Monday, November 05, 2007
John Soeder
Cleveland Plain Dealer Pop Music Critic
Bruce Springsteen live at Gund Arena in Cleveland, OH on 8/14/2002.
"Is there anybody alive out there?" Bruce Springsteen sang over and over during his opening number, "Radio Nowhere," a bracing song about trying to communicate above the white noise of these troubled times.
Lucky for us, when it comes to communicating with a roomful of 20,000 people, nobody does it better than Springsteen.
The Boss had the ever-dependable E Street Band in tow for a sold-out concert Sunday night at The Q, although it wasn't business as usual for one of the most successful partnerships in rock 'n' roll.
They drew heavily from Springsteen's new album, the chart-topping "Magic."
Springsteen & Co. went on shortly after 8:30 p.m., behind schedule because sound check ran late. This was their first show here since 2004, when Cleveland was a stop on the Vote for Change Tour.
Springsteen, 58, didn't shy away from political commentary on this occasion, either.
"This is about living in times when the truth gets twisted into lies and lies get twisted into the truth," he said by way of introducing the spooky ballad from which his latest album takes its title.
There was no mistaking the subtext of several other new tunes - hard-hitting protest songs in the guise of catchy pop music.
Sure, "Livin' in the Future" sounded upbeat, although its feel-good vibe was offset by ominous pronouncements. "Tell me is that rollin' thunder / Or just the sinkin' sound of somethin' righteous goin' under?" Springsteen wondered.
The pointed "Last to Die" weighed the human cost of the Bush administration's war on terror. "Who'll be the last to die for a mistake?" Springsteen demanded, against a backdrop of angry guitars and drummer Max Weinberg's driving backbeat.
From his back pages, Springsteen pulled out "Night," "Reason to Believe," "The Promised Land," "Tunnel of Love," "The Rising" and other crowd-pleasers. Among the pleasant surprises was "It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City," a rollicking chestnut off his 1973 debut album, "Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J."
The stage was unadorned, keeping the emphasis squarely on the interplay between Springsteen and his nine-piece band. Singer-guitarist Patti Scialfa - a.k.a. Mrs. Springsteen - got a chance to shine on "Town Called Heartbreak," a Motown-ish tune off her latest solo effort; sax-playing stalwart Clarence Clemons punctuated "She's the One" with soaring grace notes; and Springsteen and guitarist Steve Van Zandt traded fiery licks during "Gypsy Biker."
The lush "Girls in Their Summer Clothes," another new keeper, channeled the Beach Boys to kick off a five-song encore, followed by "Kitty's Back," "Born to Run" and "Dancing in the Dark." Just over two hours after the concert began, the uplifting jig "American Land" brought it all home.
The result was more than just another bravura performance by these old pros, for whom bravura performances are practically routine. On a deeper level, the panoramic music reflected the hopes, dreams and harsh realities of the American experience, delivered with an unwavering conviction in the redemptive power of rock 'n' roll.
A sense of hard-won optimism never was far behind, particularly when Springsteen brought the evening full-circle with "Badlands," which closed the regular set on a triumphant note.
When he proclaimed "It ain't no sin to be glad you're alive," thousands of fans proclaimed it right along with him.
Is there anybody alive out there?
Springsteen got his answer. And it was a resounding "YEAH!"
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
jsoederplaind.com, 216-999-4562
Setlist:
Radio Nowhere
Night
Lonesome Day
Gypsy Biker
Magic
Reason to Believe
It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City
She's the One
Livin' in the Future
The Promised Land
Town Called Heartbreak
Tunnel of Love
Be True
Devil's Arcade
The Rising
Last to Die
Long Walk Home
Badlands
* * *
Girls in Their Summer Clothes
Kitty's Back
Born to Run
Dancing in the Dark
American Land
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