I hadn't been to a concert since seeing Foreigner in August of 2019. COVID had a large part in helping with that. But as I've grown older, I've seen many of the acts I have wanted to and many are no longer with us. I really wanted to see The Rolling Stones in St. Louis, but a) not going to have a job in a few weeks after the show, made me balk and b) without Charlie Watts it felt a bit of a let down too. (I still kick myself for not going to see them at Arrowhead in 2015.) There have been a few others, but I just don't have the concert bug like I used to. Concert ticket prices haven't helped either.
Which brings us to the Boss. Kansas City got an early date, when Springsteen announced his 2023 tour last summer and I was fortunate to get decent seats, side stagish about 18 rows back. But they were on the pricey side. More than double what I paid when I last saw him in 2016, at the same venue.
And it's well documented the heat he has taken from fans for the dynamic and just in general astronomical prices. But it was the Boss who's never truly disappointed with shows.
And I was lucky to make it to the show, as I came down with a cold/sinus/flu like stuff several days before(which turned out to be, surprise, COVID.) But the day of the show I felt strong enough and better to make the two and a half hour trek to KC (And not wanting to have wasted $700+) . My girlfriend and I got there well before the doors opened. Not feeling well, we didn't explore or do shopping like I wanted. Alas.
The doors opened at 6 PM and the show was schuduled to start at 7:30. And compared to previous shows Springsteen was on the stage, by 7:45, compared to yesteryears where it was 45 minutes or later before the band struck up. And it was a packed house. There was a couple of empty seats in the row ahead of us. But the upper level was packed and nearly every seat I could see was filled.
There was a strong opening salvo of No Surrender, Ghosts, Prove it All Night to lead off the festivities. Promised Land was one of the favorites that I was excited to hear. I'd heard him do it before in St. Louis in 2009, but its grown on me since then.
This was my fifth time seeing him, and Patti his wife was absent again. I've never seen her. I guess she sticks to the bigger shows on the coast or new Jersey and skips flyover country. Jake Clemons was out with COVID. Bruce mentioned this during Ghosts, that "Jake was back in the hotel room eating barbeque and watching pornographic films.," and leading the crowd in a F-U-C-K C-O-V-I-D chant. And Ed Manion, "who's played horns with us for 40 years finally gets to come down front."
And along with the E Street Band, there was a four piece horn section, a percussionist and four back up singers.
Other highlights were hearing Johnny 99, which was reworked to add his backing horns time to shine. And finally getting Glory Days. And watching Max is always a joy. One of the best drummers around. And I love how if you watch him, he's singing along while playing. I know I mention that everytime in my reviews.
As for the rest of the show, it was...okay. As a Springsteen fan I've probably been spoiled. It was a fine show, two hours and 45 minutes worth, but there was no surprises. It was pretty much the same set-list as every other city, but with two less songs and no tour debuts. One of the major things that drew me to his shows were the uniqueness he brought to every show. Different songs, audibles, sign requests, unique banter with the audience. There was very little of that. This felt like Taylor Swift or any other similar act, where every part was lined out, and it's just the same show, different city aspect.
There might be several reasons for this. For starters, he is 73 and might not have the manicial energy he used to. Age catches up to his all. And he still brought the energy don't get me wrong.
This is also an early date on the tour. Most times I've seen him, it's been on later legs, where he's started to tinker, get looser with set lists and not so locked-in. Looking at older tours, he usually kept a similiar set list on the beginnings then opened things up as the shows wore on.
Tying into that, there might be an overarching theme, he's trying to go with. His last album Letter to You, was fraught with the themes of mortality and death and growing older. Obviously his entire catalogue deals with a lot of these thoughts and themes, but this set list seems to hit on many of these.
And maybe the Springsteen on Broadway residency got him more into locked tight shows. There wasn't too much interaction with the audience. He gave intros to Last Man Standing and before the end of I'll See You In My Dreams, with the food bank request, that was the only dialogue.
My girlfriend, who I tried to coach into listening to more of his songs, besides when stuck with me on the odd car ride, kinda lost interest early. She also sat most of the show! (I'm dating an old woman!) And she only recognized two of his songs. I've got some work to do with her.
One of her comments was this was the whitest crowd she's seen. And just listening to some of the conversation of people around me, they were taking in multiple shows. Going to Tulsa show the next Tuesday. One guy was from Phoenix and had flew in for this show, and seen one of the Texas ones.
This doesn't dispel the bad image Springsteen got from the Tickemaster and high tickets debacle, that only his diehard and rich white people are the only ones who can afford these type of shows.
I did have a good time and if I'd never seen him before, would come away with a different feeling and opinion. I think the magic of his past shows are working against him with me. I'm still hoping for another leg of the tour in 2024 and a St. Louis date. But if there is, he'll definitely have to start changing it up more over the summer European festival dates and Fall US shows for me to go. I love Springsteen, but it is a pretty penny just to see the same show again.
Set List
- NO SURRENDER
- GHOSTS
- PROVE IT ALL NIGHT
- LETTER TO YOU
- THE PROMISED LAND
- OUT IN THE STREET
- CANDY'S ROOM
- KITTY'S BACK
- NIGHTSHIFT
- THE E STREET SHUFFLE
- JOHNNY 99
- LAST MAN STANDING
- BACKSTREETS
- BECAUSE THE NIGHT
- SHE'S THE ONE
- WRECKING BALL
- THE RISING
- BADLANDS
- THUNDER ROAD
- BORN TO RUN
- ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT)
- GLORY DAYS
- DANCING IN THE DARK
- TENTH AVENUE FREEZE-OUT
- I'LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS
