Craig Allen remembers: Bruce Springsteen’s Wrecking Ball Tour in 2012
As New Jersey 101.5 welcomes Bruce and the "River Tour" home to New Jersey TONIGHT... (Bruce is on-stage, as I am on your radio, computer or phone and tablet!)
I thought that it would be fun to look back at the most recent Bruce concert that I got to experience: The "Wrecking Ball Tour" in September 2012!
Below, is my nj1015.com post from September 23, 2012:
Bruce is "The Boss." And, it was a thrill to spend almost 4 hours with the Boss, along with thousands of other New Jersey, home state fans!
As you approach the stadium, you can FEEL the excitement, the electricity in the air!
And, hear Bruce songs pour out of car speakers far and wide!
After tailgating, its time to head in for the show!
I'm on the 200 level, straight across from the stage...
Its a clear and cool, very pleasant night for a concert! Bruce and the E Street Band hit the stage at 8:30pm!
Bruce quickly had us swinging and swaying to the songs from the "Wrecking Ball" album, especially "Wrecking Ball" and "We Take Care Of Our Own."
Bruce had us on our feet! Singing to the classics, including: Hungry Heart, Born To Run, Spirit In The Night, Badlands, Rosalita, The Promised Land, Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out, Thunder Road, Prove It All Night, Dancing In The Dark, and MORE! Sorry, I'm missing a few "classics," but I wasn't taking notes...
At times, when Bruce was talking to us between songs, he seemed to take on the part of the old-fashioned fire and brimstone preacher...
...preaching to us, his flock, in the holy church of Jersey Rock 'n' Roll!
Amen!
Bruce shared a "summer ritual" that he had with his parents and grandparents. In his childhood, they would all go to the local ice cream stand...it had those "yellow lights" that "10,000 moths were attracted to."
The Boss admitted that he didn't really like ice cream. He liked the cones. And, the owner would save broken cone pieces for the young Springsteen!
On the way home, Bruce would see the tall radio tower. He says that his mother called the tower "a giant." And she said that the red tower lights were "the buttons on his coat."
A true "radio geek" like me appreciates a story like that...
About half way through the show (and its a SHOW!), the woman next to me said: "What GREAT music!" I'm assuming that this was her first live Bruce experience...that she was among the un-initiated! I didn't embarrass her by asking.
Bruce in the crowds...Bruce bringing a young girl up on stage to sing with him...Bruce being body-passed through the fans (that's TRUST!)..."Dancing In The Dark" with concert-goers, on stage...a long (cheer-filled) photo montage of "The Big Man" during Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out! These are just a few other nightlights from a special night in the Meadowlands!
The "Wrecking Ball" concert started appropriately with a total-Jersey nod: playing "Summer Wind" by Frank Sinatra...seguing into Bruce! The night ended (at 12:15am) with "Twist And Shout!" It was a rockin' version as only Bruce and the E Street Band can deliver!
Oh yeah...and a fireworks display!
A Bruce Springsteen concert=Great music (new and classics)
A Bruce Springsteen concert=TOTAL Showmanship
A Bruce Springsteen concert=A "Wall Of Sound."
A Bruce Springsteen concert IN NEW JERSEY=An night you'll never forget!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Bruce! You ROCK...but you already know that!
There's my original 2012 post about the show...reading it again...this is what memories are made of!