16 stray observations from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at Chesapeake Energy Arena
As a new decade dawned and the ’70s said goodbye, Bruce Springsteen released his only double album to date, “The River.”
Eight years later, in 1988, I was born. Don’t let that fact lead you to discount my enthusiasm for The Boss’ set April 3 at Chesapeake Energy Arena. At 66, his energetic set convinced me and a crowd of thousands that Bruce remains in his prime. He jumped, sang, danced and even crowdsurfed his way through a three-plus hour set.
Fans of all ages stood up from their seats and danced along with the E Street Band as the performers pulled heavily from The Boss’ fourth album and celebrated its 35th birthday.
It was a wonderful show, but it was a little disheartening to see so many empty seats speckled throughout the venue. I had two seats on either side of me empty, too. Times are a little lean in Oklahoma right now with oil and gas layoffs, so it’s only appropriate for people to not wanna shell out $50 to $150 per ticket. Regardless, the arena was still mostly full, and patrons were ready to party.
Here are all my observations from Thunder Road:
When Springsteen addressed the crowd early in the set, he asked if we were ready to be transformed. I only wish he would have asked us what we wanted to turn into. I would’ve gladly gone with shark Transformer but ended up with entertained journalist by the end of the night.
My favorite thing about the show was when Springsteen stood still and delivered background details on the making of “The River.” The Boss called the album a coming-of-age record. During the album’s conception, the band lived in a marginal community in Asbury Park, N.J. Springsteen aimed to make a record that not only felt like the live show but also painted a portrait of his community.
The woman in front of me covered her ears for almost the entire night. Now, I bring earplugs to every show I attend because I’d rather not go deaf, but the volume of this show was intense. Wear protection at concerts, y’all. For whatever reason, the volume makes less and less sense every time I go to an arena show.
Has anyone done any scientific research on the amount of glee involved with watching a grown man strut around a stage playing the sax? Seeing Jake Clemons carry his uncle’s torch was a delight and had me smiling from ear to ear. It’ll never be the same without founding E Street Band member Clarence Clemons, but you can’t get any closer to the real thing. It was so great that I felt 25 again.
Springsteen does a great job playing to every section of the crowd. The stage was divided into three tiers so he could easily turn and play to a different part of the arena. He also had a walkway that went into the floor seats. That’s where Springsteen pulled an amazing crowdsurfing stunt that has to be the coolest trust fall I’ve ever seen.
If my math is correct, the band played 33 songs in a little over three hours. No opener. Insane.
Springsteen shared that “Independence Day” was his first song about fathers and sons. The track is about getting shocked by a parent’s humanity and learning they have wants and desires, too. It’s a song about being too young to understand the blessings that come with compromise. “The River” sure digs deep into humanity.
I got chills when Springsteen didn’t start singing the opening lines to “Hungry Heart.” That’s right, didn’t. Chills appeared when the entire crowd kicked off the song. Springsteen
approved.
Besides shredding on guitar, Springsteen also played maracas and harmonica.
“Cadillac Ranch” was a live “River” standout and a flavor of ranch salad dressing that I wouldn’t hesitate trying.
Okie musicians spotted in crowd: Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips, Dennis Coyne of Stardeath and White Dwarfs, Rachel Brashear and Andy Adams.
12. Merch What’s a trip to a concert without a stop at the merch booth? The most outrageous item? It’s actually a three-way tie between the $80 laptop bag, $25 water canteen and a $65 checkered shirt. Best value? The $10 enamel pin. I’m biased because I wore it all week.
As the “River” portion of the concert arrived at its close, Springsteen shared that the album is about time slipping away. When you grow up, a clock starts ticking, morality gets in the mix, and you try to do something good with the time you have. The woman sitting near me was an even more effective reminder of mortality. She was eating snacks out of Ziploc bags and sipping on Pedialyte.
14. Serious Among the hits Springsteen ended the concert with, he dedicated “Born to Run” to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. “Hungry Heart” is a great song, but hungry stomachs are no joke. It was a nice gesture. Hearing The Boss stack “Born to Run” and “Dancing in the Dark” back to back was a highlight of my existence. That would’ve been almost worth the $150 that the tickets in my section were going for.
Springsteen ended the night with “Bobby Jean,” but his cover of the Isley Brothers’ classic “Shout” was a fantastic way to say good night. A lot of the crowd stuck around hoping to catch an encore, but three hours of concert without a break was more than a fair share of the Boss. Also, Alison Krauss’ “Down to the River to Pray” played over the speakers as fans shuffled out. Nice touch.