Memorable concerts
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My dad loves to tell the story of having to literally make me go see Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band play Reunion Arena in Dallas on the Born in the USA tour. It was 1984, I was 13 and totally getting into X, Hüsker Dü, R.E.M. and The Replacements so I absolutely didn’t have any interest in seeing “the boss”. But he convinced me to go and it turned out to be one of the best concert experiences of my life. I learned how a performer could use storytelling to keep a huge audience engaged and wanting more. It’s a show I’ll never forget and made me a Bruce fan for life. And of course the band was insanely good.
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@SKT I saw Springsteen for the first time in Birmingham last year and it is one of the greatest gigs I’ve ever seen. He was brilliant and the band were outstanding.
I was buzzing for days afterwards. -
I’ve tried to go see him so many times but couldn’t get good tickets and didn’t wanna pay a couple hundred bucks for nosebleeds. He’s one of my very favorite musicians, can’t believe I’ve never been able to make it happen. I’ll keep trying!
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@popvulture @GraemeE I’ll get my thoughts together and post…lord knows I can’t be succinct. He’s one of my all time favorites too and I need to get the foggy details lined out.
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I know he’s one of those guys who, unless you happen to be super lucky and live in Asbury Park or somewhere he happens to play in some small club, you kind have to suck it up and see in an arena. I just really can’t stand those kind of shows — this is why, for example, I’ve never seen the Stones. I’ve been super lucky to get crazy close to some of my favorites in arena settings (AC/DC, Petty, Prince, Radiohead) but Bruce continues to elude me.
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There’s something about the joyful energy and passion Bruce brings to his performances. Seen him several times and he never disappointed me. Nothing but love on the stage with the E Street Band. It feels like a true family is up there doing what they love.
I’m a Springsteen fan, sure. Not a freak, and I don’t listen to him much at home, though I love it when his music comes on. But he’s on my Mt Rushmore of live performers. I challenge anyone to see the E Street band and leave without a smile on their face.
And he rips guitar solos and handles delicate solo performances with equal aplomb.
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goddammit @popvulture how dare you share joy and positivity ever so slightly off topic from what we were referencing
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I got into Steve Earle in 1985 when his “Guitar Town” album came out. I was really into Hüsker Dü, REM, and The Replacements but was surprisingly drawn to the “new traditionalists” in country music like Steve and Dwight Yoakum and Steve would become one of my favorite artists/songwriters. I’ve seen him live a handful of times but the memorable show happened in October of 2017 at a place called the Wildwood Springs Lodge in Steelville, MO. Small, intimate setting. My dad and I were sitting at the bar before the show and Steve comes over by us to get a cup of coffee so we start talking to him. He is an absolute character and the conversation went from guitars (he’s like talking to a guitar encyclopedia) to farms, Texas and finally to baseball, which turns out to be his real obsession. The Yankees are playing the Braves in the playoffs and he tells us this whole story about turning Emmylou Harris into a baseball junky (her team is the Braves). Anyway he was just really cool and we had a great time shooting the shit. Then he basically walked over and started the show. I think he’s a hell of a writer and I’ve always loved his stuff…and when I play an open mic, I know and play more of his songs than any other artist. Sometimes meeting one of your musical heroes isn’t all that bad. Apologies for the fuzzy pic. @GraemeE @popvulture
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@SKT man that is awesome! He seems like such a character for sure. So cool that you got to have a good chat with him.
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@SKT said in Memorable concerts:
when I play an open mic, I know and play more of his songs than any other artist
I filled in on guitar for a string of shows with a folksy-country band when i was around 20
One of my stipulations (beyond them agreeing to drop me in seattle once the run was over so I could hang out with my then gf/now wife) was that we had to include a cover of Mercenary Song in the set.
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@SKT Caught him on the " Born in the USA" tour as well in Seattle.
Was my first and only concert of his but it stayed with me for a long long time.
