THAT TIME WHEN I SAW BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
So something insane happened the other night night. My ultimate dream, which I have longed to happen for so many years, finally came true. I got to see Bruce Springsteen, The Boss himself, live in Manchester, one of my absolute favourite cities, at the Etihad stadium, which is insane enough as it is, and two days after my 20th birthday. If that's not amazing I don't know what is. I'm still in this weird state of shock, post-show. It's like my brain can't quite process the magnitude and amazingness of what I've been so very fortunate enough to bear witness to, nor can it understand how this longheld dream of mine has finally been made reality. Even during the show, I kept looking around, trying to take everything in and commit every last detail to memory, but the magnitude and importance of the moment kept dazzling me. I couldn't quite believe it was actually happening, and as the night went on, I knew that I would remember it for the rest of my life. I will always recall this night as being the best night of my life. I will remember it as the night when I experienced this joy and happiness and content and awe to an extent that I have never known before, and don't know if I ever will experience again. To put it simply, this night was incredible. I can die happy now. All is so, so good. So naturally I have to do so some excessive emotional splurging about it, as is only right, and try and preserve the moment, in all its sheer glory.
Till the other night happened, I'd been wanting to see Bruce for quite some time. I don't remember when I first truly connected with Bruce's music and proudly declared myself a fan, because I discovered Bruce in bits and pieces, strewn about here and there. So I had to put all the magical pieces together to create the bigger picture. It was reading a McFly tour programme, way back in 2004, which stated that my favourite band member Danny loved Bruce, and 8 year old me wondering who this guy with the cool surname was. It was discovering Mary's Place on my Dad's iPod, way back when. It was coming across the video for Dancing In The Dark on MTV, with Courtney Cox dancing across the stage at the end. It was finding this Mat Kearney cover of Dancing In The Dark on You Tube and listening to it on repeat on the bus to college. It was trawling through my Dad's record collection and finding all these Bruce Springsteen albums. It was reading about him in music magazines. And then it was listening to the Greatest Hits album my Dad owns, both discs all the way through, and suddenly feeling this surging connection and identification with what I was hearing, and realising that it was one of the best things I had ever heard in my whole entire life. And then, you know what they say, the rest is history,
I remember this one time, I was trying to write down on an old blog I had, just why I liked The Boss so much. I was trying to pinpoint exactly why I loved both him and his music so much, but I couldn't quite explain it, or put it into words. I didn't even know why for myself. Bruce's music is like this whole other entity that can't be defined or categorised or even spoken about. Nothing you say or do reflects or captures the magic. Nothing will do it justice. Nothing will convey to another person the magnificence and etherealness of his music. You can try, and you can succeed with some marginal success, but the only way to truly make somebody understand why so many millions of people essentially worship this amazing man, and how he fills stadiums to the brim, right across the world, is by getting them to listen to his music. Once you hear these songs, it does something really funny to you. It changes you as a person, very subtly but significantly, and you can't re-trace those steps, and honestly, you don't really want to either. The Boss is in a whole other league of his own, and he takes you right along with him.
When you listen to his music, I think the best word to describe it is glorious. Everything about it is glorious through and through. Every last little part. It has great depth, richness, soul. The lyrics are narratives that can be honest, poignant, emotive, or on the converse, they can be filled with great hope, immenseness, power. They're real, and so beautifully written too. You can't help but feel something when you listen. It's like Bruce's lyrics wire straight up to your heart and soul and electrifies them with this amazing energy. And then you put them against that magnificent cascading waterfall of incredible music, courtesy of his mega talented E-Street Band where each instrument seems to talk and converse with one another in melodious harmony... And then you're so overcome with feeling, energy, soul, because this marriage of music and lyrics was surely crafted somewhere in heaven, that you literally feel poised to explode. So you sing and you tap your feet and you fist pump the air and you dance around, and you close your eyes to further the connection, and your fingertips play along to the invisible rhythm, and your thoughts switch off, and in that moment, you've never felt more alive. Nor have you felt more in debt to the incredible musician orchestrating it all: Bruce Springsteen.
When I realised how much Bruce's music meant to me, and how special and alive it made me feel, and the hope it gave me, it made me realise that I really, really, really wanted the chance to see him live. I had to hear these songs live with my own two ears. I had to see this hero of mine stood right before me, with my very own eyes. I had to be in that magical atmosphere Bruce creates around him. I had to listen to his E-Street band bring these iconic, timeless songs to life. I had to follow this sparkling curiosity to see how the magic so prevalent in recordings of his music translated on stage. I had to see him put on a show. However because of my young age, I wasn't around when Bruce was at the absolute peak of his juggernaut of success. I wasn't around when he was actually crafting and releasing these now classic songs into the world for the first time. I wasn't there to witness him building his career up, piece by piece, into what it is today. I missed it all. And when I finally discovered Bruce, he was into his 60's. He was already a legend of unparalleled and unrivalled heights. He didn't even need to tour any more, and when he did, his global superstar status meant his tours were worldwide, infrequent, limited. I didn't even know if he would ever come back to the UK, or if he would ever tour again, or ever release more music. My dream of seeing Bruce and his E-Street band perform was just that: a dream. And I had no idea if it would ever come true. If my stars would ever align. If that immense luck, and priceless once-in-a-lifetime opportunity would ever come my way.
To an extent, I think I'd accepted that it might never happen. And that was okay. Even having his brilliant back catalogue to listen to for the rest of my days was enough. But then the unthinkable, the unbelievable, the unspeakable happened, and in a stroke of pure luck, my Dad managed to get tickets. My dream finally came true. And then the other night happened, and if I thought I loved Bruce already, well now I'm pretty convinced he's an otherworldly creation sent down from the heavens to turn this life into a life worth living. When my housemate asked me how the concert was the following morning, I was unable to formulate or articulate anything. I just made a weird high pitched noise and flung my arms around and danced around on the spot. I think she got the jist of it, or there abouts. Because that's the thing. If you listen to Bruce's music, and think he's pretty mind blowing and dazzling on record, as are you pretty sure he really is The Boss, when you see him live it's something else entirely. It goes beyond anything you will ever know or witness.
On Wednesday, in true Manchester fashion, it was chucking it down all day long and well into the evening too. It was cold. A bit miserable. A bit iffy. Yet all these thousands upon thousands of people traipsed down to the Etihad, over on the left side of town, and poured into the gigantic stadium. And within a couple of hours it was full to the brim. And it kept on raining, and it kept on being cold, and we were all drinking cups of tea to keep us warm. And I had high hopes for the concert, of course I did, but o.m.g I was not even remotely prepared for what I was about to witness. When Bruce came on to the stage with his E-Street band, everyone went nuts, and I had to keep telling myself this moment was real. There was Bruce, right in front of me. And then the first song they played was the beautiful Atlantic City, which is a long time favourite of mine, and I really do think I died and went to heaven. I was so overcome with emotion and awe and admiration, that my brain didn't even know how to process it. I was fangirling so hard.
The songs were fleshed out with a magnitude and richness that recording equipment just can't capture. They became masterpieces, expertly executed. The crowd was electric. The setlist went on for 3 hours, and Bruce didn't stop once. He effortlessly transitioned between songs with such energy, grace, professionalism. He went here, there and everywhere without even pausing for breath, which at 66 years of age is just incredible. He collaborated with his fellow musicians in a harmonious and endearing partnership, consequently putting on a display of utterly breathtaking musicianship. Bruce was a true gentleman; polite, witty, humble. He spontaneously asked a man dressed as Santa in the crowd, to come up on the stage to sing Santa Clause Is Coming To Town, even though it was May. He sang my ultimate favourite, Waiting On A Sunny Day, because a young girl bore a placard requesting it, and he came into the crowd just so she could sing the chorus. It was utterly magical. And towards the end of the mammoth show, he requested everybody stand up and wave their arms, dance, sing, as he played hits like Dancing In The Dark, Born To Run, Glory In The Days and Born in the USA. And the whole stadium, literally every single last person was on their feet singing and dancing in unison, having the time of their life. I looked down at the people standing and they were all singing and dancing with one another in the rain, and the atmosphere was unlike anything I've ever known. Everyone was so happy and alive. It really was so utterly magical and joyful.
And I think for me personally, the absolute best part was that throughout the entire set, Bruce never stopped smiling once. His face in the photo above is one I took because I felt so compelled to capture his evident joy and contentment. I don't think I've ever been to a concert where the artist just looks so happy to be there, having the time of their life and playing their songs with a timeless, genuine enthusiasm, even though they've played them countless times before. Where the artist and their fans mutually feed off each other's energy and passion in a continuous cycle, each giving back to the other. Where as a fan, you feel like the artist you're watching is so genuinely pleased to be there, performing and sharing this magical, unique, unifying experience with you, that they're as fulfilled as you are. Both your souls more than satisfied. It's so rare, and it just goes to show even more, how one of a kind Bruce Springsteen is as a musician, entertainer, performer and human being. An indescribably lovely, kind, gorgeous soul, and I will always thank my lucky stars that this amazing, once in a lifetime experience happened to me. And if you ever have the chance to see Bruce live, dear readers, do not even hesitate about saying yes. I urge you with every ounce of my being, to say yes, and experience his magic, brilliance, humility and musicianship for yourself.
Till the other night happened, I'd been wanting to see Bruce for quite some time. I don't remember when I first truly connected with Bruce's music and proudly declared myself a fan, because I discovered Bruce in bits and pieces, strewn about here and there. So I had to put all the magical pieces together to create the bigger picture. It was reading a McFly tour programme, way back in 2004, which stated that my favourite band member Danny loved Bruce, and 8 year old me wondering who this guy with the cool surname was. It was discovering Mary's Place on my Dad's iPod, way back when. It was coming across the video for Dancing In The Dark on MTV, with Courtney Cox dancing across the stage at the end. It was finding this Mat Kearney cover of Dancing In The Dark on You Tube and listening to it on repeat on the bus to college. It was trawling through my Dad's record collection and finding all these Bruce Springsteen albums. It was reading about him in music magazines. And then it was listening to the Greatest Hits album my Dad owns, both discs all the way through, and suddenly feeling this surging connection and identification with what I was hearing, and realising that it was one of the best things I had ever heard in my whole entire life. And then, you know what they say, the rest is history,
I remember this one time, I was trying to write down on an old blog I had, just why I liked The Boss so much. I was trying to pinpoint exactly why I loved both him and his music so much, but I couldn't quite explain it, or put it into words. I didn't even know why for myself. Bruce's music is like this whole other entity that can't be defined or categorised or even spoken about. Nothing you say or do reflects or captures the magic. Nothing will do it justice. Nothing will convey to another person the magnificence and etherealness of his music. You can try, and you can succeed with some marginal success, but the only way to truly make somebody understand why so many millions of people essentially worship this amazing man, and how he fills stadiums to the brim, right across the world, is by getting them to listen to his music. Once you hear these songs, it does something really funny to you. It changes you as a person, very subtly but significantly, and you can't re-trace those steps, and honestly, you don't really want to either. The Boss is in a whole other league of his own, and he takes you right along with him.
When you listen to his music, I think the best word to describe it is glorious. Everything about it is glorious through and through. Every last little part. It has great depth, richness, soul. The lyrics are narratives that can be honest, poignant, emotive, or on the converse, they can be filled with great hope, immenseness, power. They're real, and so beautifully written too. You can't help but feel something when you listen. It's like Bruce's lyrics wire straight up to your heart and soul and electrifies them with this amazing energy. And then you put them against that magnificent cascading waterfall of incredible music, courtesy of his mega talented E-Street Band where each instrument seems to talk and converse with one another in melodious harmony... And then you're so overcome with feeling, energy, soul, because this marriage of music and lyrics was surely crafted somewhere in heaven, that you literally feel poised to explode. So you sing and you tap your feet and you fist pump the air and you dance around, and you close your eyes to further the connection, and your fingertips play along to the invisible rhythm, and your thoughts switch off, and in that moment, you've never felt more alive. Nor have you felt more in debt to the incredible musician orchestrating it all: Bruce Springsteen.
When I realised how much Bruce's music meant to me, and how special and alive it made me feel, and the hope it gave me, it made me realise that I really, really, really wanted the chance to see him live. I had to hear these songs live with my own two ears. I had to see this hero of mine stood right before me, with my very own eyes. I had to be in that magical atmosphere Bruce creates around him. I had to listen to his E-Street band bring these iconic, timeless songs to life. I had to follow this sparkling curiosity to see how the magic so prevalent in recordings of his music translated on stage. I had to see him put on a show. However because of my young age, I wasn't around when Bruce was at the absolute peak of his juggernaut of success. I wasn't around when he was actually crafting and releasing these now classic songs into the world for the first time. I wasn't there to witness him building his career up, piece by piece, into what it is today. I missed it all. And when I finally discovered Bruce, he was into his 60's. He was already a legend of unparalleled and unrivalled heights. He didn't even need to tour any more, and when he did, his global superstar status meant his tours were worldwide, infrequent, limited. I didn't even know if he would ever come back to the UK, or if he would ever tour again, or ever release more music. My dream of seeing Bruce and his E-Street band perform was just that: a dream. And I had no idea if it would ever come true. If my stars would ever align. If that immense luck, and priceless once-in-a-lifetime opportunity would ever come my way.
To an extent, I think I'd accepted that it might never happen. And that was okay. Even having his brilliant back catalogue to listen to for the rest of my days was enough. But then the unthinkable, the unbelievable, the unspeakable happened, and in a stroke of pure luck, my Dad managed to get tickets. My dream finally came true. And then the other night happened, and if I thought I loved Bruce already, well now I'm pretty convinced he's an otherworldly creation sent down from the heavens to turn this life into a life worth living. When my housemate asked me how the concert was the following morning, I was unable to formulate or articulate anything. I just made a weird high pitched noise and flung my arms around and danced around on the spot. I think she got the jist of it, or there abouts. Because that's the thing. If you listen to Bruce's music, and think he's pretty mind blowing and dazzling on record, as are you pretty sure he really is The Boss, when you see him live it's something else entirely. It goes beyond anything you will ever know or witness.
On Wednesday, in true Manchester fashion, it was chucking it down all day long and well into the evening too. It was cold. A bit miserable. A bit iffy. Yet all these thousands upon thousands of people traipsed down to the Etihad, over on the left side of town, and poured into the gigantic stadium. And within a couple of hours it was full to the brim. And it kept on raining, and it kept on being cold, and we were all drinking cups of tea to keep us warm. And I had high hopes for the concert, of course I did, but o.m.g I was not even remotely prepared for what I was about to witness. When Bruce came on to the stage with his E-Street band, everyone went nuts, and I had to keep telling myself this moment was real. There was Bruce, right in front of me. And then the first song they played was the beautiful Atlantic City, which is a long time favourite of mine, and I really do think I died and went to heaven. I was so overcome with emotion and awe and admiration, that my brain didn't even know how to process it. I was fangirling so hard.
The songs were fleshed out with a magnitude and richness that recording equipment just can't capture. They became masterpieces, expertly executed. The crowd was electric. The setlist went on for 3 hours, and Bruce didn't stop once. He effortlessly transitioned between songs with such energy, grace, professionalism. He went here, there and everywhere without even pausing for breath, which at 66 years of age is just incredible. He collaborated with his fellow musicians in a harmonious and endearing partnership, consequently putting on a display of utterly breathtaking musicianship. Bruce was a true gentleman; polite, witty, humble. He spontaneously asked a man dressed as Santa in the crowd, to come up on the stage to sing Santa Clause Is Coming To Town, even though it was May. He sang my ultimate favourite, Waiting On A Sunny Day, because a young girl bore a placard requesting it, and he came into the crowd just so she could sing the chorus. It was utterly magical. And towards the end of the mammoth show, he requested everybody stand up and wave their arms, dance, sing, as he played hits like Dancing In The Dark, Born To Run, Glory In The Days and Born in the USA. And the whole stadium, literally every single last person was on their feet singing and dancing in unison, having the time of their life. I looked down at the people standing and they were all singing and dancing with one another in the rain, and the atmosphere was unlike anything I've ever known. Everyone was so happy and alive. It really was so utterly magical and joyful.
And I think for me personally, the absolute best part was that throughout the entire set, Bruce never stopped smiling once. His face in the photo above is one I took because I felt so compelled to capture his evident joy and contentment. I don't think I've ever been to a concert where the artist just looks so happy to be there, having the time of their life and playing their songs with a timeless, genuine enthusiasm, even though they've played them countless times before. Where the artist and their fans mutually feed off each other's energy and passion in a continuous cycle, each giving back to the other. Where as a fan, you feel like the artist you're watching is so genuinely pleased to be there, performing and sharing this magical, unique, unifying experience with you, that they're as fulfilled as you are. Both your souls more than satisfied. It's so rare, and it just goes to show even more, how one of a kind Bruce Springsteen is as a musician, entertainer, performer and human being. An indescribably lovely, kind, gorgeous soul, and I will always thank my lucky stars that this amazing, once in a lifetime experience happened to me. And if you ever have the chance to see Bruce live, dear readers, do not even hesitate about saying yes. I urge you with every ounce of my being, to say yes, and experience his magic, brilliance, humility and musicianship for yourself.
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