When the news first broke that Bruce Springsteen was playing the half-time show at this year’s Super Bowl, all I could say was, “It’s about time.” It seems like a no-brainer to feature the quintessential American performer/songwriter in what has become the country’s favorite annual spectacle.My own personal opinion of the Super Bowl is not quite as enthusiastic as most. Nothing against it (though I seriously hate the much touted commercials)…I like football enough. But it’s not as big a deal to me as it seems to be with most people. If I have something else to do I don’t feel like I’m missing anything important if I don’t watch it.
I might very well have missed Springsteen’s half-time blast as a result of reading a book or goofing off on the Internet, or just about anything. I hadn’t even made plans to stop what I was doing to check out the Boss.
But I happened to pass by the television just as Springsteen went on so I figured I’d sit down and watch. To be honest I haven’t been all that impressed with his more recent work That is my excuse for not being as ec excited about the performance as I would have been 10 or 15 years ago.
Oh boy, what I would have missed if not for serendipity.
Bruce Springsteen rocked that arena so hard, with so much passion, with so much professionalism that I have to wonder if Super Bowl half-time shows will ever EQUAL it, let alone top it.
Bruce took the stage like a rock and roll evangelist, working up the crowd to a fever pitch, jumping on top of the piano and generally preparing the throngs for what was to follow.
When the fireworks shot into the sky on the first note of “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out” they seemed like a useless expenditure of however much they may have cost. They were so unnecessary as to be anti-climactic. A pathetic background distraction from the explosive show the E Street Band was putting on.
Springsteen’s voice, from the start, was strong and expressive. He was having a great time and you could tell. The set was upbeat from start to finish---none of his stark ruminations on the fragility of the American Dream. No, this set was pieced together for the masses. If “the masses” didn’t find anything to enjoy in it…well, more fool them.
Bruce sings the line about the Big Man joining the band and Clarence, decked out in a get-up that makes him look like a pimped out priest, blows that tenor sax in his inimitable style---you are reminded of how integral his playing to the E Street sound. Think about it---”Promised Land”, “Jungleland”, “Drive All Night”, “Secret Garden”---these and many others go past 10 to 11 on the strength of Clemons’ signature style.
If “Freeze Out” wasn’t familiar to the thousands in the stands, surely there was no one there who didn’t recognize the opening Spector-esque chords of “Born to Run.” Another blast of wasted fireworks go off, synchronized with that dynamite intro. They may have served Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake well. The faithful here surely didn’t notice them.
This was a absolutely one of the best versions of “Born to Run” that I’ve ever heard. The sound was mixed just right, the band was on point, the excitement was almost palpable. Now THIS is an American song, if there ever was one. No doubt about it.
In a career that has soared to heights most artists can only dream of, this performance of “Born to Run” is at the top of a long list of highlights. How do you follow something like that?
You can’t. Not even the Boss himself could do it. Though the other two songs he did were very good, thy didn’t quite rise to the level of the first two.
Super Bowl overkill finally reared it’s ugly face when a HUGE gospel choir strutted out, lining the entire stage to back up the title track from Springsteen’s latest album, “Working on a Dream”. The song is, IMO, not in the same league as his earlier stuff, but there was no denying that it has the power to lift the spirit of a country that has been down on it’s luck for so long. You could see so much hope in Bruce’s face that it was easy to believe we’re going to get through the mess we’re in and come out on the other side stronger for it.
The show ended with “Glory Days”…which was just TOO obvious to be forgiven. Even so, it wasn’t too bad. I hate the song, but was still wrapped up in the spirit of “Born to Run”, so it didn’t seem so bad. It’s BROOOOCE, right? He substituted football references for the original lines about baseball and this was a cute injection of humor that made it all the more bearable.
All of the songs were trimmed and pieced together as a medley. Thos approach worked well in keeping the momentum rolling, although it did seem awkward at times (the transition from “Born to Run” to “Working on a Dream” sounded strained to me). But by the time the band took their final bows it was obvious that this half-time blowout, perhaps more than any that came before it, rivaled the thrills and excitement of the game itself (which, btw, was a very good one).
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