In what might be their final tour, Bruce Springsteen and the Legendary E Street Band performed at the Sommet Center in Nashville last night (November 18, 2009).
The concert was an anniversary present from my wife Wendy. I was quite pleased to receive the tickets, as I really like Bruce Springsteen. The evening started with a nice dinner downtown. By 'nice dinner' I mean we ate at Cadillac Ranch Bar and Grill in downtown Nashville. The live music was very good (as is usually the case just about anywhere you go in Nashville).
The Wait
The concert was scheduled to begin at 7:30. We arrived on time and were in our seats with a nice cold glass of beer a few minutes before the concert was to begin. Without a blow-by-blow recap of a very boring wait, we'll merely jump one hour ahead to when the concert actually started. A full hour late, Bruce took the stand and belted out his opening number.
The Concert
Once it began, the concert was a brilliant performance. Bruce, while not as wild and crazy as in the 70's and 80's, worked the crowd like a veteran performer. At times singing while literally standing in the audience, Bruce connected on a level that the fans loved. At one point he even crowd surfed!
The band played the entire 'Born to Run' album, which was beautifully done. One by one, the songs that take us back in time were performed as if they were brand new. Bruce loves to perform, and it is obvious by the ever-present smile on his face.
Later in the performance, Bruce took a dozen or so signs from the audience, each with the name of one of the band's songs prominently scrawled in large letters. He then would choose a song on one of the signs, which the band would then perform (essentially taking requests). It was an awesome thing to see the connection he had with the audience.
The concert lasted a total of a little over 2 1/2 hours. This is no small feat, as you can imagine. Think of running, playing, and singing for two hours straight-if you're like me you would be hoarse and have a very sore throat after that. Impressive, indeed, for a man in his 60's!
Conclusion
Despite the annoyance of a 1 hour wait for the concert to begin, Bruce Springsteen didn't fail to deliver an awesome performance, well worth the money spent on the tickets. If you have an opportunity to attend one of his concerts, don't hesitate. This is likely their final tour, so you aren't likely to have another opportunity. There is no doubt in my mind that you will be very pleased with the experience, just as we were.