There’s an apocryphal story about legendary Cleveland Plain Dealer music critic Jane Scott and her prediction that she had seen the future of rock music and his name was Bruce Springsteen. I’m sure that story isn’t true, but being from the 216, I’ll continue to believe in it. Whatever the reality, Springsteen definitely has ties to Cleveland and its dynamic concert scene in the 1970s. Towards the end of last night’s amazing show at Rocket Arena, The Boss thanked Cleveland for the life it’s given him, expressing his gratitude for the support that his fifty-or-so appearances have generated over the last five decades.
The sold-out show — part southern Baptist revival, part history lesson, and a dash of a good old-fashioned political rally — was nothing short of electrifying. Springsteen has never been shy about his support for the working man; his many tunes glorifying the common man have become anthems to the middle class.
This tour, aptly named The Land of Hopes and Dreams, didn’t merely copy that of one of his popular tunes; it embodies Springsteen’s philosophy of what he deems America to be. His songwriting has always reflected the deepest type of patriotism there is: the idea that one can acknowledge the shortcomings of the United States yet still embody the hope and dreams that this country, on its best days, can espouse. To everyone.
The band took to the stage at 7:30 in pretty much pitch black. Springsteen came out, backlit by a dim spot, and talked about the direction this country has recently taken. The E Street Band, all 18 members, then blasted directly into a cover of “War,” which set the tone for the rest of the next three hours.
While offering some late-set tunes that made the top ten (“Hungry Heart” and “Dancing in the Dark, for instance), most of the songs had a political affiliation. The addition of Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello on guitar really added a fresh take of some of The Boss’ older tunes. A full-throated version of “The Ghost of Tom Joad” featured Morello shredding his way through a tune that was originally recorded as a much-simpler arrangement.
“Youngstown,” a mournful elegy to the post-industrial fate of the Ohio steel town, was a must in any concert commenting on modern America. The stage was lit red like a version of hell, or at least the conditions of a blast furnace in the Mahoning Valley.
His much-misunderstood “Born in the USA” was offered very early in the set; that was a wise decision as Springsteen’s voice isn’t as strong as it once was.
Most of the E Street members were there; Nils Lofgren, Little Steven, Gary Tallent,and Max Weinberg took their places around Springsteen, while Clarence Clemmons’ nephew Jake amply took over his late uncle’s sax duties, a welcome legacy addition to the Rock Hall-inducted backing band.
Playing such perennials as “The Promised Land,” “My City of Ruins,” and “American Skin (41 Shots),” it may have seemed like a dour affair. Yet, he balanced those tunes with “Land of Hope and Dreams” and an uplifting rendition of “American Land,” where the whole band joined Bruce at the front of the stage.
Ending on a positive note, the five-tune encore culminated with “Chimes of Freedom.”
