Tramps like….me!

 

Part 1

 

I remember reading, back when I first started to get into Springsteen, that a true fan is called a tramp and you don’t get to call yourself that unless you’ve been to (at the very least) one live show.

I always felt the sting of that (though, I know people who have seen him live and don’t even consider themselves fans). I have almost his entire recorded output and multiple live shows both in bootleg and official download formats in my collection and know his entire catalogue back to front but I knew I could never call myself a true fan until I’d had my live cherry popped.

Well slap my arse and call me tramp because on Thursday night I earned my E Street stripes. The band played Melbourne on the 2/2 and I was there at AAMI Park to witness the glory that is the heart-stopping, pants-dropping, house-rocking, earth-quaking, BOOTY-SHAKING, Viagra-taking, love-making, le-gen-dary E – Street – Band !!!!

It was a fantastic gig in so many ways. Most importantly to me, the show featured a stripped down classic E Street lineup. In recent times the live band has grown somewhat bloated with just too many people on stage to keep track of. This was a far leaner and meaner version akin to the lineup of the late 70s and early 80s and the songs really shone because of this treatment.

It was a return to an edgier and rawer sound that I fucking loved. Springsteen played guitar like the shredder he once was and Stevie was right there with him inhabiting the lower to middle registers while Bruce’s guitar tore through the shriller high tones. Nils, of course, can play circles around them both and he proved it by playing a solo while spinning round like a dervish on one foot.

I was entirely unprepared for just how moved I would be by the appearance of The Boss on the stage. The moment his smiling face appeared on the monitors I broke into an insane monkey grin which lasted until Promised land at which point, the tears began to flow.

The next emotional highpoint was New York City Serenade which was so beautiful it had me close tears again. The use of a string section (fast becoming standard on Springsteen tours) was absolutely perfect in the context of this E Street Shuffle era number. The effect, as you can see in the clip bellow, was simply stunning.

I believe that, up to this show, The Boss has been using Serenade as his opener but on this particular night he decided to use the opening slot for one of his trademark political statements and played Don’t Hang Up by fairly obscure Philly 60’s outfit The Orlons.

He got political again when he played a solo acoustic version of Long Walk Home. When he got to the lines, you know flag flying over the courthouse/ Means certain things are set in stone/ Who we are, what we’ll do and what we won’t, the crowd cheered their support, letting the Boss know they got his point.

I’d prayed that we’d get something off Nebraska and those prayers were answered with both Johnny 99 and Atlantic City – heaven on a stick.

Other absolute highlights included The Ties That Bind, Murder Incorporated, and Because the Night.

Here is the entire set list:

1. Don’t Hang Up (solo acoustic) (The Orlons cover)
2. American Land
3. The Ties That Bind
4. No Surrender
5. Two Hearts
6. The Promised Land
7. Glory Days
8. Hungry Heart
9. Wrecking Ball
10. New York City Serenade
11. Atlantic City
12. Johnny 99
13. Murder Incorporated
14. Death to My Hometown
15. The River
16. Mary’s Place
17. Darlington County
18. Working on the Highway
19. I’m on Fire
20. Because the Night
21. The Rising
22. Badlands
23. Land of Hope and Dreams

24. Long Walk Home (acoustic)
25. Born to Run
26. Dancing in the Dark
27. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
28. Shout
29. Twist and Shout

This was a dream come true for thousands of Melbournians on this perfect summer’s night. I could not have asked for a more complete Springsteen experience (except, of course, if Patti had also been present). I’ll be covering night two in my next post.

That’s right, night two!!

Words and images are my own.

©2017