2008-04-28 Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC

Scheduled: 19:30 Local Start Time ??:?? / End Time ??:??

Info & Setlist | Venue

A fantastic tour premiere one-two opens - "Roulette" into the tour's only "Don't Look Back". "Mary's Place" is also a premiere, a shortened, more palatable rendition than the Rising Tour behemoth (but still including "The Monkey Time"). "Trapped" and "Waitin' On A Sunny Day" are played by sign request. Patti Scialfa is not present.

28.04.08 Greensboro, NC, before the video montage of Dan
“Hello, Greensboro (crowd cheers) this is something in the memory of Dan…”

28.04.08 Greensboro, NC, intro to “Radio Nowhere”
“Is there anybody alive out there? (crowd cheers)…”

28.04.08 Greensboro, NC, intro to “Magic”
“Good evening! (crowd cheers)…good evening, Greensboro (crowd cheers)…good evening…alright, here´s to the end of eight years of bad, bad magic…”

28.04.08 Greensboro, NC, intro to “It´s Hard to Be a Saint in the City” (following “Gypsy Biker”)
“Little Steven on the guitar! (crowd cheers)…I wanna thank some fans that were outside getting a nice little collection for Danny´s fund (cheers from some very loud ladies next to the taper) we appreciate that, Danny has a melanoma fund, goes to curing melanoma cancer (crowd cheers) Danny, with the exception of Steve who I met at, we were sixteen, at the Eatontown, New Jersey Hullabaloo Club (crowd cheers) you remember that one! (chuckles) I met Danny when, uh, we were eighteen in a place in Asbury Park, in a place called the Upstage (crowd cheers) he was from Flemington, Flemington, New Jersey, the fabulous town of Flemington… (crowd cheers) and, uh, he really actually asked me to join his band with him and "Mad Dog" Lopez…and so he's, I played with, I played with Danny for 40 years, I guess, and uh, survived, he had nine lives and he used up about five of mine so…(chuckles) Danny was always, like, uh, he was always into something, you know, and, uh, let me see, I told a short story last night, I'll tell another one tonight…um…Danny had, uh, Danny had a tendency to lift things, you know, when, particularly when he was younger, because he was, uh, he was kind of a, a gadget-freak, he was always looking to soup up his car or soup up his organ or something, his stereo set, and so, uh, usually it was, usually in hand but then I came down a motel corridor one day and I found Danny with a screwdriver taking out the up-down buttons out of the elevator (laughter from the crowd) on our way out of the hotel. He says, you know, a towel's not good enough for him! (laughter from the crowd) he needs the buttons from the elevator, I said "Danny, what, what, you know, what do you need the buttons for?" he said "Oh, the color's perfect, I'm gonna put it on my organ and when I hit the last key, it's gonna light," so… (laughter from the crowd) we needed to, we needed to innovate in those days, we had to, we were living off the fat of the land, we needed to innovate and so (chuckles) another night we were playing at this club and I noticed at the end of the night that the jukebox is kind of shoved at an angle and I just catch a glimpse of Danny with a huge speaker under his arm slipping out the side-door (laughter from the crowd) and so of course I go back, I peek inside the jukebox – empty…empty…but, uh, anyway, this one, I'm gonna send this one out to our old pal, uh, it's hard to be a saint in the city!…”

28.04.08 Greensboro, NC, intro to “Livin´ in the Future”
“Greensboro! (crowd cheers) how we doing? (crowd cheers) ah, let´s see who´s here tonight, alright…hello…hello, man (chuckles) (?)…give me that, I´ll save it for later (chuckles)…I´m not gonna tell nobody right now…ah, can´t do that one, no (chuckles) it´s too long (chuckles)(?) I don´t play that one either (chuckles) oh, alright, how are you? (crowd cheers)(?)…this is a song called ´Livin´ in the Future´…but it´s about what´s happening now…how along with all the things that we love about the place we come from and our home and all the things we value and that mean so much to us…we´ve had to add to the American picture over the past eight years things like rendition…illegal wiretapping, the rolling-back of civil liberties…no Habeas Corpus, these are all things that are fundamentally un-American (crowd cheers) because of the color of your skin or your circumstance, you may feel like it don't have a big impact on your life but they're all really an affront to the Constitution, which means they're an attack on our very selves and who we are when say that we're the Americans (crowd cheers) so the mighty E Street Band is here tonight to do something about it (crowd cheers) that's right…we're gonna sing about it…that's right…that's what we're gonna do (chuckles) that'll scare, if that don't scare 'em, we're gonna sing about it again! (crowd cheers) help me out, Max, let me tell the story…”

28.04.08 Greensboro, NC, intro to “Mary's Place”
“Let's see if we can remember this one…a debut on this tour…(?)…”

28.04.08 Greensboro, NC, intro to “Backstreets”
“Thank you! (crowd cheers) thank you, Greensboro! (crowd cheers) thank you so much, we got a couple of friends in the house tonight, folks from Project Greenleaf…and the Greensboro Urban Ministry, Project Greenleaf works on community projects, connecting public to local farmers and fishermen…Greensboro Urban Ministry provides crisis intervention and emergency services, they help families break the cycle of poverty, hunger, addiction and homelessness, these are good folks out on the frontline doing God´s work here in Greensboro, Project Greenleaf and the Greensboro Urban Ministry (?)…”

28.04.08 Greensboro, NC, intro to “Ramrod”
“Are you ready to ramrod? (crowd cheers) Steve…
(…) Shake that thing, girls…hey, Steve…(Steve: “Yeah?”) I think it´s quitting time, baby…oh, it´s quitting time (Steve: “Yeah, I think so”) is it, uh, sleepy-time?…is it, uh, sexy-time? (crowd cheers)…then, Steve, what I wanna know is…what time is it, Brother? (crowd cheers)(Steve: “It´s Boss-time!”)…oh, come on, Steve, we´re gonna go…”

28.04.08 Greensboro, NC, intro to “American Land”
“Greensboro, thanks for coming out to the show tonight (crowd cheers) remember Project Greenleaf and the Greensboro Urban Ministry…
(…) Garry W. Tallent (crowd cheers) Little Steven Van Zandt (crowd cheers) Sister Soozie Tyrell (crowd cheers) the unstoppable Mighty Max Weinberg (crowd cheers) Professor Roy Bittan (crowd cheers) from the Sessions Band, Charlie Giordano (crowd cheers) the incredible Nils Lofgren (crowd cheers) and the biggest man you´ve ever seen: Clarence “Big Man” Clemons (crowd cheers) Greensboro! (crowd cheers) Greensboro! (crowd cheers) Greensboro! (crowd cheers) Greensboro! (crowd cheers) Greensboro! (crowd cheers) Greensboro! (crowd cheers) you´ve just seen the heart-stopping, pants-dropping, hard-rocking, earth-shocking, booty-shaking, love-making, Viagra-taking, history-making, legendary (crowd: “E Street Band”)…”

Compiled by : Johanna Pirttijärvi

Maria	Can I quit my job and be a self-appointed roadie? Oh my God! I never had so much fun at a show. The tribute to Danny was very moving and had me teary-eyed. But Bruce celebrated Danny's life and contributions by giving a stellar performance. Trapped! Because the Night! Mary's Place! Oh, meet me at Mary's Place…anytime, Bruce, anytime! First time hearing Backstreets live—all I can say is, maybe my favorite song of the night!Guess I'll be driving up to NJ this summer.
Mike	My oldest brother flew in from Arizona for us to catch this show. We had #178 and 179 for the pit, and 111 was drawn. Needless to say we were ecstatic. That was first show since the reunion tour, though my brother had done several Rising, TGOTJ and D&D shows. A very somber show this was, in my opinion. With the loss of Danny still on everyone's mind, it was comforting to be there with the band and other fans. There were lot's of highlights, Gypsy Biker, Saint, Long walk Home. This was my first Backstreets, and it was unbelievable. Great show, the NC one's always are… Done two on this (WOAD) tour, got Charlotte in Nov!
Tom Cantillon	"WOW! WOW! WOW! What a different show from Charlotte. Unbelievable! Amazing, off the charts performance by Bruce and the band and a killer setlist. Roulette was very powerful — great opener! Out in the Streets was great to hear. Love that one from the River collection — everyone was singing along. Good way to get things started! I normally don't care for Gypsy Biker, but the blazing guitars by Stevie and Bruce was impressive. Then things went into the stratosphere with a steamrolling Saint in the City that sounded like some punk band could have rocked it out. Next came a smoking Trapped, love that song! It should be in the set more often. Bruce took it up a notch from there with a blistering Because the Night, intensely powerful Darkness and smoldering She's the One! If shows are being tapped, this is one to release without a doubt. Mary's Place was actually a good party song to throw into the set. Sunny Day was the only song that killed the momentum, would have like Racing or Incident tossed in. The transition from Sunny Day to Devil's Arcade did not work at all. Point Blank, Price you Pay or Something in the Night would have done that moment justice. Killer Backstreets! Loved it! And roadhouse time with Ramrod. I met the little girl who sang on stage with Bruce the night before and we were both hoping for Ramrod — so thanks, Bruce. Amazing show! Wild setlist and a high octane performance by Bruce and the band. One of the best shows of this tour, hands down. Glad to have made the trip from Jersey. Now, all I have to do is hold out until the July NJ homecoming. How many days?

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We Made It Through The Heart Of A Hurricane

Loss is one of life’s most challenging experiences. There is no universal path to solace, no prescriptive behaviors to mitigate its pain. But as we process the death of a loved one, at some point in the days and weeks that follow, the one undeniable truth of the situation is eventually revealed: Life goes on.

Just 11 days removed from the passing of Danny Federici, Greensboro opens with a video tribute to the band’s fallen comrade set to the music of “Blood Brothers.” But from there the mood shifts markedly. At the first four shows performed after Federici’s funeral, setlists dipped back to Springsteen’s first two albums for songs like “Blinded By the Light,” “Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?” and “Growin’ Up” in tribute to Phantom Dan. There would be time for that this night too, but to open Greensboro, something more cathartic was delivered.

The pairing of “Roulette” into “Don’t Look Back” rivals the best one-two punch from any Springsteen show in any decade. Two stunning, underplayed rockers—one haunting, one life-affirming—blow off the doors of the Greensboro Coliseum, and the release of energy is unmistakably liberating for all.

As the diehard collectors well know, “Roulette” has a very tricky arrangement, especially as a one-off, and here it is played with full conviction in what has to be one of its best modern performances. How convicted? Listen to Bruce declare, “They say they wanna help me but with the stuff they keep on sayin’, I think those guys just wanna keep on playin’.” The guitar solo is searing as well, and Max crushes one of his signature drum parts.

The same can be said for “Don’t Look Back,” which faithfully follows the 1977 arrangement in its only live outing circa 2000-2012 and one of only 31 performances ever. Short-listed for, but ultimately left off of Darkness on the Edge of Town, “Don’t Look Back” remains one of Springsteen’s greatest non-album tracks. In fact, “Don’t Look Back” was so “ready” for Darkness, it is the only song that wasn’t newly remixed for Tracks in 1998. The performance in Greensboro is a faultless rebirth.

One could argue the top of the show isn’t merely a perfect pairing, but a trio, quartet, or even quintet of brilliantly linked performances. The momentum of “Roulette” and “Don’t Look Back” pushes kindred spirit “Radio Nowhere” to new heights. “Out in the Street” (a phrase also uttered in “Don’t Look Back”) bears renewed vivacity and “The Promised Land” brings us home, riding Roy Bittan’s piano and Stevie’s guitar.

Bruce finally catches his breath as we move into Magic territory with a solemn (and timely as ever) reading of the title track with Soozie subbing admirably for Patti. “Gypsy Biker” was a Magic tour highlight every night and continues to deserve consideration as one of the finest E Street Band songs of the 2000s. A heartfelt story follows, as Bruce describes meeting Danny for the first time, preceding a momentarily tentative but ultimately winning “Saint in the City.”

Setlists on the Magic tour were notably tight, and that bang-bang approach is in evidence as Bruce steers “Saint” left into a very fine “Trapped” and follows that with graceful right turn into the Nils Lofgren (and Soozie, too, in Ms. Scialfa’s absence) showcase, “Because the Night.”

The night’s crackling atmosphere sparks a terrific “Darkness on the Edge of Town.” Jon Altschiller’s mix positions piano and guitar ideally. The performance is anchored by an impassioned Springsteen vocal that drops in defeat when he sings the slight variant, “I lost my faith when I lost you,” only to rise to that arresting heightened register to deliver the rest of the verse starting with, “Tonight I’ll be on that hill, ‘cause I can’t stop.” “Darkness” and the “She’s the One” that follows are equal parts vintage and in-the-moment.

By the halftime arrival of “Living in the Future,” the score Bruce has put on the board is at MJ/Lebron levels. And to continue the analogy, those games still make for great, memorable wins, even if the superstars don’t hit quite as many downtown three-pointers or monster dunks in the second half.

The return of a newly streamlined “Mary’s Place” registers as another highlight. “Let’s see if we remember this one…debut on this tour. Come on, let’s try it,” says Bruce with undeniable glee. There is something fresh about “Mary’s Place” mk2, with more echoes of the kind of updated “Thundercrack” or “Santa Ana” vibe that he seemed to be going for in the first place, compared to what the song morphed into on the Rising tour.

Sure, there is something peculiar about spending your sign request on “Waiting on a Sunny Day.” The motivation may have had more to do with being picked for the singalong (which, as it turns out, didn’t even happen for this tidy performance), but we’ll excuse it as well-meaning if slightly misguided. From there, Greensboro moves through a solid back ten that may lack a bit of the first half’s urgency but holds its own, especially the Magic songs: “Last to Die, “Long Walk Home,” and “Devil’s Arcade.” The last of these and “Magic” make their first appearances in the Live Archive series from 2008 performances.

Springsteen and the band ultimately bring Greensboro home in fine form through a long and lively “Badlands,” a musically rich and beautifully sung “Backstreets,” the fitting farewell of “Bobby Jean” (kudos to Clarance for nailing the solo), and the high-spirited finale, “American Land” with Charlie Giordano eloquently deputizing for Danny on accordion.

The recent release of Letter to You on record and film reinforces that life does go on for the E Street Band, and equally that the spirit of those who have departed continue to inspire those who carry on. Greensboro is a wonderful reflection on the process of loss and the power of perseverance.

^{By Erik Flannigan via Nugs.net.}

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