Bruce Springsteen: Hershey Park, PA 5/15/09

To truly know and understand Kidjite, you must know Bruce Springsteen.  To say that Bruce is my favorite artist is like saying that oxygen is what I like to breathe.  When I did a DNA test a while back, they found that I had the "E Street Chromosome."  For the 2nd time on the "Working On A Dream" tour, I saw Bruce Springsteen live, this time in Hershey Park, PA, "the land of candy."

There is one person on Earth that I know for a fact understands what Bruce means to me, and that is my big brother, David.  David and I have been to a bunch of Bruce shows over the years, beginning with a pilgrimage to Miami in 1985 for the "Born in the USA" tour.  For more than two decades, The Brothers Johnson have congregated for a rock and roll baptism led by the house-rocking, pants-dropping, brain-shocking, earth-quaking, booty-shaking, Viagra-taking, lovemaking, sexifying, electrifying E Street Band! So, it is only fitting that I attended this show with David.

  (David outside Charlottesville show)

Almost immediately upon arrival, it was obvious that this was not going to be an ordinary Springsteen show.  First of all, the setting was remarkable, almost surreal.  Getting to Hershey Park around 5:30 meant that while Bruce disciples were just starting to get antsy with anticipation, the adjacent amusement park was winding down for the day.  Balding, pudgy, young-at-heart fanatics heading one way and exhausted families toting leftover cotton candy and queezy stomachs slinking the other.  The show was, of course, sold out, which meant that a crowd of 30,000+ would be on-hand to see the first outdoor concert of the tour.

(see how excited I was?)

Hershey Park Stadium is an odd place, built in the 1950's and serves mostly as a high-school football stadium.  The facility itself is uh....shitty....with horrible bathrooms, narrow entrances, and only bleachers in the stands and folding chairs on the field.  But as Bruce proclaimed during the middle of "Working On A Dream," their mission was to "take desperate times and build them into a house of love...use the bad news and make it good news," so as soon as the house lights went off and the band walked on stage to chants of "Bruuuuuuce," that facility was incidental.

Tonight was Jay Weinberg's 2nd full show as the E Street drummer and just like his Dad, he brought the thunder.  In fact, the 18 year old (who bears a striking resemblance to Animal from Sesame Street) brought a level of energy and enthusiasm that you could tell even Bruce appreciated.  Jay's performance was impressive and provided yet another "sideshow" in this carnival of rock.  Patty was once again absent (cheers from some) from the band, but the addition of two background singers more than cover for her.  Clarence, sometimes sitting in a throne off to the side, was his usual awesome, especially during his whistling solo.

Bruce and the band played for nearly 3 hours and 27 songs, starting with the stadium anthem "Badlands" and finishing with a heartfelt "Bobby Jean."  Highlights included "Twist and Shout" (crowd request), "Trapped", "Rosalita," "Thunder Road", and of course "Born to Run."  As is becoming a live staple, Nils Lofgren wowed the crowd with a strong guitar solo during "The Ghost of Tom Joad," spinning, twisting, and squeezing every ounce of rock from his guitar.  Several times I felt that spine tingling, nearly tearful wave of emotion that I only feel with Bruce on stage and my brother nearby.  Two moments that get me every time: when "Thunder Road" breaks into the line "what else can we do now, except roll down the window and let the wind blow back your hair" and the anticipatory pause in "Born to Run" before Bruce screams "the highway's jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power-drive."  

It's hard to believe that Bruce is nearly 60 years old.  His energy would shame the youngest of rock bands.  Shit, its hard to believe I am 38 and David is 40.  But once again, my faith in the healing powers of music, brought to us by my longtime hero, rejuvenated my spirits and rocked my face off.

Now, about that horrible gas that David had on the way home.....

Setlist:

Badlands
Spirit In The Night
Outlaw Pete
Radio Nowhere
Out In The Street
Twist & Shout
Working On A Dream
Seeds
Johnny 99
The Ghost Of Tom Joad
Raise Your Hand
Give The Girl A Kiss
Trapped
Waiting On A Sunny Day
The Promised Land
Backstreets
Kingdom Of Days
Lonesome Day
The Rising
Born To Run

Hard Times
Thunder Road
Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
Land Of Hope And Dreams
American Land
Rosalita
Bobby Jean

Video from the show:

Outlaw Pete

Trapped

Thunder Road

Born To Run

The shirt I paid too much money for: