Bruuuuuce!

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band

November 3, Verizon Center, Washington, DC

(Finally updating my blog from November!)

Although I grew up in neighboring New York and have much love for that Jersey boy Springsteen, this was my first Springsteen concert! It was especially fun hitting this show with my good friend Mer, as attending a concert with a die-hard fan always heightens the experience. She knows every word to every song. [I’m this way with Billy Joel songs, so I can relate].

Springsteen’s show was 2 ½ hours of rockin’ fun. It’s amazing that he still is bursting with energy, running all over the stage, smiling, singing his heart out, and pushing for more audience participation. He didn’t have to push very hard as this was a truly adoring audience. They danced, pumped their fists in the air, and sang along with such soul. Even the offbeat clappers seemed to fall in line.

Another amazing feat is that Springsteen has played with these same musicians for decades, and they’re among the best in the industry, including guitarists Nils Lofgren and Steven Van Zandt, saxophonist Clarence Clemons, and drummer Max Weinberg. Wife Patti was absent.

The 26-song set rocked and this was one of the shows in which they performed the entire Born to Run album. What a treat!

I had wanted to attend his show here earlier this year but the whole Ticketmaster debacle thwarted that plan. Glad I finally got to see them in action!

Setlist: [source: setlist.fm]

Outlaw Pete

Prove It All Night

Hungry Heart

Working On a Dream

Thunder Road

Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out

Night

Backstreets

Born to Run

She's The One

Meeting Across The River

Jungleland

Wating On A Sunny Day

Stand On It

Seven Nights to Rock

Growin' Up

Pink Cadillac

Lonesome Day

The Rising

Badlands

Encore:

Hardtimes

No Surrender

American Land

Dancing In The Dark

Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)

Higher and Higher [cover]