Like the over 15,000 other people assembled last night in Tulsa's new BOK Center, that's what I did for 2 1/2 hours last night. The occasion was the appearance of "The Boss" - a.k.a. Bruce Springsteen and the incredible E Street Band.
He - and the band - absolutely rocked the house with a multitude of his songs spanning 3 decades. Some of his most well known hits, plus a bunch from his albums that were never chart toppers, but were well known to the Springsteen fans in attendance, were played with equal passion.
I always liked Springsteen, but truly became an avid fan after hearing his CD, "The Rising" - recorded after 9/11. That album, in my opinion, is one of the greatest - by anyone - ever recorded. It is a mix of poignancy and hope, with faith built in throughout. Some songs are somber; others incredibly uplifting. Last night the cuts he sang from that album were only the uplifting ones. Probably something much needed in this time of concern with our economy.
Almost all of Springsteen's songs celebrate the common man and his struggles. That's why he strikes such a chord with so many people, I suppose. His voice isn't what you might call beautiful, or classically trained. But what it is is honest. Passionate. And full of depth. You can feel the pain when he sings about struggles or his hope for a better day to come. It is that obvious.
The mix of the crowd was interesting too. A bunch of old farts like me. But also younger types too. His music transcends a specific age group, though he's 59 and has been churning out the hits for some 30 years. Legends are like that, I suppose.
In my lifetime I've been fortunate to be able to see a number of Rock stars perform live, in person. I had anticipated this particular concert with great excitement, as The Boss had been one of the superstars I've always wanted to see. Sometimes looking forward to an event can set you up for disappointment. It didn't happen this time.
Old Fart Mike
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