the very last show of one of the most successful rock and roll tours in history by the greatest performer over the last 3 1/2 decades is going to go down in flames, at least it won't be in Jersey. No way this would ever happen in my state. If it goes badly, I'll be able to console myself that it's New York's fault. But man, am I ever worried that the "last dance" will be remembered for what it wasn't. Then something seemed to happened…. the first encore, "Light of Day", although a bit shaky, showed a burst of Bruce energy and urgency that was lacking during most of the show. It was subtle, but I swear I felt the power. Next up, "Bobby Jean" ..it's one of those songs that sometimes seems right, and sometimes doesn't. It seemed right last night. Here comes "Born to Run", a no brainer… we all knew it was coming, but its always fun with the house lights on full tilt. Up next, the point in the show where the planets become aligned, Ying meets Yang, the baseball team pulls it out in the last inning, and everyone hits 777's on the slot machine….Bruce just smokes the audience with "Seven Nights to Rock", a song that I'm convinced he wrote in a previous life. Bruce and the Band have gotten my attention, and then without warning and no chance to catch our collective breaths, Bob Dylan descends from the heavens. Bruce lets Bob do all the vocal chores on "Highway 61" and never comes near the microphone. Class act, that Mr. Springsteen. A personal favorite, "Land of Hope and Dreams is dedicated to Dylan in a sincere tribute by Bruce. "My City of Ruins" sends shivers up my spine, largely due to Danny Federici's amazing keyboard prowess. This just might be the "show of shows" after all. Could I possibly have been wrong about these damn New Yorkers? Well just get a load of this…..Bruce steps up to the mike and breaks into the opening of "Stagger Lee" ….."The night was clear, the moon was yellow, and the leaves came tumblin' down"…..and in his best Ricky Riccardo voice, shouts "ROSIE, I'M HOME" !!!!!, and proceeds to rip into a rock 'em sock 'em "Rosalita". I could hear the dogs howling all over the tri-state area. There is just something about the ferocity of the last few numbers that suggests redemption is near….and then comes that special moment during a Springsteen show that just can't be scripted….during "Dancing in the Dark", Bruce brings up the cutest 10 year old girl, all dressed in pink, for a little dance, and she breaks away from Bruce and begins hugging Clarence and Nils…the crowd is wild at this point, cheering the kid on. When Bruce drops to his knees to dance with her, she does the same, and I'm here to tell you, that little girl damn near stole the show. So far, so good, and like previous shows on the tour, this should end it. But it ain't over till Bruce says its over, and with no fewer than 16 people on stage including Garland Jeffreys, Willie Nile, Jon Landau, and Gary U.S. Bonds with his wife and daughter on vocals, Bruce and this amazing caravan of ragamuffin gunners do the unthinkable, the unexpected….a house party rockin' "Quarter to Three", followed by an equally shakin' "Twist and Shout", complete with a crowd sing-along "La Bamba" interlude!!!! I for one, am in a panic. If Dylan's appearance came out of left field, then then these back to back gems came from Mars. I doubt that these 2 songs ever been played together on the same night.. Shades of '78….I was 26 again…. and suddenly, Shea Stadium feels like its in New Jersey, and my feet are really hurting. I just can't describe how happy I feel. Then Bruce sends all non-E Streeters away, and ends this madness with a tear jerking, moving, wholly appropriate "Blood Brothers". A righteous end to a righteous tour, and he sang it just for me and all of my new friends in Queens. Thanks New York….I guess you guys know how to house party after all. Like I've always said, Bruce has never let me down. |
| Joe | Wow. What a choice for the opener. Tunnel of love songs as beautiful as ever. It looked as if he did not want to get off stage. I saw 5 shows since the end of July and this one was like a different show with the new songs he was doing. The crowd however did not deserve the encore that it got; hardly any applause when the set was over. Once again Bruce proved it all night!!!!!! |
| Tom Cantillon | I can't believe the Rising Tour has finally come to an end. What a bittersweet moment. After 31 Rising tour shows, I can honestly say that this was one of the best tours Bruce and band has ever done. I truly loved the new material and found the shows as a whole to be very spiritual, uplifting, poetic, heartbreaking and sheer rock 'n roll bliss. I was lucky enough to catch the rough stages of the show at Asbury Park and found myself following the tour, whenever I could, to Philly, NC, SC, Albany, Providence, Montreal, Giant Stadium in good old NJ, Hartford and finally Shea, and I never got bored with the shows or felt disappointed. The music and the tour itself have simply been phenomenal and extraordinary on many levels. Bruce's music has a way of making me believe in my dreams, no matter how small or how grand, and for that, I will always be indebted. He makes me cherish the moment, and experience life on a whole new level. He has filled both my heart and soul with a passion that I try to instill in my teaching. His music and shows have become my church in both good and bad times and for that, I am truly grateful. Saturday's show was amazing, but not my favorite of the tour. Another Thin Line and Code of Silence are decent songs, but I felt for the last hoorah, Bruce needed more sing-along songs that were familiar, such as: Spirit, For You, She's the One, Backstreets and even Leap of Faith. Part of what makes the experience so enjoyable and overwhelming at times, is getting caught up in the songs and singing and dancing. Hard to do with lyrics you don't really know. Roulette and Night were passionately delivered, as were The Rising and Lonesome Day. I wish I were Blind was beautifully done, but a strange choice, kind of hoping for Price you Pay. Johnny 99, Tunnel of Love, Because the Night and Badlands were awesome and the kind of songs that were needed to kick the show into gear—great choices and outstanding performances. Back in your Arms was a real surprise and simply beautiful. Light of Day was another treat, nice to hear once again. Love the combo of Born to Run and 7 Nights — lethal! Biggest thrill came when Bruce brought Bob Dylan on stage. Never would I have thought that I would see my favorite performer and favorite songwriter performing together — that moment alone sent the show into the stratosphere. They looked like they were having a blast, so hopefully that might mean more Bruce/Dylan collaborations to come. Great Rosey and Twist and Shout and a heartbreaking Blood Brothers. Some people might have found that to be anticlimactic, but it's a beautiful, touching, sincere moment and simply amazing to behold as the band holds hands and Bruce recites the added verse — very moving and a great way to cap the tour. Well, thanks Bruce and E Street Band for an amazing 14 months, 31 shows and endless hours of the best damn performance out there from anyone. You, your music and the band have come to mean so much to a lot of people. So thanks, for being there when we all needed a little "Rising" of our own. Hopefully we'll see you in 2005 with a new tour. See you, "Further on down the Road". |
| DJS | As usual, Bruce doesn't disappoint with his performance and song selection. Great to hear some Tunnel songs, the full band version of Johnny 99 was incredible and what a treat to hear Man's Job. Kitty's Back was the best I've seen him do (third time on the tour) - what a way to start the encores. I certainly could have done without the political tones, but I had no problems hearing American Skin. I'm of the mind set that this song is not a wrap on the police. In fact, since 9/11 it has a whole new meaning for me - get killed just for living in your American Skin. Isn't that the truth? Thought the crowd was awful. Hopefully it'll be better for night's two and three. And as a Mets fan, loved the exorcism to get rid of the evil spirits in that dump. Amen! |
| J. Treehorn | All I have to say, is that I am blessed for having seen Bruce and E Street from my GA vantage point on Saturday night. I had seen previous dates during the summer at the Meadowlands from farther sections, and WOW what a difference. Being 15 feet away from them as they ripped through Night and an electric Johnny 99, I was in total awe. It was unbelievable. They sounded tight, Bruce was all smiles, and they closed it out in high spirits. Now I just hope that I get to see them all together one more time down the road. |
| Magnus | The final night of the tour was not quite the event that many of us were hoping for. Although it was outshone by the show the previous night, it certainly had its moments, and I'm very glad I was able to see the last show for what will be quite a while. Ultimately though, I was more than a little disappointed. The weather before the final show of the tour was ominous. The GL tailgate in was great, thanks folks for bringing along that big sandwich and stuff, but few of us were showing off our GL T shirts, preferring to don all the warm and waterproof layers we had with us. After 5 layers I still felt cold. Miami Mark was looking surprisingly French with a little black beret, (that's globalization for you), and it was also great to see Zeke again, who I've been buddies with for 5 years, but only met a handful of times. It was nice meeting everyone, and I'm sorry to anyone I didn't have a chance to say hello to. Everyone was huddled up against the rain and speculating whether Bruce could top himself for the final show the next night. There had been a soundcheck which I asked specifically not to hear about, but no one seemed overly thrilled about whatever it was that Bruce had tried out. By the time I got to my seat just after 8 though, the weather gods had smiled upon us it seemed, and the rain had begun to clear away. I was in section A6, one of the best non- GA sections, right next to the pit on Patti's side. From where I was, the pit looked filled well beyond capacity before the show even started. There was security everywhere, but during the course of the show they didn't seem to really do much to make me feel particularly safe. Bruce took the stage after 830, as he had done the night before, and went straight into Code of Silence, the same song which he had opened his last show with, back in 2000. I've heard a bootleg version from Pittsburgh 02 where he changes one of the verses, but this version was the version we all know from NYC 2000. The we got the Rising and Lonesome Day, and to my surprise and great enjoyment Roulette again! Compared to the previous show, I don't remember which version sounded better, they were both tight and full of pent up desperation, probably better than they ever had been on the ToL tour. Night is another great live song which had been ignored for far too long, and the version they dished out just smoked, finishing with a flurry of drums. Max was definitely in form these last two shows. It all sounded pretty good and tight, so far so good. I hadn't heard the soundcheck, so the next song was a great surprise for me; I Wish I Were Blind. I'm not sure I really dig having a slow song before Empty Sky, I liked how ES was the first ballad after a slew of rockers, but IWIWB with harmonies from Patti sounded brilliant. This last month of the tour has really shone some positive light on the HT/LT albums. Some of those songs really work well thematically with the new material, and it's a shame it took Bruce so long to bring those songs out. I guess better late than never. Unlike the previous night, both ES and You're Missing were played. It was at this point that I began noticing how crap the crowd around me was. We were in some of the very best seats in the whole stadium, and people were yakking away to each other during the slow songs. At one point early on there was a fight behind me, and there was also some disturbance in front of me later in the show. When WOASD started, people started moving into the aisle, and security allowed some quite attractive women to dance, but hassling other (possibly less attractive) people and trying to get them back to their seats. People close to the aisle were getting annoyed at people dancing in the aisle in front of them, and a woman and her teenage daughter were holding up a very large sign for what seemed like minutes at a time in quite an antisocial way. It was as if everyone was pissing someone else off or getting pissed off. Security seemed inconsistent and at times belligerent. Maybe that's just the NYC crowd, I don't know. The next song was definitely a highlight of the show for me. When he started it, I thought for 2 great seconds that he was doing Open all Night, which would have seriously rocked my world. Once the band got stuck into Johnny 99 though, I realized how damn lucky I was to see this little number live. The melody and tempo is largely unchanged, but when the whole band attacks the song, instead of just Bruce and say Nils, it becomes a full fledged rocker, not unlike Working on the Highway ' a dark disturbing lyric married to an upbeat tune. Suzie comes in at the end, kind of like she does in the present version of Darlington County, Cadillac Ranch or Working'? . In a tour that has lacked new reworked versions of old songs, this was a real treat. We got Another Thin Line for the second show in a row, and it sounded at least as tight as the night before, growing on me with every performance. It was followed by Tunnel, which like Night and Johnny 99 had been played on 10/1. It was clear that Bruce was not setting out to play a setlist that would be wildly new and different for those fans who were seeing several shows in Shea. Perhaps he was trying to perfect songs which he had enjoyed playing the two previous nights. Despite this, the by the end of the show, he would have pulled out half a dozen tour premieres. Tunnel, which I hadn't heard before didn't do that much for me. Like so many of the songs, it seemed thematically out of synch with the Rising tour, and the songs before and after it. If Bruce had taken the relationship songs he played; I Wish I Were Blind, Tunnel, and Back in Your Arms; and condensed them into a mini set, say before or after Because the Night, they might have worked better. Because the Night, Badlands and Prove it worked well as a combo both nights, but it would have been nice to have a different song in the post Badlands slot. I had overheard before the show that Back in Your Arms had apparently been soundchecked, so it wasn't the greatest surprise to hear it, but I wasn't expecting it in the slot usually reserved for old epic classics. My last chance hopes of hearing Incident with the full band went out the window when I heard the opening bars to Back in Your Arms, but in truth it was a terrific rendition, complete with a sort of stage rap about the dangers of taking one's significant other for granted. Along with the other relationship songs, Bruce seemed to be directing this towards Patti, and it a was a reminder of the inevitable strains that touring must place on their lives, and the sacrifices they both make in order to advance Bruce's career. Into the Fire closed the set again. I was hoping/expecting Thunder Road and /or Promised Land at this last show, but I guess Bruce wanted to finish on this note. Maybe I would have appreciated it more if the crowd around me hadn't been bickering about sitting, standing and dancing in the aisles. I do hope they keep the GA system on the next tour, at least for the pit. At this point I was feeling a little anticlimactic, the setlist had been great, but the pacing and sequencing seemed off. I was hoping the encores could bring the show up a level or two. I don't know what I was hoping for, something rare, unexpected but simultaneously thematically significant. Perhaps I was expecting the unreasonable, I don't know. All I know is that for me the encores alternated between being predictable, disorganized, a hell of a lot of fun and downright disappointing. Light of Day was first, a great song that I never got tired of on the last tour, this time cut down to a 4 minute rocker that never really blew me away, but was great to hear anyway. No complaints though, this was like the third tour premiere of the night and a hell of a lot funnier than say, oh'? Bobby Jean. Then the band goes into Bobby Jean, and I can feel myself cringe. I don't know if I'm spoiled after seeing so many shows, or if the song just isn't very good any more. Sometimes it works for me, but usually it doesn't, it generally depends on my frame of mind. I didn't mind it for some reason on 7/1/00m, but tonight it just seems redundant. Clarence lets rip with his solo at the end, and holds that lost note better than he did at the 7/1 show, but he's played the song better before on this tour. Then follows BTR, which I have seen over 30 times now, and I would have enjoyed far more if the crowd had been just a little funnier and into things. Go back to arenas Bruce, please! It is always fun to hear Seven Nights to Rock though, and see all those people who don't know the song slowly get into it. By the end everyone on the floor is behaving like they are actually at a rock concert with the best live act on the planet, and security have given up trying to stop people from dancing in the aisle. Instead of building on that energy, with an extra song or two Bruce finishes Seven Nights, bows and the band leave the stage. The NYC crowd were terrible, there was hardly any applause at all. After the 10/3 show, I had expected and hoped for the final night to be the ESB only with no guests. I had figured that 10/3 was the fun party show with all sorts of obscure guests and 10/4 would be the E Street farewell show, kind of like 7/1/00 had been. But as soon as Bruce comes onstage again and introduces the first guest of the evening, I'm quick to take that back. BOB FUCKING DYLAN!?!?!? OK, OK, I can dig this guest. Never in a million years did I even imagine I might see these two musical legends onstage together. Bob comes out, his head bowed and hiding his face behind all those wrinkles and his nest of grey hair, and what follows was best described after the show by another fan as follows; 'It was crap, but it didn't matter.' Bob starts singing incomprehensibly, and only when he mentions a 'Highway 61'in the chorus do I recognize the song. Bruce lets him sing the whole song by himself, rather than duetting with him. Dylan finishes, shakes some hands with the band and then leaves. It was a historical moment. It sounded like a train wreck (thanks to Dylan's singing). But it was clearly a tremendously important moment for Bruce; in 15 years he'll still probably remember his last show on this tour mainly because that was the night one of his greatest musical heroes joined his band onstage. After a fine rendition of MCOR, Bruce spoke about the significance Bob had in his own music, being willing to 'stand in the fire'. After introducing the next song as one he wrote in that sort of protest spirit mold I was sure he was going to play BUSA, but he went into LoHaD, which was great to hear again. From this point on, the show became a fun, loose thoroughly spontaneous house party that went on longer than I would have expected. It was a lot of fun, but I've never seen a Bruce show lose structure and focus so much, and I was expecting a more thoughtful end to the tour. All the guests from the night before, with the exception of Al Leiter, returned and Rosalita was the most raucous version I've heard since 8/12/99. DITD continued in full steam, and then Gary 'U.S.' Bonds returned to the stage with his daughter and wife. As I hoped, we got the live staple from the 70s, Quarter to Three, not played with the ESB since 1988. Very very cool. I don't remember much except that the floor had turned into one big dance party by now. After the song, Bonds wandered off stage, and when Bruce called him back for an extra song, he took a while, clearly the next one was an audible. Twist and Shout kicked ass as it always does, but I had expected a more serious end to the show. That finally came when the guests left and the band went into Blood Brothers. Bruce has always talked about living in the present, not laying back on past trophies, and for this show to end on this song, which closed his last tour, seemed to me a bit of a cop out. I would have enjoyed it more if the security guard next to me hadn't been yakking away to his friend, but ultimately this was just a slightly cheap way to end the show. It sounded exactly like it did last tour, with the same last verse and everything, but with the house lights on, and people already leaving early it didn't have any kind of the same effect. After it was done, Bruce said 'til we meet again' and the band came to the edge of the stage to wave goodbye for the last time in a what will be quite a while. I really wish I could be more excited about this last show; 30 songs, 6 tour premieres, 3 hours 20 minutes, and one of the longest of the tour. Ultimately, it seemed unevenly paced, thematically unfocussed and inconsistent, spontaneous in an almost unprofessional way towards the end, with various guests in the encores, none of whom who added much musically at all. In retrospect the show has several songs and moments which will stand out for me, whereas at a great Bruce show the whole show stands out and there are so many highlights you lose track of all of them. I'm glad I saw the last show simply because it was that, the last show, and God knows when we may see them again. Clarence is struggling to keep up, and the whole band have other commitments now. But various band members have assured us that the E Street and is an ongoing concern, so I guess we shall just have to cross our fingers and hope to see them all again further on down the road. |
| Jay Stern | A show for the ages. Although not as electric as the Friday night show, the sheer importance of this being the "last Dance" made this a special night regardless. Hard rain and cold weather kept some folks home and, like night 1, the upper decks were empty. But, the extra-long set and the presence of Bob Dylan made up for that. I won't give the play by play as others have already done that very well, but i will say that this was a very special night and a perfect ending to a perfect tour. |
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Springsteen’s Big Finish |
Taking time to search out the truth is the American way,” Bruce Springsteen told the crowd of 50,000–plus gathered on October 4th at New York’s Shea Stadium. “I learned that from Bob Dylan.” In a triumphant final note to Springsteen’s fourteen–month tour, Dylan himself joined the E Street Band on “Highway 61 Revisited.”
Springsteen’s three–night stand was a familiar mix of incendiary politics, special guests (including Al Franken and the Mets’ Al Leiter) and seemingly endless music: The final show lasted nearly three and a half hours, featuring classics such as “Born to Run” and “Rosalita” and new staples including “The Rising” and “Mary’s Place.” During “Waiting on a Sunny Day,” Springsteen told the crowd to “shout a little louder if you want the president impeached,” and the first night opened with a video loop of Bush discussing weapons of mass destruction.
There were problems — fans complained about the heavy handed tactics of stadium security, and the New York Police Department canceled Springsteen’s escort for one show after he played the anti–police–brutality anthem “American Skin (41 Shots)” on the first night.
“We’re still looking into what happened,” an NYPD spokesman says. But overall the atmosphere was loose and celebratory, especially when friends and family joined the band for “Dancing in the Dark” and “Twist and Shout.”
Jon Landau, Springsteen’s manager, calls the show one of the high points of their thirty years together. “Bruce and the band had never been better,” he says. “It was one of those tours where everything just felt right.”
| By David Swanson via Rolling Stone. |
Links:
- Springsteen’s Big Finish (RollingStone)
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