Tuesday I got to witness "The Boss" rock the faces off of Cleveland. This was my second time seeing Bruce, but my first in the pit! Me and the boyfriend (not a Springsteen fan) well me, decided that I would try to participate in the lotto that they do to gain access to the special first pit area. I read online about how to do it and thought I had a good idea of what was going on, but it was a mess. It was ridiculous and I'm pretty sure Martin probably wanted to murder me. We show up at 4:00 and surprisingly got 2 of the last few wristbands/numbers that they were giving out. They said they would draw in a half hour, so we skipped out on going to the Winking Lizard to eat. (We were both completely starving already) We figured we'd eventually be able to eat after the numbers were picked and all that jazz. We were numbers 838 and 839. Everyone had an equal chance to get picked. They drew one number and pretty much 400 people behind that number would get to be in the first pit. (They really never said that until after the number was picked) They picked number 432... We were 6 people away from being in the first pit! I was mad that I had just wasted (now) 2 hours starving, for something that was stupid and very poorly organized. They didn't even really make anything clear. You had 900+ people walking around trying to get in numerical order in these chalked up lanes. 900+ people.. You can imagine the madness. People are idiots these days too. Me and Martin made due of the situation and pretty much just started cracking jokes about all of the stupid idiotic people that were running the lotto or trying to figure out where there places were in line. We also made some cracks on the "Woo" girls beside us. I take it we were pretty funny because we made a few friends in line. The main leader guy, who BTW looked like a total D-bag, decided to use a megaphone to mumble the rules/ whatever the hell he was saying. No one could here him. Whatever. After the number was drawn it took another hour and a half to run the 400 people through security and triple check the wristband number. We weren't sure what all was going on, or how we would get into the GA area. Nobody was leaving so we just stuck around.. (Martin was actually still being nice at this point. We were both hungry and him not even caring about Springsteen was a good enough excuse for him to absolutely hate me for all of this.) Well it turns out the people after the winning pool got first access to the second pit. We were the 6th and 7th people after, so we got right up against the middle platform Bruce uses for a few songs. I knew I'd be able to touch Bruce a lot! So we had our places. We couldn't leave or we'd definitely lose our front row spot. It was 6:30 at this point. Show was supposed to start at 7:30. I'm sure Martin was pissed. Haha. We figured since we didn't win the lotto we could go eat and just get into the GA spot when doors opened. Nope. The show didn't start until 8:30.. So we have now been standing 4.5 hours. No food and only one bottle of $4.25 Aquafina. I'm soooooo happy Martin was a good sport about all of this. I do feel really bad because I have been super hormonal and womanly mean to him lately. Then he goes around and always has to be the perfect sweet boyfriend that puts up with my obsession for another man. :/ (Girlfriend fail)
Ok so the show?
I'm already sore before he's even on stage.. He plays 3 hour shows. It's going to be a loooooooooong night. BUT I am going to have Bruce Springsteen in my face! Totally worth it.
Now, this is the first tour since the passing of Big Man. There was no shiny sax braced up in the front of the stage. No shiny anything. It was sad. Bruce walked out alone. No Big Man by his side. I'm sure that has to be hard. Clarence's nephew has filled the spot. It was a wise choice. Fans really warmed up to him instantly. He's good. Really good. He also isn't shy. He wasn't afraid to be up on the stage playing for Bruce Springsteen. Apparently he has inherited some of his Uncle's qualities. He looks really young. Definitely can't be over 25. When he played Clarence's solo's the crowd went wild. I was shocked to see such a positive reaction. He opened up with Badlands. A good song to introduce the new sax. The setlist was really good. He isn't doing the same songs every night, so I had no clue what he would be playing. I was worried he'd play his really old stuff that I'm not really familiar with, but he didn't. I knew almost every song he played.
About 4 or 5 songs into the show he made his way to the middle platform.. Singing Waitin' on a sunny day.. At this point Bruce is right in my face. I can reach up and touch him. (I do) I grab at his hand as he's making his way into the audience to kidnap a little girl to sing with. It was super sweaty. Not that I care really. He brings up this little girl who can actually sing really well and has zero stage fright. He whispers things for her to say in her ear and then carries her back up to the main stage where they both do a knee slide. Lucky ass kid.
The night continues and he makes his way to the middle stage for 6345789. I actually get to rub up and down his leg for at least a minute. I couldn't really get passed his boot so I had to keep going up until I finally felt some leg. He then chugs a beer and then another.. I end up wearing a good amount of his sweat and beer. Really didn't even bug me.. Haha.. He then dives backwards into the crowd and surfs back up to the stage. This night is awesome!
He sang Racing in the Street and Because the Night. 2 of my favs. He also sang a lot of his newer stuff which I am only a little bit familiar with. I like it a lot better now that I saw it live, though. His new album I was still on the fence about. Now I like it. The last song came on. Tenth Ave. Freeze Out. Now I googled the Clarence tribute thing, so I knew what was going to happen during the song. I however did not know it was performed on the middle stage where I was standing. What an absolute treat.
"Now this is the important part!" (end instruments) Bruce's voice changed to a really serious tone "When the change was made up town and the BIG MAN joined the band." (Bruce stands with his hand in the air, pointing to the screens where a slideshow of Clarence is playing.) He doesn't move. His eyes are fixed on the screen. I see his nose running but honestly couldn't tell if it was sweat or not. The fans are cheering for Big Man. He is missed. I couldn't help but to watch Bruce. I'm a sucker for emotional stuff like this. It's hard to watch all the slideshow of Bruce and Clarence hugging and having a grand old time together. Scooter and the Big Man! I love them both so much!.. I miss Clarence. I kind of feel like I knew him personally. He was just that spirited I guess. So Bruce lets the slideshow end and then faces the audience and motions a thank you to his fans. I think he closed his eyes and said a prayer in there too. He kind of gathers himself and motions for Clarence's nephew to jump into the sax solo. It was a beautiful moment and I am honored to have been that close and "in" it. RIP Big Man.
So that was the end. The show was excellent. "Sexual organ stimulating" in Bruce's words. As always The E Street Band delivered! I feel Little Stevie Van Zandt wasn't showcased enough, but maybe he was ill or something. Maybe hungover or fighting with Bruce? Nils had a pretty epic spinning guitar solo during Youngstown. I'm glad Martin got to witness that. A Nils solo is always a treat. Patti (Bruce's wife and guitar player/singer) wasn't there again... I think she must hate Cleveland. Bruce said she was home keeping the kids out of their drug stash. :) haha.
Then we had Steak and Shake and the Boyfriend was a happy little camper finally. (Although I had proof of him actually waving his hands for Tenth Ave Freeze out..) Thank you youtube poster.. :)
I took 3 videos of the Boss right on the middle platform. They are on my youtube and facebook. Youtube name is incrediblemaiden if you want to take a look.
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