Bruce Springsteen Tells Fans To Support Al Franken

Boston Herald.com ^ | September 11, 2003 | Matt Drudge

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

Talk about a home run.

Last night, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band kicked off a historic two-night stand at Fenway Park and Red Sox nation gave as good as they got during an ecstatic three-hour performance that found the Boss sprinting around like a wild man and pulling out some terrific setlist surprises just for Boston.

The fact that we trounced the Yankees earlier in the day only helped to heighten the jubilant mood.

After a raucous sing-along of ``Take Me Out to the Ballgame'' with Springsteen conducting, the local love began with the next number as the band lit into Barry and the Remains' '60s garage rock gem ``Diddy Wah Diddy'' with giddy energy.

The familiar willowy synth line of ``The Rising'' followed and the night's community mood was cemented in the first of many shouted choruses.

Springsteen continues to feature tunes from ``The Rising'' but many of them have transformed from their elegiac roots into more optimistic paeans to hope, including the buoyant ``Lonesome Day'' and the gentle ``Empty Sky.'' (No doubt Springsteen and the fans were wishing for an empty sky during this quiet song as two news helicopters hovered overhead like buzzing mosquitoes.)

Crowd-pleasing uptempo rockers came in the form of ``The Ties That Bind,'' a fun romp through ``Out in the Street,'' ``Badlands'' and ``No Surrender.''

Surprises included a forceful ``Because the Night'' and a chugging ``Be True.''

The New Jersey bard performed a rock and roll exorcism during the raucous ``Mary's Place,'' playfully teasing the audience about our pinstriped nemesis to the south and introducing the band with a zany litany that included calling them Viagra-taking sexifiers!

The night's loveliest quiet musical moment came in the lilt and sway of the Tex-Mex overtones of ``Across The Border,'' featuring a slow and wistful accordion solo that sounded like the perfect accompaniment to a dusty afternoon siesta.

He prefaced ``Born in the U.S.A.'' with a public service announcement about holding our political leaders accountable and closed by plugging Al Franken's new book.

Deadline obligations meant this reviewer missed the last of the encores but a source inside said they included a joyous ``Rosalita,'' ``Dancing in the Dark,'' featuring a mysterious guitarist who may have been Springsteen manager and former Bostonian Jon Landau, and a roof-raising ``Dirty Water'' with an assist from Peter Wolf.

Springsteen thanked the city and the neighborhood, to whom he had the crowd give a shout out for the privilege of playing at the grand old ballpark. But it was undoubtedly the fans inside Fenway Park who felt like the privilege was all theirs.

[WestPacSailor]

Since we seem to be stuck in a Springsteen rut, for a laugh check out Ben Stiller doing his Springsteen impersonation. Click here, and then scroll down to the bottom to "Counting with Bruce Springsteen". It is rather humorous, and it's short.

Note: Ya gotta have Quicktime to view the video.

[WestPacSailor]

Shut up and Sing?

You DO NOT want me to sing. Last time I tried karaoke the ASPCA cited me for cruelty to animals...they thought I was torturing a cat and it was painfull for the neighborhood dogs too.

[bmwcyle]

WestPac Sailor, I bet there were a few Thailand girls with ear plugs waiting for your wallet.

[rintense]

Same thing happened to me. I went to see REM in 1992, and Michael Stipe went into some rant about President BushI and all that other crap. I didn't pay $50+ to get a political lecture from a musician. Haven't purchase one REM CD since, nor do I listen to them anymore.

[jays911]

why not avoid bruce, and listen to another jersey classic, southside johnny and the asbury jukes. better sound and no bad politics.

[Gil4]

Bring a sign to hold up if/when he starts talking politics (if you will be close enough the the stage for him to see it.) I'm sure some freepers here will help you compose an appropriate message.

[montag813]

KEEP THE BLAME WHERE IT BELONGS...WITH BILL O'REILLY. HE MADE THIS BOOK #1.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

However, since I've already bought the records, and the radio signal is free, I see no point in giving up listening to songs I like just because he and I have different political opinions.

If you're able to separate everything into neat categories without any bleed-over, more power to you! I'm one of those unsophisticated types who refuses to support the enemy even if they're selling something I desire.

[sweet_diane]

"That said, I have a little trouble buying his politics. His "down and out working man" appeal went out the window after his first couple of million $."

Same thing happened with Jimmy Buffett. I haven't bought anything Buffett (except two tickets in the 80's and 2 meals at his sister's restaurant) since "You Had To Be There".

Never spent a dime on 'the boss'.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

KEEP THE BLAME WHERE IT BELONGS...WITH BILL O'REILLY. HE MADE THIS BOOK #1.

You and Afro are having problems with your caps lock.

This had nothing to do with O'Reilly, the subject of the story is B-r-u-c-e S-p-r-i-n-g-s-t-e-e-n. Got it?

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

Since we seem to be stuck in a Springsteen rut, for a laugh check out Ben Stiller doing his Springsteen impersonation. Click here, and then scroll down to the bottom to "Counting with Bruce Springsteen". It is rather humorous, and it's short.

Thanks! I laughed and snorted. Thankfully, I wasn't drinking milk at the time.

[smith288]

tHAT iNCLUDES aRNOLD AND dENNIS mILLER RIGHT?

BIg diff, Arnold has the balls to run and Miller was always politically charged.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

Gonna get some **** about this one...

As a follower of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I won't give you any asterisks about your comments.

[dennisw]

http://www.al.com/search/index.ssf?/base/living/106232168389930.xml?birminghamnews?life

[Landru]

FYI pal.

Hardly any way to tahnk you for this morning's ping to that email you're recieved, this I know.

Still, you deserve to know.

...what's going down with someone you put so much stock in.

[Afronaut]

Everyone should shut up that does not see things my way.

But please have the floor if I agree with.

[WestPacSailor]

I bet there were a few Thailand girls with ear plugs waiting for your wallet.

LOL! Each you fifteen dollah...

(Some of you will understand the picture)

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

Everyone should shut up that does not see things my way. But please have the floor if I agree with.

I would recommend Super-Glue to strengthen your tenuous grip on reality. Also, occasional proofreading should not be considered a sign of weakness.

[WestPacSailor]

...southside johnny and the asbury jukes.

Don't think I've ever heard any of their stuff. Any good?

[WestPacSailor]

KEEP THE BLAME WHERE IT BELONGS...WITH BILL O'REILLY. HE MADE THIS BOOK #1.

I've gotta agree there. The book was wallowing down around #400 or so until O'Reilly went off on a rant, then everybody had to get the book and find out what it was all about. If we had ignored the book it would have fizzled and not even rated a footnote in the library card catalogue. (Do they even have those anymore?)