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Bruce Springsteen Rips It Up In Greenville

Bruce Springsteen, who will celebrate his 60th birthday next week, on September 23, blew the roof off of the Bi-Lo Center here in Greenville last night, September 16, 2009, in what was one of, if not the, finest shows I have ever seen.

You see, I was introduced to Bruce’s music in 1977 by a writer friend from up north. I can’t remember his name, but we called him G-Man cause his last name was Gordon. On his recommendation I went to Horizon Records and bought Born to Run and it was all over for me except the rocking.

Ever since that day in ‘77 I have been workin’ on a dream to see The Boss live. The closest i ever came was being five feet from him in a bar in Huntsville, Alabama’s Space & Rocket Center. Bruce was sitting there alone, in a ball cap, drinking a Bud. I turned to my wife and said “That’s Bruce.” She said, “What would Bruce be doing here at a bar in the Marriott?” Well, as we found out later,  he was there to film a TV promo. I was having my CD party that night, and Bonnie Bramlett was there. She told me later, “You should have invited him to jam with us.” Okay. Blown opportunity.

So last night was indeed a dream come true. After being turned down for press credintials and losing all hope, my good friend Tim Shook hooked me up with tickets in a private suite, and let me tell you, that is the way to see a show! Chillin’ in a big, comfy chair, sipping Aqua Fina and rocking out. Thanks Tim!

Scott Greene went with me, and although he is not a die hard Boss fan like me, he seemed to have a whale of a time his own self.

Bruce sauntered out onto the stage at 8:15 and played for a solid three hours without a single break. The fabulous E-Street Band were all there except Bruce’s wife Patti who normally plays. Soozie Tyrell played violin; Jay Weinberg, the 19 year old son of Max Weinburg who is busy with his job on The Tonight Show, played the heck out of the drums; Charles Giordano is now on organ, following the tragic death last year of Danny Federici; Nils Lofgren was on guitar; and originals Garry Tallent on bass, Professor Roy Bittan on piano,  Little Steven Van Zandt on guitar and “The Big Man” Clarence Clemons on sax.

Bruce was screaming “Greenville! Greenville!” From the first notes of the first song “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out” I had a "you know what" eating grin plastered across my face. I felt like a kid again. Bruce does that to you. Not only is he the hardest working man in show business, he is the master of drawing the audience into the show. And after a smoking “Badlands” and my favorite song from the Born in the USA LP, “No Surrender,” Bruce jumped off the stage and began making his way through the crowd while singing “Hungry Heart.” He was getting hugs, pats on the back and smiles from Upstate fans like I have not witnessed since the hey day of Elvis.

At one point Steve Van Zandt held up a poster from the audience that said “Greensteen!” I vote we change the name of our city to that after last night. At least for a week. Hear that, Mayor White?

Man oh man, was the band ever rockin.’ Every song was a highlight, but if I were pressed to spotlight just a few, I would name the dramatic reading of “Outlaw Pete,” complete with the red western sky and cacti backdrop, ending with Bruce in a big ol’ cowboy hat; the happening electric version of “Atlantic City;” request time, including a brief version of Hot Chocolate’s “You Sexy Thing,” “Satisfaction” with all the energy of The Stones themselves, preceded by Bruce’s tongue in cheek statement, “We’ve never played anything by these guys before;” a Shoals soulful “Raise Your Hand;”  Bruce’s Irish smoker, “American Land;” “Johnny 99,” with a fun guitar “duel” between The Boss and Little Steven; of course, my two all time favorites, “Born to Run: and the show closer “Thunder Road.” I was convinced by the end of the show I was not going to hear my favorite Bruce tune, but he did not disappoint. “Thunder Road” never sounded better.

As a special treat for us South Carolinas, Bruce brought The Swingin’ Medallions (a band formed at Lander College in Greenwood in the ‘60s) to the stage to join in on their mega-hit “Double Shot of My Baby’s Love.” The Beach crowd was dancing in the dark.

Toward the end of the show, Bruce screamed, “Greenville! Greenville! You have just witnessed the heart-stopping, pants-dropping, house-rocking, earth-shaking, booty-quaking, Viagra-taking, love-making - legendary E - Street - Band!” And did we ever. One for the books. Everything I had always imagined a Bruce show would be like and more.

Nearly 24 hours later I am still buzzing. Not from substances or beverages- I do none of that these days thank you very much- just from the sheer joy of the music and the energy Springsteen brought to the Upstate for the first time ever. Hopefully he will return soon.

Setlist:
Tenth Avenue Freeze-out
Badlands
No Surrender
Hungry Heary
Outlaw Pete
Working on a Dream
Seeds
Johnny 99
Atlantic City
You Sexy Thing
Raise Your Hand
This Hard Land
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
Ramrod
Waitin' on a Sunny Day
The Promised Land
Backstreets
Radio Nowhere
Lonesome Day
The Rising
Born to Run
* * *
Hard Times
Double Shot of My Baby's Love (w/ the Swingin' Medallions)
American Land
Glory Days
Detroit Medley: “Devil with a Blue Dress,” “CC Rider,” “Good Golly Miss Molly,” “Jenny Take a Ride”
Dancing in the Dark
Thunder Road

Keep it Real. Keep it Southern.
Buffalo


Photos by Monica Mcmaken, except Bruce in Greenville audience from Backstreets website.
 

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