Blow, Big Man, BLOW! (Asbury Park, December 7, 2001)

In 1978, I first heard Bruce Springsteen play live on the radio. WNEW aired an interview during the intermission of that show, during which Bruce lamented the lack of venues down in his part of New Jersey, or back "home home," as he put it.

Last night, Bruce went back home home. Time for the holiday concert with members of the E Street Band, the Max Weinberg 7 and special guests. The fourth of 5 this year, in what has the general look of something that may be an annual event for some time.

For a while, it seemed that cosmic intent would be for us to fall just short of getting there. After driving 600 miles from Michigan, we discovered that you could get to New Jersey, but it seemed you couldn't get *through* New Jersey. The highways were jammed with broken vehicles and last chance gawkers from Rockaway to Red Bank, and by the time we straggled into Asbury it was already past 7. Leaving just enough time to settle in and notice the surroundings before the show started.

The stage was tastefully decorated with many of the same adornments from last year's shows - wreaths, menorahs, and holiday lights. And, following last year's opening, the show began with the horns playing holiday music, and then over to Bruce stage left at the piano. Solo. "Incident on 57th Street." I have no idea if Bruce has ever performed this song solo on the piano before; it was pure magic.

The show was filled with performances of songs I'd never witnessed live - a rollicking "Jingle Bell Rock," and kick-ass performances of "Thunder Crack" and "Seaside Bar Song" being highlights of the show's first half.

Then we got double-Bruce'd. Bruce Hornsby came out to dazzle on the piano. And then it happened: After Hornsby's two piano numbers, he became the sexy tall man with the accordian. This, leading into perhaps the single wildest performance I have ever seen at a Springsteen concert - a full hot chocolate grooving grinding rendition of "You Sexy Thing," with Hornsby getting the opportunity to call out something I've always wanted to say - "Blow, Big Man. BLOW!"

Nils Lofgren came on to do two very nice interpretations: First, with "The Star Spangled Banner," he showed off his vocal chops; then, a rocking take on "If I Should Fall Behind," a song that seems to work really well in any number of interpretations. Southside's set this year included a georgeous take on my all-time favorite song in his catalogue, "This Time Baby's Gone for Good."

Bruce came back to do kick-ass renditions of several of the songs that have become staples of the holiday shows - "So Young and in Love," "Kittty's Back" and "Rosalita" (who'd have thought of those songs as staples??).

The encores were highlighted with "My City in Ruin," which made its debut at last year's holiday shows. As he did last year, Bruce noted the redevelopment taking place in Asbury Park. All the City Council members as well as probably every new business in town got a mention from the stage, as Bruce became the personal Ad Council for the city. I decided on the spot that if I ever open up my own business, I'm going to do it back home home in Asbury Park.