Last Wednesday, Bruce's appearance on VH1 StoryTellers was announced, along with a contest opportunity via the Backstreets.com website. I entered, asking a question stringing together Devils & Dust & Ezekiel's dream to get to an inquiry regarding the evolution of Biblical themes in Bruce's song narratives. I thought I had a chance, and in any event it allowed for the one question that came to me when examining the new single. I thought enough of my chances to mention it to my work manager as well as my family members. Good move.
On Saturday, I was among 40 people selected on the basis of the questions they had posed. Picking up Aaron - who has just turned 8 - from his friend's house an hour later, I told him I had won. Aaron asked, "will you meet Bruce?" Probably not, I said, but just in case, do you have any questions *you* would like to ask him? Aaron thought and asked, "can you ask him if I can meet him when we are in New Jersey?" No, I didn't think that would work out, I said, he has his own friends and family there. "Well, can you get his phone number so we can talk?" No, I wouldn't expect Bruce to give out his number, I said. "Can you ask him how he can sing in front of so many people?" ok, Aaron, that's a very good question. I'll try.
To get to NJ without running the budget meant flying to Atlantic City at 7am. No taking Aaron to school today. I said good night to him Sunday night, and he asked, "will you remember to ask Bruce my question?" I'll try, I said. But I can't promise.
4:15pm Monday, I arrived in Red Bank to get the ticket. The questions to be asked - 10 in all, they're saying -- during the taping of StoryTellers have been pre-selected. My Ezekiel question, though interesting enough to be mentioned on BTX, is not among them. Just as well, I might learn that I share my Aaron's stage fright.
Then, off to meet friends who also won entry. It's almost like the Joad tour - there's Flynn, and Bernie. Alison is there, so are Josh, Rich and Claudine. Lauren is coming, Dave is on the way, as is Sharon, and there's Dan on line. With no GA line to usurp our time, we discuss which Italian restaurant to patronize, but a rumor of a fire code limitation on entry keeps us local - we end up at the WindMill for major grease on a plate (good grease, if you like large rib-eye sandwiches). Shades of old times.
The doors opened, finally, at 7:45pm. I'm 4th row on the aisle, eye level with the piano. Yes, there's a piano there. We're psyched.
After a minor amount of VH1 getting the crowd in a clapping mood, Bruce finally came out at about 8:20. Bruce pretty much immediately compared music to sex - can't just talk about it, gotta demonstrate.
The setlist:
Devils and Dust
Blinded by the Light
Brilliant Disguise
Nebraska (x2)
Jesus Was an Only Son (x2)
Waiting on a Sunny Day
The Rising (x2)
Thunder Road (x2)
Q&A
Perhaps the best way to describe this show is, imagine Bruce Springsteen sitting down in your living room, performing and then demonstrating his craft.
The individual song performances tended to be solid, if not always inspired. None of the 2nd takes improved on the first takes, though at least in the case of Jesus Was an Only Son it allowed an opportunity to study the song a bit more. The 2nd take of The Rising was due to technical problems; the other 2nd takes were all Bruce's call.
Some performance notes: Nebraska on 12-string was a highlight, as was Brilliant Disguise, which featured Patti singing harmony. Also, Bruce's piano playing seems to me to have improved quite a bit, though he stumbled through much of Thunder Road.
For each song, Bruce prepared explanations. I tried to take a few notes, without being too obvious to the cameras around the hall.
The Devils and Dust discussion started out line by line, and before long was sounding mostly like classroom lecture. Save a sardonic reference to the "Red Bank Al Qaeda cell," it was very dry. Bruce saved it by confessing that he had written the discussion the day before at the kitchen table.
Blinded by the Light provided much needed levity after the heaviness of Devils and Dust. Calling it a "minor masterpiece," Bruce also had some fun elaborating on the difference between a "deuce" and a "douche."
Brilliant Disguise was explained in advance, by way of a story about coming out of a strip club. Man to Bruce: "You shouldn't be here." Bruce: "Bruce does not even know I'm here, he is at home doing good deeds."
Nebraska was presented as an early example of narratives in Bruce's songs. "Everyone knows what it's like to be condemned," said Bruce. That provided the resonancy in this song, as well as the tie-in to the next one.
Jesus Was an Only Son was, in a sense, "Everyone knows what it's like to be saved," only that one is harder. Or, "Once you're a Catholic there's no getting out."
Time for a pop song, with the obvious choice - Waiting on a Sunny Day. Complete with a bit of sing-along. This also included Bruce mimicking Smokey Robinson; the only time he really referenced his musical influences directly this night.
The Rising discussion resembled that of Devils and Dust in the pseudo-lecture tone it took, or, as Bruce might describe it, "interminable bullshit." The performance, however, was a show highlight. The partial demonstration of the song lyrics - with "dream of life" removed, was even better.
Thunder Road on piano is always worth something. Bruce was in full voice, no evidence of a twang. The discussion featured a humorous flub ("trade in these things" replacing "trade in these wings"), Bruce just saying "Catholic School, Catholic School, Catholic School" to explain some of the imagery, and then referring to "I've got this guitar and I've learned how to make it talk" as "the hoakiest line I ever wrote, and I've written quite a few."
That was it for the main show.
The Q&A session included several questions that Bruce didn't seem particularly easer to answer; he had his guitar handy to assist him, but aside from a brief use of Thunder Road to demonstrate the influence of faith on his works, it went unused. Except for a couple jokes - including another comparison of good music to good sex (it's better when demonstrated), this section, though certainly smoother than what transpired at the DoubleTake benefit a while back, didn't really shed very much light. Though, once again, how would you like to have Bruce in your living room, explaining these things?
Flynn and Alison stuck around after the show. Eventually, we elected to check out one of those places we had previously discussed, to get a non-greasy bite before hitting the road. We were in luck; Bruce's party was across the other side of the bar.
A glass of wine having been consumed, and having now been awake for 21 hours, and being on a mission from my son, I approached Bruce as we were all heading for the exit. Aaron's question got asked. "Tell him," Bruce said "that I do get nervous sometimes, but I know I have to do it anyway." We snapped a picture. Bruce went home. Ezekiel can have another dream. Tomorrow evening, there will be one happy 8-year old in Michigan. Aaron got his question answered.
