From: owner-luckytown-digest@luckytown.org (LuckyTown Digest) To: luckytown-digest@luckytown.org Subject: LuckyTown Digest V9 #58 Reply-To: luckytown@luckytown.org Sender: owner-luckytown-digest@luckytown.org Errors-To: owner-luckytown-digest@luckytown.org Precedence: bulk LuckyTown Digest Wednesday, August 7 2002 Volume 09 : Number 058 NOTE: Sale/trade posts should be emailed to luckytown-ads, *NOT* to luckytown. That includes tix wanted/tix grovels, post them to luckytown-ads, please. Contents: Last Shakedown (Continental Airlines Arena, 8/5/02) [Matthew Orel ] Wednesday [ALateJuliet@aol.com] Cover of the Rolling Stone [Rona Hampton ] Vintage Guitar [SANDKB@aol.com] The Rising number one in Finland ! [Virta Jyrki ] Further On (to The Fuse) ["Jeff Andriesse" ] my response to David Skinner [Radiogrl1@aol.com] Songs you don't like [billellenconlon@webtv.net (William Conlon)] Re: LuckyTown Digest V9 #56 [Tonythekid@aol.com] Opinion column in NJ paper ["Sullivan, Ann" ] Immediate reactions.... [Deb Murphy ] Second Look [Patrick Clark ] Re: Too much criticism [NSesta1687@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 06 Aug 2002 23:12:55 -0400 From: Matthew Orel Subject: Last Shakedown (Continental Airlines Arena, 8/5/02) Last night Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed their last rehearsal show for the upcoming 'barnstorming' tour, at the Continental Airlines Arena. To the list of improbable Bruce events I've seen, this ranks well up there. When we got in, we noticed that from time to time the security folks were letting people with General Admission tickets up into a couple of sections of seats. We made our way over, and in the third big wave we were allowed to ascend. We settled halfway up section 109 to take in the show. The band hit the stage a little after 7:30. Bruce announced, "I haven't seen a crowd this size since Little Rock, Arkansas, on the last tour... and I think it's the same people!" He then launched into renditions of "The Rising" and "Lonesome Day" that were both infinitely better than what most of us witnessed on TV last week. Bruce seemed relaxed, his voice was in fine form, and, for the most part, he and the band showed that they are ready for this tour. Almost from the beginning, the little details emerged. In "The Rising," Nils helped Bruce out by singing the "dream of life" lines in the final verse; I believe Bruce did at least one as well. "Lonesome Day" featured a part I hadn't noticed before -- Clarence on baritone sax near the end. The sound system is much improved over the reunion tour; crisp and clean virtually throughout ("Worlds Apart" being a notable exception). We also noticed a wrist-band system for the fron area of the floor; this appeared similar to the "jailbait" system in the reunion tour. It appeared to us that anyone not in that front floor section was hearing the show more than they were seeing it. "Prove It All Night" brought the first loud ovation of the evening; it seems to me that ovations for only the oldies may become a problem on this tour. For me, the choice of oldies were somewhat disappointing -- all were staples of the reunion tour, and for the most part were presented with very similar arrangements. The show is loosely structured around the more explicit 9/11 songs. Bookended by "The Rising" and "Into the Fire"; the slow section featured powerful renditions of "Empty Sky" and "You're Missing," back to back. "Empty Sky" is particularly gorgeous and heartbreaking; starting with Bruce in falsetto with Patti, and eventually adding in Stevie on mandolin, and then Nils and Max; the overall effect was ethereal. "You're Missing," featuring Soozie Tyrell is viola, was closer to the album version. The new band introduction song is "Mary's Place." This song now is also perhaps a bit more explicit about its sense of loss; before the final verse a repeated chorus of "I been missing you" has been added. Bruce introduced the band as the house band for the house party. The line "familiar faces surround me" got the first -- perhaps only -- loud cheer for any of the new songs on the night. The weakest spot of the show had to be "Waiting on a Sunny Day." Starting off with 4 acoustic guitars, then moving to full rock, then into sing-along mode, the song never really got going and the band didn't seem tight on it. Song transitions -- especially between new and old songs -- were rough. "Badlands" into "Mary's Place" was particularly jarring to me, but then I never much cared for "Badlands" going into "Out in the Street," either. The biggest surprise for me was the overall quality of the singing. 5-part and even 6-part harmonies in several songs, with good detail -- and good singing. I loved watching Soozie play and sing; I'd like to see more of her during the older songs. I also enjoyed seeing the wide range of instruments, including what may be the first use of banjo by the E Street Band (Nils, during "Worlds Apart"). This is a brave show. Of 21 songs played last night, 11 are new, and they're not all packed together. "American Skin" remains in the setlist - -- right before "Into the Fire." And, at least for now, it's coming in at less than 2 and a half hours. Last night's concert benefitted the New Jersey Interfaith Partnership for Disaster Recovery. - --Matt ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Aug 2002 04:49:02 -0400 From: "DANIMA Technologies Inc." Subject: More than just 9/11 I've now had the album for a week and I feel the 40 or so listens that I've had (some intense, some mere background listening) have given me the distance I need to finally comment on the album. In the last Digest someone motioned that people were calling songs clunkers after 2 days of listening and I agree that you need to give an album some time to grow on you and to really sink in. First and second listens only provide reactionary comments. After a full week of listening and a week of reading countless reviews, I can say that I really think this is one of Bruce's best pieces of work. Not his best, but it is incredibly diverse, both musically and lyrically. The different forms of music and the various perspectives really make this a strong album from front to back (geez, that was old school, eh?). I don't want to break down every song...others already have and others will do it much better than me...but I think all songs stand on their own. I often catch myself just wanting to hear one song a few times over and over...other times I want the experience of the whole disc. The stand outs on this album from my perspective are "Lonesome Day", "Counting On A Miracle", "Waiting On A Sunny Day" (great song on a Sunny Friday afternoon heading home from work), "Further Up The Road" and "Empty Sky". The songs that took the longest to grow on me seemed to be the songs that everybody raved about; "Paradise", "World's Apart", and "The Fuse". Great songs...but all the hype about how these were so amazing were lost on me the first few listens. Now I get them. Now I really enjoy them...I guess I was expecting something else (that's what reading reviews before you listen yourself can do). The most underrated songs to me are "Nothing Man" and "Counting On A Miracle". Rosalita??? I have to say, however, I don't get the Rosalita/Mary's Place connection. It's not even close....not a bit. It's a great semi-upbeat song....but Rosalita it is not. We have to deal with the fact that we may never hear the likes of Rosalita and Jungleland again. But who wants to, really? Do you want it to be like Bob Seger who puts out songs that all sound like they should be on Night Moves or Stranger In Town?? I don't. I love the fact that this album is so different in comparison to his other work. Sure, there's the Human Touch (or disc 4 of Tracks) similarities in a few songs. And if you reach really hard you'll find other similarities...maybe. But IMHO this is a more mature Bruce. It's a more mature E Street Band. And I LIKE it! Clarence's absence? This one gets me too. What do people want...another BITUSA....another Born To Run. Clarence is there, albeit in a different fashion. He's not driving in with the big solo...but folks...the big Sax solo was very '80's. I love it too. Don't get me wrong. I love the horns. I love the Big Man's solos...but it's nice to have it a bit more subtle. Hell, there's 3 pretty good guitar players on this disc....and no ones complaining that there aren't many Jimmy Page-like solos? There's also not a lot of Harmonica...but that can get over-played too. I do like the way the musicians talents are spread out on this disc. The more I listen, the more I pick out some great subtleties in the songs that are very well positioned. Great work! More than just 9/11 Sure..with all of the hype about this being a 9/11 tribute it is easy to see how all the songs stem from that moment in time and how the songs are wrapped in the emotion of the fall-out from that tragedy. But they are much, much more than 9/11. Last year I almost lost my wife to the mistake of an incompetent surgeon (Bruce is right "the taste on your tongue don't easily slip away"). For 3 months she fought for her life in a local hospital and every night I went home to an empty house and slept in an empty bed. Ironically, my wife was released from the hospital on Sept 12th. When I first listened to the album I listened for the 9/11 references. Now I listen to the songs and many of them hit much closer to home. Though I didn't lose my wife (Thank God) it was very close and songs like Your Missing and Counting on a Miracle have certain lines that really take me back to that place and to those feelings. When I go through tough times I tend to write (poems, songs) and when I look back to last summer I wrote about missing, faith, hope, miracles.....very similar. The feeling of revenge was also something that I wrestled with. Not a day went by that I didn't want to take a trip out of town and visit he S.O.B. The line about courage and the Pearl & Silver on the night table...man, that leaves chills down my spine. It's a great disc and it is definitely broader than just 9/11. The songs are great songs of hope that we can use to help us get through many of the events we'll face in our lives. I know I wish I had them last summer...but I'll take them now!!! Personally, I can't stop listening. I had a few moments when I would skip over songs like Let's Be Friends and World's Apart...but not anymore. To this day I skip over Cover Me and BITUSA when I throw on that disc....but I don't see that happening here. I also have to say that if you get the volume and crank up Further Up The Road and Lonesome Day you'll see that the man has not lost the power.....throw those 2 in with Murder Inc. live and you've got one hell of a 20 minute "hootin' Annie". Bruce...if you actually read any of this...thanks for the music. It comes at a great time and once again has reached in and found meaning in peoples lives...mine included! Enjoy the music....enjoy the shows....and I'll see ya'll further on up the road! Dave Rotella Jr. DANIMA Technologies Inc. "For all of your E-business needs" www.danima.com [text/html attachment deleted] ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Aug 2002 00:37:45 EDT From: ALateJuliet@aol.com Subject: Wednesday It's almost time! Can you stand it? I hope to see some old friends tomorrow and meet some new ones! Come say hello - I'll be parked in C23. Red Honda CRV, and I'll have an exact replica of the banner that hung from the Arena in '99 hanging from my car or a picnic table (BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND - 15 SHOWS - SOLD OUT). Goodnite, it's alright! Linda [text/html attachment deleted] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 06 Aug 2002 16:18:25 -0700 From: Rona Hampton Subject: Cover of the Rolling Stone Bruce is on the cover of the next issue. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 06 Aug 2002 23:29:03 -0400 From: SANDKB@aol.com Subject: Vintage Guitar If anyone is interested, Bruce is on the cover of Vintage Guitar's September issue. Steve ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 6 Aug 2002 17:23:23 +0300 From: Virta Jyrki Subject: The Rising number one in Finland ! Greetings from Finland ! "The Rising" went straight to the top of the album chart in Finland ! ...'cause tramps like us keep on rockin' Jyrki ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 05 Aug 2002 16:24:24 +0000 From: "Jeff Andriesse" Subject: Further On (to The Fuse) Does anyone else feel that Further On (Up the Road) doesn't fit on the album? To me, it has the weakest thematic link to the rest of the songs, and it is the weakest cut as well. Bruce and the band sound uninspired, going through the motions. While I'm not crazy about some of the more upbeat cuts, like Mary's Place, Waitin' on a Sunny Day and Let's Be Friends, at least those songs have some personality and energy. Further just doesn't have anything going for it, and I find myself skipping past it more than any other song. As for the rest of the album, well, after several listenings, I can't get enough of it - great songs. I'm interested in anyone else's thoughts. Jeff Andriesse ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Aug 2002 18:26:33 EDT From: Radiogrl1@aol.com Subject: my response to David Skinner In a message dated 8/5/02 3:54:22 PM Eastern Daylight Time, owner-luckytown-digest@luckytown.org writes: > > > http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/001/526lkkqe.asp > > I wonder whether Mr. Skinner actually listened to the whole album or whether he kept looking at himself in a mirror as he wrote to assure himself his indie cred was still there, intact. He couldn't buy credibility in this case with the whole of the 9/11 charity pile. While "The Rising" is certainly an uneven album, I would take issue with his wholesale dismissal of Springsteen as the Oprah of Rock. Skinner decrys the lack of anger, the lack of a need for war or revenge. He isn't listening. There are characters in the songs who want "an eye for an eye" and who say, "a little revenge and this too will pass", but this album isn't about revenge, it's about the huge pain which turns into a huge numb void. It 's about the huge void that has to be breached so you can take part in the world once more. I wager Mr. Skinner watched the events of 9/11 from a safe and cynical distance. As a reporter who covered the attacks and as a neighbor of a town in New Jersey where more than 2 dozen residents were killed that day, I can say with more credibility than Mr. Skinner can muster that the tones and themes in "The Rising" almost perfectly capture what it feels like to have the wind knocked out of you in the basest of ways. "The Fuse" has nothing to do with social unrest. Nothing. It's about a town enduring endless funerals and then focuses sharply on the very human reaction of reaching out for your partner because flesh is the only thing in your life at that moment which seems real. In "The Rising", the duality of dying and redemption (sky of mercy/sky of fear, sky of love/sky of tears) as seen through the eyes of someone who knows these are his final moments are breathtakingly powerful. I cannot imagine any other artist putting himself so close without getting maudlin. Again, I will agree that the album is uneven, but to toss off as facile a putdown as " Thus, too, after the attempted murder of scores of thousands of Americans, he gives us a song called "Let's be Friends." simply indicates Mr. Skinner didn't even bother to read the lyrics, let alone actually listen to the album. [text/html attachment deleted] ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Aug 2002 18:08:39 -0400 (EDT) From: billellenconlon@webtv.net (William Conlon) Subject: Songs you don't like Let me make a suggestion. Years ago I knew a guy who had a great way of absorbing a new Bruce album. Now, this was back in the days of LPs. He used to listen to whichever side he liked least. If side 1 impressed him more than side 2, then he listened to side 2 until it finally kicked in. So put The Rising into your player, and program in all the songs you like least. You'll benefit from this, I promise. Bill ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Aug 2002 19:24:03 EDT From: Tonythekid@aol.com Subject: Re: LuckyTown Digest V9 #56 Brian asked: > Can someone tell me where I've heard the intro to "My City of Ruins" before? > There's a song at the tip of my tongue and I can't place it. > Listened to "The Weight" recently? Bruce lost a beat somewhere there, but listening to Joe Cocker's version, there's more than a hint of similarity. Doesn't diminish Bruce's song a bit, as we are all derivative to some degree. And as far as "Let's Be Friends" goes, it sort of reminds me of Sugar Ray, maybe "Every Morning". But again, it just makes it more familiar, in some fashion. Tony [text/html attachment deleted] ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 05 Aug 2002 14:15:21 -0400 From: "Sullivan, Ann" Subject: Opinion column in NJ paper As a longtime reader of Luckytown I've always enjoyed the level of debate and incredible humanity in so many of the posts. It is refreshing to hear from those that don't agree with what Bruce does with his music, relationship with the band, his career, image, how he parts his hair, etc. but do so in a well-written and insightful way. Mike Kelly is an Opinion Columnist for the NJ Bergen Record. The link below is the piece that appeared in Sunday's paper. Personally I've always felt he was a blowhard and mean-spirited. I'll let you judge for yourselves. http://www.bergenrecord.com/page.php?level_3_id&3&pageE10561 For as much as he thinks that Springsteen is trying to capitalize on September 11, I feel that Mr. Kelly is capitalizing on the "bashing" that always happens when his career/media blitz is at a high. This isn't the only artist that this happens to and we all know it won't be the last. But all he does is fall back on cliches and buzz words. There isn't one grain of insight in any of the paragraphs. Maybe Mr. Kelley should join this list and learn from others how to present a true opinion based on facts, and history and then include his feelings. And if he truly believes that baby-boomers aren't pretty enough to be on TV well then maybe they should stay away from their keyboards as well. It's just as easy to be ugly in print. - - Ann **************************************************************************** This email may contain confidential material. If you were not an intended recipient, Please notify the sender and delete all copies. We may monitor email to and from our network. **************************************************************************** ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Aug 2002 20:48:32 +0100 From: Deb Murphy Subject: Immediate reactions.... Does anyone remember their initial reactions to old albums ? I have seen lots of comments to the effect that this is so disappointing and not like the 'good old days' that it made me think of immediate reactions to previous releases. I so clearly re-call: 1. being bitterly disappointed that Darkness wasn't EXACTLY the same as BtR (cept with different songs of course!) at the tender age of 14. Where was the sax ? Where were the tender romantic visions of life on the streets ? What was all the rubbish about people being out of work and disillusioned with life 'n' growing up and stuff ? Man, it was sooooo depressing ! 2. being appalled at how sloppy and rambling The River seemed to be and thinking that Hungry Heart and especially Sherry Darling should be stricken from Bruce's repertoire IMMEDIATELY for not being serious enough and being musically upbeat instead of being depressingly sincere about people being out of work and being with disillusioned with life 'n' growing up and stuff like Darkness had been. Man, it was not depressing enough ! etc etc and everyone has these kind of stories, huh ? And naturally they have all become part of the canon I accept and cherish now. In fact, seeing Sherry Darling performed live was one of the high-points of the early concerts in the UK of the last tour for me along of course with singing along with Hungry Heart just about everywhere. So much for forming an immediate opinion huh ?! ;) But I was just always chuffed Bruce had recorded *something* I could see him play live, I never bothered overly with the quality - he could sing Humpty Dumpty and still knock the socks off everyone else in concert, so what did it matter ? And I always learned to love the songs I had problems with after seeing them performed in real life (OK Bobby Jean I am still working on!). BUT in the case of The Rising, I am definitely in the ohmygawdthisissensational camp unequivocally for possibly the first time ever, well at least since Tunnel of Love !! I really cannot wait to see this stuff performed and would be delighted to see Bruce and the E Street Band just stand on stage and play the whole album and nothing else at all ! It occurs to me that possibly for once, the recording might actually be better than the live performance but I am sure everyone will disagree with me there ! Thanks Bruce. And congratulations on being Number 1 in the album charts here in the UK ! Can't wait to hear the concert news........... And can I just thank Badlands for just being ?? Thanks, guys. Deb ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Aug 2002 21:26:53 -0500 From: Patrick Clark Subject: Second Look I may have been hasty in my dismissal of The Rising. Maybe its "shortcomings" were more about my expectations than anything. I guess I keep waiting for that ONE album that I can play for all of his doubters. You know what I mean, those who say he's soft and hokey, I want to give them a BLAST of Darkness. Those who say he's Mr. All American, I want to shove his political Tom Joad/Nebraska bitterness down their throats. Those who say he's "Glory Days" I want to feed them "Cautious Man" or "Big Muddy" or "Straight Time". Just tonight, as I added The Rising to my iTunes playlist, which also has ALL of Bruce's previous albums, did I realize that, taken in THAT context, The Rising is a perfect addition, a logical next chapter. I was not crazy about Tunnel or Human Touch or Lucky Town for a LONG time. But now, as I look at one playlist labeled "Bruce", each and every song sits like a gem, each of different value but a gem nonetheless. And then I pressed Play. Regards, Patrick Clark [text/enriched attachment deleted] ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Aug 2002 20:50:04 EDT From: NSesta1687@aol.com Subject: Re: Too much criticism I've been reading the digest for a few years now and I am always amazed that everyone always has a gripe about something Bruce. Now the latest gripes are Waiting on a Sunny Day, Mary's Place, and Let's be Friends. Why is that? I don't feel that a song has to be maudlin and depressing for it to be artistically wonderful. I don't find a thing wrong with the lyrics to any of the songs and I feel they fit quite well in the scheme of the whole album. Waiting on a Sunny Day may be upbeat (which no one seems to like on any of these songs) but when open to interpretation it could be a song about loss and a looking forward to some positive things coming to balance out the tragedy the narrarator has experienced. Mary's Place has been analyzed and overthought a zillion times on other message boards as well. Just take it at face value for pete's sake. I love the opening notes, it gives me a good feeling and puts me in a good mood. I find the lyrics to be great, "I got seven pictures of Buddha, prophets on my tongue; my heart's dark but it's rising." I love every aspect of this song. I think it'll be great live and I can't understand the big gripe about it. Maybe it's too upbeat and not slow and drudgery enough? Same with Let's be Friends. It's a FUN song, big deal. The entire album can't be full of sorrow and loss. There's enough of that with You're Missing. I think this song along with Mary's Place inserted a balance into the whole scheme of the album. A song doesn't have to be depressing for it to be brilliant. I love this album, every single aspect of it. As Bruce said on Letterman, he feels this is one of his best works and I agree.... My only gripe about all of this is that *&^% drop line, but that's for an other thread...;) Nicole [text/html attachment deleted] ------------------------------ End of LuckyTown Digest V9 #58 ****************************** ********************************************************************* ** LuckyTown WWW URL ** The LuckyTown FAQ, back issues, web-based subscription/unsubscription, and many other things can be found on the LuckyTown WWW Page: http://www.luckytown.org ** LuckyTown mailing list addresses ** You can send email to go into the next LuckyTown Digest to: luckytown@luckytown.org You can send email to go into the next LuckyTown-Ads Digest to: luckytown-ads@luckytown.org Any questions for the list admin should be emailed to: owner-luckytown@luckytown.org To unsubscribe, send email to majordomo@luckytown.org with message body: unsubscribe luckytown-digest To get further information on how to subscribe/unsubscribe/change your subscription address, as well as the other available commands, send email to majordomo@luckytown.org with message body: help ********************************************************************* The contents of this digest are not necessarily approved by the list admin.