About a year ago, a gypsy woman came up to me.  She said she needed to see into
our future, I don't remember why.  She read my mind and said, "so, you like
Bruce Springsteen?"  "Well, I'm sure I would if only I could meet him. Can you
arrange that, gypsy woman?"  I asked.  The gypsy woman hesitated, then said,
"Yentas arrange, I predict.  Ask me for a prediction."

OK, I thought, I better make this good.  "Will I see Bruce play in 1996?  Tell
me, gypsy woman, it's been such a long time."  "Yes," she said, "you will see
him 3 times.  First, you will see him in a big stadium, surrounded by all his
old friends."  Say what?!?  Do you mean the E Street Band?  "Yes, but there is
more.  Then, you will see him in a tiny little club, surrounded by people you
have never heard of."  A club date???  No, it can't be true.  "The third time
will be an acoustic show in a really nice theater with perfect sound."  Wow. I
can die now, I thought.  "So you shall, so you shall," gypsy woman said.
Startled, I shouted out, "Wait!  Do I get to meet Bruce first?"

The gypsy woman, now laughing, said "too late," and I fell off the cliff.

Yesterday, for the third time in as many months, I saw Bruce Springsteen
perform in a manner I would not have believed possible not too long ago.  I'd
first like to thank the extraordinary members of this list who made the trip
possible.  I'd also like to greet all of our friends that we met at Shoeless
Joe's and the Holiday Inn before the show.  I don't get to see shows with
Heidi very often, this one was *special*!

The venue for the show, the newly opened Rosemont Theater, is as fine a hall as
I've ever been in.  Certainly it's the nicest place I've ever seen Bruce play.
The acoustics were wonderful, simply fantastic.

As for the concert, well, it was Bruce.  What more do you want, dammit?  ;-)

The setlist:
The Ghost of Tom Joad
Adam Raised a Cain
Straight Time
Highway 29
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Murder Incorporated
Nebraska
It's the Little Things that Count
Born in the USA
Dry Lightning
Spare Parts
Youngstown
Sinaloa Cowboys
The Line
Balboa Park
The New Timer
Across the Border
 [break]
Does the Bus Stop at 82nd Street?
This Hard Land
Dead Man Walking
 [break]
Galveston Bay
My Best Was Never Good Enough

It was tremendous.  Nearly all of the new material came across better live than
on the CD.  Many songs had subtle changes -- bumping up the key half a step (or
more), using a 12-string guitar or more harmonica, adding 1 or 2-beat pauses,
and so forth.  Most gratifying was Bruce's singing, so depressingly monotonic
on much of the CD, but now front and center, with feeling.  Say bye-bye to the
drawl (it wasn't missed).  Among the songs from TGOTJ, I was particularly
impressed by the live arrangements of "Straight Time," "Dry Lightning,"
"Youngstown," "The New Timer," and the almost too reverential "Across the
Border."  Some of the rhythmic variations of TGOTJ's title track are explored
further in the two unreleased songs; I expect "Dead Man Walking" to be a
favorite here soon.

Other highlights:  A searing rendition of "Adam Raised a Cain."  Similar to the
'93 acoustic version, but *much* more powerful.  Also, the encores, in
particular "This Hard Land."   The '93 tour versions didn't do much for me;
last night's was much closer in style to the version on GH.  Then, there was
the return of the pre-song story.  Bruce was also in fine jousting form.  Quote
of the night:  "I'm sure you're wonderful too."  Finally, cheers for Bruce's
decision to give all his proceeds from merchandise sales to local charities.

Lowlights:  The keyboards during "Highway 29" and "Galveston Bay."  They didn't
do anything for the songs, and they detract from show's intimacy.  Also, I must
admit being disappointed in the rearranged "Murder Inc.," despite a fine
dedication by Bruce (to "good old fashioned American paranoia").  Oh, yes, and
a special mention for the comical attempts of the local police to clear the
parking lot.  A lowlight only because they seemed so serious about it.

A great night, can't wait for the Detroit dates!

--Matt