He may be New Jersey's prodigal son, but there are few things that can compare to seeing the Boss play Madison Square Garden and if you're lucky enough to be in the general admission area where you can get as close as possible to the stage, there aren't many experiences in the rock and roll universe that can top Springsteen live at the Garden. Arriving in a spotlight to deliver his opening statement and thesis for the night, the fact that we were in attendance to join together in the face of a fascist takeover, the Boss wasted no time demanding the crowd follow his lead in the call for a night of resistance through the power of music. After opening with a cover of the Temptation's "War," Bruce rallied into "Born in the U.S.A." and set the night ablaze. From there on out, the building was on the verge of collapse as he took over and proceeded to perform an absolutely spiritual experience. From the onset, no one in the building dared to leave their feet, the crowned prince of New Jersey taking over his second home with the utmost purpose and swagger, as if this place could belong to anyone else. On this tour, he's got Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave joining him on guitar and when they broke out a cover of The Clash's pro-worker anthem "Clampdown," it felt like a signal from the gods as they joined two labor movement champions together for an incredible call to action number. Watching them trade verses on this number was nothing short of incredible and something I'll never forget. The entire night was a greatest hits medley, as Springsteen tends to do these days with his prolific concerts, and to be able to take it all in from the edge of the stage was nearly unfathomable even when it was happening in person. From the moment he took to the stage, his presence was overwhelming and to be in such close distance from one of the true best to ever do it, the epitome of a Rock Star, was almost too much to handle. Playing to the full crowd, when the opening of "Hungry Heart" filled the room, the Boss turned to the section behind the stage and lit it up to bring them into the party and make sure that it was an all encompassing experience before bringing it back to the rest of the arena and turning it into yet another massive sing a long. "My City of Ruins" was another number that felt like a hit to the gut, its somber opening giving way to an emphatic MSG crowd crushing the endless "la la la" melody and unifying us all once more in another prolific moment. Naturally "Because the Night" was a total surge of emotion and perhaps the heaviest song of the night, everyone pouncing on the opportunity to rage hard before the swagger of "Wrecking Ball" leveled things out. "The Rising" was naturally a spine-tingling song that sent waves throughout the building, it's anthemic finish an all-timer that still can make the crowd come alive at the drop of a hat. For "The Ghost of Tom Joad," Tom Morello took his moment to shine and unleashed a feverish solo, absolutely ripping into the number and dazzling the crowd what what he does best, flipping his hand around the neck of the guitar and slamming on his pedals with pure force that proved he was not to be reckoned with while laying down on his weapon of choice. Towards the end of the night, Springsteen took a seat on the edge of the stage and thanked the crowd for what he called a "lifetime of memories" and he looked around the arena with absolute admiration and graciousness. It was a tear-jerking moment, as if the almighty patron saint might be admitting that these shows may now be number and the next one isn't as guaranteed as it once was in decades prior. It was a sobering moment, one that made us all soak up the remainder of the night with that much more purpose. As he counted in for "Born to Run," the place erupted and the night clicked into final gear, everyone prepared to witness the ultimate triumph from a band that has perfected what it means to be a rock band for nearly half a decade. The crowd relished in everything and the night affirmed its place as one for the books, like all of his shows feel, and why we should always appreciate the greatness while we can. Naturally "Dancing in the Dark" also illuminated the venue as everyone did their best Courtney Cox impression, as required, and surrendered to the moment. For the final rounds of the night, Bruce made his way towards the middle of the crowd as he barked out "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" and slapped the hands of as many adoring fans as possible. Connecting with the crowd and radiating joy for hours on stage has always been the hallmark and calling card of seeing Bruce Springsteen live and at this point in time, it's not only an undeniable blessing that we're still seeing him deliver performances of this caliber, but it also makes us think that we should be even more grateful that it's happening at all and savor every moment with the utmost care. I have no business trying to educate anyone on the history and importance of getting to see Bruce Springsteen played Madison Square Garden, but I'm now beyond thrilled to have this memory of seeing him in such a setting that made me weep and feel overcome with unabashed joy.
Set list:
01 "War" [The Temptations cover]
02 "Born in the U.S.A."
03 "Death to My Hometown"
04 "Clampdown" [The Clash cover]
05 "No Surrender"
06 "Darkness on the Edge of Town"
07 "Streets of Minneapolis"
08 "The Promised Land"
09 "Two Hearts"
10 "Hungry Heart"
11 "Youngstown"
12 "Murder Incorporated"
13 "American Skin (41 Shots)"
14 "Long Walk Home"
15 "House of a Thousand Guitars"
16 "My City of Ruins"
17 "Because the Night" [Patti Smith Group cover]
18 "Wrecking Ball"
19 "The Rising"
20 "The Ghost of Tom Joad"
21 "Badlands"
22 "Land of Hope and Dreams"
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23 "American Land"
24 "Born to Run"
25 "Dancing in the Dark"
26 "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out"
27 "Chimes of Freedom" [Bob Dylan cover]
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