Springsteen ends world tour at Harley celebration (Silent Audience at Rendition, Wiretaps?)

Yahoo ^ | 8/31/08 | CARRIE ANTLFINGER

[Libloather]

Springsteen ends world tour at Harley celebration
By CARRIE ANTLFINGER, Associated Press Writer
Sun Aug 31, 9:36 AM ET

MILWAUKEE - Bruce Springsteen ended his world tour over the weekend, toned down but revved up.

Springsteen played more than 30 songs over 3 1/2 hours Saturday night on Milwaukee's lakefront for Harley-Davidson's 105th anniversary celebration. He made few comments between songs.

Only for a few moments before "Livin' in the Future" did the rocker — who often brings his liberal-leaning political comments to the stage — stray into politics.

Springsteen performed to a crowd not unlike the one that gave Republican presidential candidate John McCain a warm welcome Aug. 4 at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota. Many roared their motorcycles during McCain's speech.

Springsteen said "Livin' in the Future" was about what was happening now: cheese, Harley-Davidson motorcycles (tailoring it to his Wisconsin crowd), transfats, "500 channels of nothing on" and the Bill of Rights.

But he also mentioned wire tapping and rendition — the secret transport of terror suspects from one country to another.

"Things that basically at the heart are un-American," he said. The crowd gave spattered groans but mostly stayed silent.

He did not play "Born in the U.S.A," his anthem about the difficulties Vietnam war veterans faced, or the anti-war ballad "Devils and Dust" about Iraq.

**SNIP**

Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson expected more than 100,000 people from around the nation and world to participate in the four-day celebration that officially started Thursday in Milwaukee and its suburbs. It included a parade through the city, a party along the lake, activities at the new Harley-Davidson Museum, a special exhibit at Discovery World and other big-name bands.

[Salamander]

I'm embarrassed to admit this but in the early 80s, I made regular ‘pilgrimages’ to Asbury Park during the winter months.

At that time, it was a virtual ghost town, pretty much deserted until the weekends.

I drove down Monroe and Kingsley in the wee, dark hours of the night.

I drank and danced at the Stone Pony and Park Place [before it “mysteriously” burned down] and heard the best Moody Blues cover band, ever.

I wandered around the old empty convention center and wandered the boardwalk for hours, checking often to see if Madame Marie was still alive.

The arcade was in ruins as was most of the boardwalk amusement park but it suited me as such.

The melancholy atmosphere was poignant and haunting.

It was somewhat like being the last person on earth.

I had the best surf & turf at a little roadside eatery called “Some Other Place”.

There was a corner bakery downtown that made the best corn and blueberry muffins and I snacked on them, happily, unaware that even stepping out of my car in “that part of town” was tantamount to suicide.

Naturally, I visited Freehold and Red Bank, just because.

I sat under the boardwalk and watched the gray waves rolling in.

When Bruce “went stupid”, I just stopped going.

Someday, I'd love to go back but I read that it's become a summertime homo-Mecca.

So, I probably won't ever go...the memories of being alone with the ghosts and faded glory of a seaside resort are probably best let be.

[machogirl]

it’s funny how soon they forget what got them there in the first place