In any Springsteen show, there are intevitably moments to treasure. In Cleveland last night, some of these were before the show -- getting to spend a few moments with Judi, Lori, Takis, Todd, Kevin, Rich, knowing that others were in the hall, and then finding our seats in the front row.
More magic during the show: a hymn-like opening of "My Beautiful Reward" on pipe organ, and being able to see everything, from Bruce's feet on the pedals to the details of his singing.
Bruce's piano songs have never been better. Incident on 57th Street with a segue in to a rare performance of Stolen Car was pure magic.
But if this review somehow seems to lack form, so, too, did much of the show. With My Beautiful Reward fronting the show, the presentation now has bookends of sorts -- searching for a dream, and finding it... floating away downstream. And in that darkness, you disappear.
An old hit, "I'm On Fire," was worked into a nearly mournful whistle/banjo presentation, and somehow it fit. Other passages worked much less well. The latino girl trilogy (usually only Maria's allowed, with one exception last night) went badly off course. After an upbeat "Maria's Bed" came "The Line" and "Reno": the dreariest, slowest sequence I've yet experienced at a Springsteen show. Following that pair with "Wreck on the Highway" seemed almost like too much to bear. Fortunately, no song as good as "Wreck on the Highway," especially when performed as exquisitely as last night's electric piano rendition, is ever too much to bear.
Bruce's spoken presentations were shortened somewhat from when we last saw him in Detroit, and at times they were also more pointed. My favorite last night was during the "Part Man, Part Monkey" rap, during which he rationalized the "iffy" proposition of evolution by noting that Goerge W. Bush did not win on the monkey vote.
The off stage music was not as annoying up front, but I am now more confused as to how it is being played. From where we sat, we could clearly see Kevin Buell in the wings, and he was definitely not playing anything during those songs.
The encores have been overhauled since Detroit, and that's good. The show ended with the new cover of "Dream," a somber yet fitting way to conclude.
The Orel Family
Email: matt@orel.ws
URL: http://matt.orel.ws/