From: owner-luckytown-digest@luckytown.org (LuckyTown Digest) To: luckytown-digest@luckytown.org Subject: LuckyTown Digest V9 #65 Reply-To: luckytown@luckytown.org Sender: owner-luckytown-digest@luckytown.org Errors-To: owner-luckytown-digest@luckytown.org Precedence: bulk LuckyTown Digest Sunday, August 11 2002 Volume 09 : Number 065 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: springsteen on snl [Erin Kennedy & John Ellis ] barnstorming this fall ["brewer25@prodigy.net" ] Too many new songs? [g77476@uwasa.fi] Bruce's New Tour ["Mike Walk" ] Bitchin' & Moaning [Michael Powers ] Max and his drumstick ["Dennis Vroegop" ] Strong opening in NJ ["Magnus Lauglo" ] Re: Mary's Place found in Dallas, Texas?! [Emily Joyce ] Re: LuckyTown Digest V9 #62 ["John Mikes" ] 8/7 [jsg-nel@att.net] Re: LuckyTown Digest V9 #62 ["Matej Krajnc" ] Re: Song Choices ["Rob Carnachan" ] 24th Anniverary - Summertime Bruce [JMCOLM@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 09 Aug 2002 21:41:43 -0700 From: Erin Kennedy & John Ellis Subject: springsteen on snl Haven't seen this on the digest yet, so... Springsteen to appear on 'Saturday Night Live' season opener By Richard Huff New York Daily News (KRT) Bruce Springsteen is adding "Saturday Night Live" to the list of stops along the way to promote his new album "The Rising." Springsteen and his E Street Band will appear on the season opener of "SNL" on Oct. 5, the New York Daily News has learned. The appearance will mark Springsteen's second visit to the show, but only his first with the full E Street Band. The New Jersey-bred artist appeared on "SNL" in 1992, though he was backed by a band consisting mostly of non-E-Streeters. The show has not named a host for the Springsteen show - yet. An announcement will be made later, perhaps closer to the program's airdate. "SNL" is entering its 28th season on the air. U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) will be the host for the season's second episode, set to air Oct. 12. Country singer Faith Hill is the musical guest on McCain's show. As for Springsteen, the "SNL" visit is the latest part of an unusual media blitz to support his new CD. So far, the promotional campaign has included a live performance on NBC's "Today" show, a two-night stint on CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman," and a three-night interview with ABC's Ted Koppel, which aired as part of the network's "Nightline" and "Up Close" programs. --- (c) 2002, New York Daily News. Visit the Daily News online at http://www.nydailynews.com/ Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services. John Ellis ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Aug 2002 07:10:31 -0400 From: "brewer25@prodigy.net" Subject: barnstorming this fall Hi Everyone, With regard to the setlist the other night as well as the setlists from the warm-up shows the last couple of weeks, I think we need to keep in mind a couple of things... First, Bruce and his management have stressed that they're only going to play one show in each city stressing the desire to get the music out to as many people as possible. That being the case, he's going to want to play much of his NEW MATERIAL at the shows. Don't become shortsighted and forget that we have round two complete with multiple date shows to look forward to next spring and summer. Also, the last time they rolled out a few years ago, everyone griped that there was no new material and some accused Bruce and the band of just playing a greatest hits show. Like his song states, "with every wish, there comes a curse." The other major thing is, Bruce respects his loyal fan base but has also stressed that he is hoping to bring his music to a whole group of people that have not previously had the opportunity to see him live with the band. I was at the Springsteen.net site the other day and read through the posts of the "younger" bruce fans. There are kids out there that are 17, 20 etc. that were in the womb the last time Bruce rolled out with the entire band complete with a new album. Besides that, I could just imagine the reaction of some of the people here if Bruce decided not to play "Born To Run" in favor of "Roll of the Dice" because the hard core fans have already heard that "Born To Run" so many times. Sometimes we are loyal to a fault around here, myself as guilty as the next. There are songs that I absolutely love that I have not heard live which I hope to someday hear. All I know is, I'd rather spend an evening listening to Bruce and the band live having the time of my life, regardless of the setlist, instead of sitting in my living room listening to some 4th generation bootleg errrrrr I mean import recording hoping and praying to see Bruce again. Mike - -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://mail2web.com/ . ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Aug 2002 09:45:08 +0300 From: g77476@uwasa.fi Subject: Too many new songs? So, is Bruce letting down old fans when he plays only 22 songs, in which eleven of them new? Maybe, but he sure isn't the first one. When Neil Young recorded "Tonight's The Night" back in 1974, he went out on tour before the album was even released. His set list contained the whole new album and only a few older songs. He introduced every show by saying "Welcome to Miami City", regardless on where the show was located. He refused to play any of his hits, his voice was cracking and he was in a very bad physical shape. Was he letting down his old fans? Maybe, but still those concerts are often being valued as his most memorable. Everyone who has attended these shows has a story to tell. Every show is a classic in a way. So let Bruce play as many new songs as he likes. Maybe it's good to let down old fans every once in a while.... ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Aug 2002 02:00:31 -0500 From: "Mike Walk" Subject: Bruce's New Tour Complain all you want (you know who you are) But Bruce is still a vital artist. He is not ready to be a nostalgia act. When he went on tour to promote "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" people didn't whine about the setlist having too much Darkness material. The Born In The U.S.A. tour... Did anyone complain that the show featured mostly BITUSA material? Nope. So, this tour is to promote "The Rising"... Plain and simple. You want nostalgia? Buy the LINYC DVD. You want "all the hits" buy the LINYC and Video Anthology DVD's. The reunion tour was "for the masses". That was one tour for unbridled nostalgia. So now, Bruce is back on the road like days of old, rocking a new disc which, by the way, is one of his best ever. Those who would say anything negative, or God forbid - complain, about a rock legend who is still vital after 30 years in the business must have done one too many swan dives into an empty swimming pool, if you catch my drift. Where's Prince, where's Michael Jackson, where's Rod Stewart? They are all irrelevant now. But not Bruce Springsteen. His new CD went gold in one week. It debuts at #1 in 11 countries. And it is powerful material! Not only that, he's on the cover of Time and Rolling Stone... Gimme a break... THESE are the Glory Days!!! Go Bruce!!! GREAT CD!!! - -Mike ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 09 Aug 2002 23:46:04 -0400 From: Michael Powers Subject: Bitchin' & Moaning I can't believe the amount carping after one show. It truly astounds me and it's getting even more ludricous. I've seen a post that griped about American Skin being played all throughout the reunion tour. Last time I checked, 12 shows was not the whole tour. Have a little faith. So, it's new album heavy, so what!?!? Every new album related tour has been. I saw a River era show that featured 15 songs from that album. Isn't that why you tour behind an album? Settle down folks, train's just getting warmed up for pete's sake. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Aug 2002 13:03:23 +0200 From: "Dennis Vroegop" Subject: Max and his drumstick Gareth Morris wrote: >One last final question, does Max lose a drumstick at the start of 'Ramrod' on >the LINYC DVD? It seems he skips a beat and his right hand takes a while >coming up to hit the snare again. Just wondering.... Yes, I think he did :-) But you don't hear it, you don't see it unless you look really close and play the DVD very slowly.. I think it is a sign of perfect craftmanship.... Losing your tools but not being bothered about it. And for all those people complaining about the show: give it up. I think we should be gratefull for what Bruce gives us, the CD is great and if you don't like it, why do you go to a tour dedicated to promote his new work? Of course he is playing a lot of new material, that's why he is out there! I can imagine Bruce getting really tired of the requests of only "old" songs. Didn't he once say: "What am I, a jukebox?". I admire Bruce for his ability to change his work, to adapt new ideas and not being afraid to try them out. OK, he has in my opinion (but that's just my opinion!!!) made a mistake with Human Touch, but hey, at least he is trying out things (and they work out most of the time). I can't wait for the european shows! Dennis ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 09 Aug 2002 09:16:32 -0400 From: "Magnus Lauglo" Subject: Strong opening in NJ Hi all, I was offered tix to the show at the last minute (thanks Lisa), and I'm very glad I was able to catch the opening night of what will probably be a great tour. Wandering around the parking lot before the show brought back a flood of memories from three years ago. Nice seeing some old tour buddies from the last tour! Here are a few thoughts from the opening show of the tour in NJ. Get real psyched and start saving up your money to see those shows! I think it will become a great tour once it gets rolling. The crowd was pretty great, all things considered, But it is clear that with so much new material that isn't "party music", it will be quite an effort to keep the crowd's attention for the whole show. Sound varied from very good to average, up in the upper tier where I was sitting. The lighting was very effective except during BTR and Glory Days, when the house lights came on, and it all somehow seemed very "flat" to me. The band is playing very well already, but as on the album, individual members could be offered a place to shine more often. Danny didn't get his own solo until My City of Ruins in the encores. Steve sang way more back up than he played lead guitar. Newcomer and semi E Street Band member Suzie Tyrell adds a lot to the new songs on her violin, and her presence helps define the new sound of the 02/03 version of the ESB. The setlist was very geared towards the new songs, as expected, but they did play 4 songs from Darkness on the Edge of Town, plus a few other older songs. At 2 and a half hours, the set was not by any means marathon length, but I'm not complaining. Almost everyone in the band is over 50, and the shows will get longer with time. Apart from the unremarkable Two Hearts, pretty much every older song in themain set worked well in the context of the new material. But we got a slew of funner older songs in the encores with BTR, Glory days and Thunder Road. Feeling the concrete shaking under my feet up in the nosebleeds during BTR and Badlands again was one of those priceless moments you never forget. The encores also marked the return of the full band BUSA, which actually woked very well, in a lean, mean version (with very effective muted green lighting) that left little room for misinterpretation. From a performance point of view, the individual songs were excellent. Nearly all the new songs are better than on the album. Only The Rising sounded the same, and Worlds Apart was a little different, but not really better or worse. Mary's Place was used for the band intro song, and worked well; much better than on the album. The Fuze (with a cool Nils guitar solo at the end) and Lonesome day were also dramatically improved live. Waiting on a Sunny Day was awesome, with the whole crowd singing along just like we did for years on Hungry Heart. The old material was played in very similar versions to what we know already, but with louder piano and bass. Darkness and BUSA have slightly different guitar parts, which sound great. The setlist does need a fair deal of readjusting. After Mary's Place especially, the sequence just doesn't work. The main set ends on much too dark a note (American Skin and then Into the Fire), and having BTR as the first encore makes everything coming after it seem so lightweight. BUSA sounded friggin awesome, but it didn't go well into LoHaD (which I think should not be the show closer on this tour as well). The show was great fun and there were dozens of priceless moments when I caught myself standing there with a huge shit eating grin. But there is definetely room, and need, for growth in the way the setlist is made up. This was a strong, if not solid opening show, as was to be expected. Once the set starts flowing better, and he adds a long forgotten, newly relevant (maybe reworked) older song or two, the show will be smoking. The band is as I said already very tight, and there is great potential for these shows to become as great as anything he has ever done before. Can't wait for Washington DC! cheers Magnus _________________________________________________________________ MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Aug 2002 10:57:28 -0500 From: Emily Joyce Subject: Re: Mary's Place found in Dallas, Texas?! In response to Alan's post about the Old 97s and Mary's Place... As a rabid fan of the Old 97s myself (well, at least everything through Too Far to Care), I was also excited to hear them as part of the warm-up music during the last tour. I don't really know the song that Alan thinks is the influence behind Mary's Place. But that did bring up something I had noticed - -- to me the "Turn it up, turn it up, turn it up" part of Mary's Place sounds exactly like the backing "Oh-oh-oh" thing from Zero and Blind Terry. That's pretty much the only thing I like about the song. Also very happy to report that after a terrible first impression from a listening party, most of The Rising is finally making its way under my skin. Still confused about the reason behind some of the drum tracks. emily in austin ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Aug 2002 12:34:17 -0500 From: "John Mikes" Subject: Re: LuckyTown Digest V9 #62 > I can not believe how many people complain > that Springsteen is playing so much off of "The Rising". Me, either. I think the complainers should listen some more to the record. Not only it is an astonishingly good studio album (second, IMO, only to BTR), but it contains songs that when pared down for concert will be awesome. "Lonesome Day," "The Rising," and "World's Apart" promise to become legendary among the Brucetisti. Years from now we'll be talking about them the way Zeppelin Heads do about "Dazed and Confused" and Whosters the "Tommy" medley. I can't wait to hear `em in Fargo and St. Paul. John "Suddenly Remembering the Seque to 'She's The One' during the Tunnel of Love Tour" Mikes ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 09 Aug 2002 17:38:39 +0000 From: jsg-nel@att.net Subject: 8/7 With all due respect to the critical folks, I thought that the first show was absolutely superb although I agree that the pacing will probably change as the tour goes on. While others don't seem to want new material, many of us crave it still, just as we waited for the new songs to be introduced near the end of the last tour. 2.5 hours is very solid and compares to many on prior tours. There will undoubtedly be longer ones on this tour as well. Highlights among the new ones included "Mary's Place" (seems like 74 again) and "Waitin On A Sunny Day" (far better than on the cd). Also "The Fuse" which is Niel's showcase this time around. Sure, anyone who hs seen many shows can point to better and longer ones over the years. But you know what, there is no better show out there today and they'll no doubt get even better as this tour procedes. I'm lucky enough to be going to MSG on Monday and it'll probably be better already. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Aug 2002 20:16:32 +0200 From: "Matej Krajnc" Subject: Re: LuckyTown Digest V9 #62 Hi, I'm reading LTD for a while now and now and then there's a real gem among other writings, one like Lisanne Biolos' piece. We all would probably love to be back in '85, but this is 2002. We are not getting any younger and he is not getting any younger. I, for myself, would love to hear some songs like Book Of Dreams, Valentine's Day or Lift Me Up, which are truly great songs, but the shows are his and let him do his job. Ricky Nelson once sang: "You can't please everyone, so you gotta please yourself!". And I guess that's just what a mature Bruce Springsteen is doin' now after releasing a hell of an album ( I admit I didn't like new stuff very much at the beginning, but the songs just grew on me, while I still don't like O'Brien's work on them). And I guess nobody's perfect, right? Meanwhile, I'd love to see him in Slovenia. But till it happens, I'll just read what you folks write and pick some out; those who reflect my own feelings about the man and his music. He's still doin' his job darn well, and when you complain of the show timing, think of yourself being capable of doin' a rock show at 53. I'm delighted he's still with us giving us the best he can. And he's still the very best there is. Matej from Slovenia ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 09 Aug 2002 13:37:09 -0600 From: "Rob Carnachan" Subject: Re: Song Choices As long as the topic du jour is the setlist on The Rising Tour, I'll throw in my two cents. For me, the Reunion Tour quenched my desire to hear the "oldies" performed live again. I am glad that Bruce is emphasizing new material and would encourage him to maintain that approach as the tour progresses. I recall that Robert Hilburn of the Los Angeles Times admonished Bruce in print for straying from the "Human Touch" and "Lucky Town" material during the first phase of the 1992-3 World Tour when it became apparent that those records would not become commercial blockbusters. Whether or not Bruce listened, a study of the setlists from Los Angeles onward on that tour reveals a renewed emphasis on the then-new material at the expense of the then-oldies. I agreed with Hilburn then and hope that Bruce does not reduce the emphasis on new material as this tour continues. That said, I must admit I'm a little disappointed by the presence of "Badlands", "Two Hearts", "Prove It All Night", and "Darkness" in the initial night's setlist. These songs (or at least the first three) were staples of the Reunion Tour and, I would argue, could use a bit of a rest. I would rather hear songs such as "Real World", "Souls of the Departed", and "The Big Muddy" (in fact, I'd love to hear Bruce record an entire album of songs in the vein of "The Big Muddy", with Daniel Lanois producing no less) - -- all of these would wonderfully compliment the "Rising" material thematically and would allow fans to hear these songs interpreted by the E Street Band for the first time. I do hope we hear some of this material as the tour moves on. How about "Missing"? That would seem to work as well. More audience "fist pumping" is not what I look forward to on this tour. Is anything more "Spinal Tap" and cliched? Not hearing "Rosalita" isn't a big deal -- I've only seen one show over the years where he performed it (1988, LA Sports Arena) and it just wasn't that memorable. It's a great song, but I don't understand why it appears to be such a touchstone for so many Bruce fans. Remember, on the vaunted Darkness tour, Bruce was playing around 1/2 new material as well. We tend to forget these things. Rob Carnachan _________________________________________________________________ MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Aug 2002 02:11:44 EDT From: JMCOLM@aol.com Subject: 24th Anniverary - Summertime Bruce On my 24th Bruceday, I again share the following ... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ S U M M E R T I M E B R U C E... This is not a dark ride ... My life changed somehow on August 9, 1978. Well, the way I looked at life perhaps, is a better explanation. That's a heady statement, but ..... that was the first time I saw Bruce Springsteen live. It was at the Agora Ballroom on the outskirts of Downtown Cleveland. Capacity 900. Nine hundred of the luckiest people in the City. A local radio station, WMMS was celebrating their Tenth Anniversary and held a mail-in contest for free tickets to a special celebration concert featuring Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. I had enjoyed Springsteen from afar.. just what I'd heard on the radio, yes, I liked it.. but I hadn't at this point purchased any of his music. I decided, what the heck, why not send away. The Agora had always been one of my favorite places to catch live acts. So I sent in 5 entries, to 5 different addresses of family and friends. One of them was chosen. Tickets arrived in my name at my sister, Gerri's house. I felt pretty lucky, the response was enormous according to all accounts on the radio. Two tickets to a free Bruce Springsteen concert; and, as an added bonus, at a small venue. I invited Gerri to the show. It was a typically muggy August night. As the humidity slowly gave way to the beauty of a Cleveland thunderstorm, we methodically made our way through the lobby of the bar, past posters and photographs of past performances: David Bowie, Talking Heads, the displays, a veritable Who's Who of rock and roll legends. As we eased closer to the ticket taker, I could sense the anticipation, like something tangible. Overhearing one young man behind us as he spoke quickly and excitedly to his friend regarding his good fortune of having won a ticket, I began to realize I was in for something special. As I turned to look at him, I could SEE it in his face, like the face of a child on Christmas morning spotting THE gift. Like that gift, this impending evening had the feel of being wrapped in shiny gold paper, just waiting to be opened, enjoyed ... shared. This night was to be a holiday like no other holiday. Even the long haired, cherubic gentleman collecting the tickets had that sense of excitement. As he politely took our tickets and returned our stubs to us, he looked at me, as if he KNEW this was my first time, and said, "Enjoy the show, as if you could help it," with a smile that lit up his face. He seemed almost envious of me, as if he were reliving his own eager anticipation of his first Bruce concert. I'd been to many a concert, my first the Beatles at Cleveland Municipal Stadium at the tender age of 10. I had witnessed... hell, been PART of that hysteria. This was, of course, on a more "adult" level, but the sense of something big about to happen was very similar. Gerri and I made our way to one of the large bars that lined each side of the ballroom. As we ordered our beers, we could hear the thunder outside crashing, even over the blaring jukebox. The thunderclaps getting everyone's attention, as if to say, "Hey, get in here, there's something big on the horizon!" We took a stroll throughout the bar, checking out the stage, a very small stage and noticing the crowd already jockeying for position in front of it, an hour and a half before show time. You could feel the energy level steadily growing. Even not knowing what I was in for, I had that warm nervous feeling inside; Gerri was feeling the same way. At precisely 9:00 p.m., as the lights dimmed, as if on cue, everyone in the bar turned and their attention was riveted on the stage. The roar was deafening.... Broooooooooce.......Broooooooooce... The local deejay, Kid Leo ... himself an avid Bruce fan ... on stage. He could hardly contain HIS excitement.. "Round for round, pound for pound, there ain't no finer band around... BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND!!!" As the then very lithe Bruce Springsteen appeared center stage, I could see it in HIS face. WE were that beautiful shiny gift waiting to be unwrapped. He was as elated to be with US as we were to be with HIM. One had the sense that he could just STAND there, holding court, his head back, laughing, and the crowd would have displayed their adoration for as long as he just stood there. We saw men hugging men, women being hugged and lifted into the air as the excitement just swept through the crowd. Before one note had even been played, I was in, hook, line and sinker.. I was his. Tears of wonder in my eyes, I looked deliberately at the faces near me - eyes shining, smiles broad. Charisma: Bruce Springsteen held the patent on it that night. As the first strains of "Summertime Blues" began, all 900 plus people began to dance and sing, and revel in the energy he was giving off. I have never seen anything like it. He had a way of making each and every person feel as if he was there performing, just for you. Gerri and I had positioned ourselves at the bar; our backs leaning on the bar, facing the stage. Hell, we'd be comfortable, had a pretty good angle on the stage, positioned so we could see over the heads of the throng standing directly in front of it. Also extremely convenient for the thirst factor. A minute into the show, I didn't care if I'd ever drink another beer in my life - -- I knew I had to get closer, it became my mission. Grabbing Gerri by the hand, I looked at her; a look that said it all. She knew to just follow me. We slowly and politely made our way, no DANCED our way through the crowd. At 20 feet away, we paused, stood and just drank in the magnificence of what this man was giving.... his all, this was personal. Slowly we inched towards him, until there was nothing between us but the blackened elevated stage. Looking up at him, only a mere foot or two away, I could feel the energy, surging through every inch of me. At that moment, he looked right down at me, our eyes met briefly and he met my smile with his... It was as if he had awakened something deep inside of me that had been laying dormant; his words filling a void. He took me on quite an emotional ride that night, through the rebellion of "Growing Up," the colorful human descriptions of "Spirit In the Night." He brought me along for the fun during "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)." Warm memories of my own yearly family vacations to the East Coast beaches came flooding through during "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy). "The summer crushes, the ensuing heartaches. Then, the sheer beauty of "Thunder Road," with some of the best storytelling of our time, in any medium. So emotionally charged, it has become one of my all time favorite stories; I can hear that screen door slamming every time... He so easily conveyed the uncertainty and desperation in "Backstreets"" and "Born To Run;" the longing for human touch in "She's the One," the passion in "Jungleland." His raw sensuality right OUT there with "Fire," and his cover of "Not Fade Away," simply put, just blew me away. Ever the showman, his keen sense of humor shining brightly during "Sherry Darling." As I listened to his stories, both narrative and in song, I realized this man has a GIFT. He had somehow found a direct line right to my very soul, it seemed. You knew immediately that these were stories from the heart. Stories of his childhood, recollections of his father and the love/hate relationship they shared. How he was urged by his father to become a lawyer; told by his mother, "You should be an author.. you should write books.." And indeed he has.. he has written VOLUMES ... I don't think either parent has come us disappointed. As the night drew to a close, the magic coming to an end, it was as if we had all been guests at his private party. All of us taken on a ride we'd never forget. After several encores, the lights went on ... many refused to leave.. the stubborn, lucky ones, we weren't going anywhere. yet ... About half of the audience was left, standing, drenched, strained vocal cords, crying out for more.. and he came back...and he gave it to us.. with a rousing rendition of "Twist and Shout," introduced as, "the first song I ever learned how to play on the guitar." The choice of that song, how apropos - seemingly bringing me full circle musically from that day so long ago, when a little girl's dream was realized and she sat there in awe only yards away from the Beatles. That night at The Agora, now 24 years ago, is one of my most magical memories. My only regret was that he was already booked to play the "large arena," the Richfield Coliseum on August 30th, (my birthday), only a few weeks away, and sadly, I had no ticket. But I had the next best thing... a ticket to see Southside Johnny that night, at, again, the Cleveland Agora. You can imagine my elation when, at the end of Southside's show, he introduced a "special guest" -- and Bruce came out with his friend of many years and they gave an exhilarating performance of "We're Havin' a Party." My birthday wishes had come true. I have, of course, not let this happen again. I have caught Bruce's show each and every visit to Cleveland since..always both nights. I traveled to Tacoma, Washington, during the Human Touch tour. When Bruce decided to get the E. Street Band together again in 1999, I was fortunate enough to attend both "Rehearsal Shows" in March in Asbury Park. That was the FIRST time I saw Bruce Springsteen performing in his home state. I again had that opportunity in July and August of 1999 when I caught four of his shows at the Meadowlands. I was also lucky enough to be in attendance at the "50th Birthday show" (9/25) in Philly. THAT show rivaled even this beautiful 1978 Agora show. What a ride..... Bruce Springsteen has a unique gift, he has such a way with his words, his feelings to just reach right in and GRAB you. He writes and performs with such unbridled passion. From the extraordinary storytelling on "Incident on 57th Street" to the heart wrenching drama of two brothers wanting a better life in "Sinaloa Cowboys": take those roads, and you'll feel his passion, his total understanding of life, of LIVES. He also commands the great power of being able to turn that understanding into novellas with each of his songs. Bruce Springsteen has indeed matured, grown.. and as he has grown, he has shared with us.. his life... That beautiful August evening so many years ago, the night this ride began, we floated into the night air which had been cleansed by the thunderstorms that had raged outside. I headed home, feeling cleansed and somehow changed, by the sheer passion that raged inside the Agora that evening. ~Jeanne Coleman [text/html attachment deleted] ------------------------------ End of LuckyTown Digest V9 #65 ****************************** ********************************************************************* ** 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.