I didn’t think it would happen. I wasn’t sure I wanted it to happen. But my family managed to score some tickets to Bruce Springsteen’s Saturday night show on the campus of Penn State University. Springsteen shows are family events in the Fea household. This means that a crew from Grand Rapids are on their way to our rendezvous point in Mechanicsburg. We will pile into the care and “prepare” for the concert by cranking Springsteen (the focus will be on his latest album Letter to You) as we travel up Route 15 to the Bryce Jordan Center. Here we go. I just hope the band is healthy.
I can’t help but think that this is the last time we will take this trip together.
Uproxx writer Steven Hyden recently saw Springsteen in Minneapolis. Here is a taste of his review:
Watching Sunday’s concert overall felt like closing a circle. It reminded me of a genre movie where a gang decides to team up for one caper, in the hopes that they can eventually walk off forever into the sunset. (There’s certainly a lot of loot at stake.) In case it needs to be stated for the record: This is still a kick-ass band. Naturally, the principals demand the most attention — the titanic beat of Max Weinberg, the bouncy bass of Gary Tallent, the consistent brilliance of Roy Bittan, the swashbuckling swagger of Steven Van Zandt. But there’s also an expansive supporting cast this time around, with a full horn section augmenting saxophonist Jake Clemons and a small army of backing singers. The lineup reflected the setlist — the past commingled with the present, and achieved a special harmony that temporarily suspended time.
I have no idea what lies ahead for The E Street Band, because no one does. I’m only saying that it felt like a group of people singing and playing like they might not have many more parties like this in the future. I couldn’t help but choke up a little during the encore when at the end of “Glory Days” Bruce called Little Steven over to the microphone and asked if he wanted to go home.
“I don’t wanna go home,” Little Steven said.
Then Bruce asked the left side of the arena if they wanted to go home. No! Then he asked the people seated behind the stage. No!! Then the people on the right side. NOOOO!!!
It was unanimous: Nobody wanted to go home.
Read the entire piece here.