By CURT ANDERSON
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — It’s been six years since Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band launched into a serious tour.
Judging by the primary present Wednesday evening in Tampa, Florida, you’d by no means comprehend it. The Boss and his band served discover they’re again.
At just below three hours, it wasn’t fairly one of many marathon performances the 73-year-old Springsteen is finest recognized for. But kicking off with “No Surrender” and ending with a solo acoustic “I’ll See You In My Dreams,” Springsteen was in wonderful voice, and his huge band matched his vitality.
There had been 19 musicians on the Amalie Arena stage at numerous factors in the course of the present, together with the core of Springsteen’s spouse, singer Patti Scialfa, bandana-wearing guitarist Stevie Van Zandt, fellow guitarist Nils Lofgren, drummer Max Weinberg, bassist Garry Tallent and keyboardist Roy Bittan.
Missing after all was the unique “Big Man,” sax participant Clarence Clemons, who died in 2011. But his nephew Jake Clemons didn’t miss a beat and ripped off some beautiful solos all through the evening. He was backed by a brass part that rounded out the massive sound.
The 28 songs included favorites like “Born To Run,” “Glory Days,” “Rosalita,” “Promised Land” and “Backstreets.” Yet six songs got here from Springsteen’s 2020 album “Letter To You,” and left unplayed at the very least for this efficiency was the traditional “Thunder Road.”
There was just one tune from “The River,” which his 2017 tour performed in its entirety. That was the exuberant “Out In The Street.” And the closing acoustic tune “Dreams” was a staple of his “Springsteen On Broadway” performances.
Springsteen’s devoted followers ate all of it up, with 20,000 folks within the enviornment standing for nearly your entire present. For them, a efficiency by the Boss is a type of non secular expertise that merely have to be sought out.
“This is a ray of light. This is something we’ve been waiting for,” mentioned Billy Himmelrich, who came visiting from Delray Beach.
His spouse, Shelly, took it a step additional: “I listen to his music all the time. In a way, he’s my spiritual leader.”
Springsteen didn’t have a complete lot to say to his followers, ripping as a substitute by means of tune after tune with little banter. But he did acknowledge his age — and theirs, too.
“At 15, it’s all tomorrows. And at 73, it’s a whole lot of yesterdays,” Springsteen mentioned. “That’s why you’ve got to make the most of right now.”
And Springsteen delivered. His vitality was as excessive as ever, venturing into the gang and even conducting the brass part at one level. He shredded quite a few guitar solos, and virtually each tune appeared epic, like a few dozen encores strung collectively.
It’s clear he and the band simply need to play. Fifty years after his first two albums had been launched — and earlier than “Born To Run” made him a famous person — Springsteen might not bounce as excessive, however when he raises his arms, everybody else should as effectively.
Springsteen doesn’t should “Prove It All Night,” however that’s what he does. He’s offered round 140 million albums, received 20 Grammys, an Oscar and a Tony award. Few artists can match these accomplishments.
And now it’s on to the remainder of the 31-date U.S. tour, which ends with a homecoming April 14 in New Jersey. From there, it’s off to Europe, beginning with an April 28 present in Barcelona, Spain.
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This story has been corrected to say Jake Clemons is Clarence Clemons’ nephew.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”