BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND : AUSTIN 2023

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND : AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 16, 2023

Disc One (63:12)

No Surrender
Ghosts
Prove It All Night
Letter To You
The Promised Land
Out In The Street
Candy's Room
Kitty's Back
Nightshift
If I was the priest

Disc Two (64:18)

The E Street Shuffle
Johnny 99
Last Man Standing
Backstreets
Because The Night
She's The One
Wrecking Ball
The Rising
Badlands
Thunder Road

Disc Three (41:09)

Cadillac Ranch
Born To Run
Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
Glory Days
Dancing In The Dark
Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
I'll See You In My Dreams

Label : live.brucespringsteen.net

Venue : Moody Center, Austin, Texas, USA

Recording Date : February 16, 2023

Quality : Soundboard Recording (A+)

Concert Review (Kieran's Thoughts) : The third and final stop in Texas on the first leg of their 2023 International Tour saw Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band play Austin last Thursday night, and after a true triumph of a show in Houston forty-eight hours earlier despite band members being absent there was much excitement inside the Moody Center as to whether the men and women onstage could deliver another fantastic performance – if not better it. Nils Lofgren thankfully returned to the stage on this night having missed the show in Houston, but frustratingly it was another instance of a band member returning and another being ill, as Jake Clemons was now out of action with Covid. Sending best wishes to Jake and hoping for the speediest of recoveries. With Jake missing, Bruce’s decision to bring the E Street Horns on tour paid off even more as this meant Eddie Manion was able to jump straight in and cover lead saxophone duties for the time being. Regular readers will recall that The Kingfish has filled in for Jake in the past, on the High Hopes Tour when Jake was absent for familial reasons, and that night in Sydney ended up being one of the tour’s best with Eddie shining several times. Would history repeat itself? Where February 19th, 2014 was full of surprises, February 16th, 2023 brought more of the same setlist-wise from Springsteen and the E Street Band, albeit with one tour debut and a retained song all fans were hoping to hear again after Houston. That retained song was not “Night” at the start of the show, but what kicked off the night in Austin was arguably even more exciting for the live crowd as Bruce stepped onstage with George Strait, who proceeded to introduce the evening’s attraction. For those unfamiliar with George Strait and his popularity in Texas, this moment was akin to Bruce Springsteen introducing an artist or band in New Jersey, and where Bruce will forever be The Boss in rock and roll folklore, as far as country music is concerned, George Strait is The King. This special moment for Austin instantly instilled a joyous energy inside the Moody Center, and the opening six-pack centred around catharsis ensured that energy would persist for the first thirty minutes of the show. A thrilling version of “No Surrender” got proceedings underway with Bruce and Little Stevie Van Zandt passionate on the mic and Nils Lofgren immediately making his presence felt courtesy of tasty guitar licks in the background; and while another mostly strong “Ghosts” followed with more of that ardency from Bruce and Steve, it ended up being a unique one that may not be the most revisited for fans wanting to hear the song itself once the tour has concluded. When the music was momentarily lowered, Bruce took this time to inform Austin of Jake’s absence, humorously telling them that he was “sitting in a Four Seasons with Covid eating cheeseburgers and watching pornographic films.” He also used this moment to introduce Ed Manion, calling on him to deliver the song’s storming sax, and what was noticeable here was that where Ed’s solo was less roaring, there was a smoothness to his sound that we don’t always here with Jake onstage. The Kingfish shone again next in a “Prove It All Night” that was amplified in its lustful approach, and with Bruce and Stevie sharing the mic again, Austin were assured of a version with maximum intensity. A few lyrical missteps hindered “Letter To You” afterwards as the tempo was lowered for an emotionally driven performance, and it could be said that Bruce’s fumbles here were a result of him becoming overwhelmed with emotion. Regardless, the end result was a lovely reading that surely pulled at the heartstrings of everyone in the Moody Center; before “The Promised Land” brought relief as a heavily inspired version, highlighted by the most wholehearted of harmonies from Little Steven and also an Ed Manion solo that was more direct in execution than we’re accustomed to, but there’s no doubt that he was putting everything he had into it. “Out in the Street” wrapped up this sequence as another impressive rendition following on from Houston – although Bruce appeared to get ahead of the music at one point – and it brought another fine Ed solo in addition to strong efforts from the E Street Choir and the E Street Band members who were called upon to “meet me out in the street!”. Standing out most in this one, though, was the Austin audience as they added to their eager harmonies in the song prior with more of the same, ensuring that this six-pack would end in communal fashion. This opening half hour didn’t evoke the same amount of joy that was heard in Houston, but the commitment from those onstage was equally inspiring. There was much commitment in “Candy’s Room” too as the high energy in the Moody Center continued past the opening thirty minutes, and Austin were consequently treated to an explosive version of the underplayed gem from Darkness on the Edge of Town with Bruce, Stevie and Max Weinberg relentless in their vocals, guitar playing and drumming. A shredding segue into “Kitty’s Back” then maintained the excitement, but this song really allowed for each member of the E Street Band to take at least one moment to relax while spotlight solos were played. That said, no instrumentals were were played lightly here, and after thirteen fantastic minutes the audience had witnessed more ravenous guitar playing from Bruce, and some very vigorous riffs from the E Street Horns when the time came for the ultimate calls of “Kitty’s back in town!”. A sixteen minute pairing with one song ten minutes longer than the other, and there were several stunning aspects in each to leave Austin in awe. Following “Kitty,” Anthony Almonte’s soft percussion and Charlie Giordano’s delicate organ took us into the magnificent meditation that is “Nightshift,” where Bruce reflected on loss and what comes next, utilising his Choir and Horns sections to great effect. It was Curtis King Jr. and Curt Ramm who shone most during this selection from Only The Strong Survive, providing gorgeous contributions throughout the song, before combining with their bandmates for a stimulating finale that really restored much of the rousing tempo that the song had initially brought down. Typically on this tour, after “Nightshift” it’s “Don’t Play That Song” that fully restores the rousing atmosphere, but much to my surprise considering how good it’s been since February 1st, this soul cover was dropped for the first time. Not to worry, though, because what followed “Nightshift” brought even greater excitement to the fans, and if the fanbase thought it couldn’t get any better than “If I Was the Priest” forty-eight hours earlier in Houston, they were about to realise that it could. This second ever live performance with the E Street Band blew the triumphant first performance away in a manner even greater than The Man With No Name would whoever was in front of him. One reason Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have remained live concert titans for fifty years is because of their ability to improve their playing, even when it hasn’t seemed like their playing needed improving. That’s the case with this “Priest”, as Bruce decided his vocal approach in Houston wasn’t what the song called for, so rather than singing with a similar amount of restraint here, he sang fluidly, with more freedom, and incredibly every lyric was better for it. It wasn’t just Bruce’s vocal that was altered either, as the E Street Band’s playing and vocal contributions were all the more spirited, particularly the E Street Horns’ exciting riffs, before Little Steven closed the song out with the sweetest searing solo you or I may hear. It’s not often you find yourself asking if maestro Morricone could have composed better, but this is one occasion where you will. “The E Street Shuffle” made for a Greetings era double bill with more magic from the E Street Horns and a similar amount of looseness from Bruce – who increased those new harmonies he was singing in Houston – but once again the song was stolen away from them by the percussion battle between Max and Anthony that left Austin breathless. There was no immediate respite, however, and “Johnny 99” brought this stimulating sequence to an end by ensuring everyone in the venue needed a break, whether they were in the crowd, or standing onstage. I think the rapidity of the performance was best conveyed in Bruce asking “What do we need a little more of?!” and declaring “Judge! Judge I’ve got debts..!” without seeming to take a breath. Austin, and the E Street Band were able to take a moment next as it was time for the heart of the show, the performance of “Last Man Standing.” There were no major tweaks to Bruce’s preceding monologue here, and that’s fine as the most important goal was to express to Austin who George Theiss was and how his passing affected Bruce. What followed his story was a song performance that continues to emotionally cripple no matter how many times we hear it, as Bruce poured his heart out to this audience in the same manner he has in the previous six shows in tribute to his fallen Castiles brothers. Joined only by Curt Ramm, who played another powerful trumpet solo, again capping it off with a stunning segue back into Bruce, the intimacy of the moment was undeniably felt by all inside the house. “Backstreets,” featuring guitar riffs reminiscent of 1975, followed as a mighty performance alongside the E Street Band, and despair turned into elation with it courtesy of remarkable efforts from Roy Bittan, Charlie Giordano, Garry Tallent and Little Steven. That said, it was again the sobering interlude where Bruce called upon George Theiss’ spirit to tell him that he’ll always remember him, be it through books, 45s, guitars, or the rest of him that Bruce carries in his heart, that was most powerful in Austin. No major setlist changes followed “Backstreets” as the main set came to a close, but of course with personnel changes there were noticeable changes to the music being played. “Because the Night” allowed Nils to give Austin the exhilarating experience that Houston missed out on (mind you, the Springsteen-Van Zandt connection that Houston saw was no slouch) and “She’s the One” afterwards gave Austin just about the same experience that Houston witnessed, a towering E Street Band exhibition with Bruce inspired in his vocal and harmonica playing; while the biggest change to the song musically saw Eddie thrive playing damn good Bo Diddley-esque saxophone in Jake’s absence. Following the euphoria of the Born to Run fan favourite, “Wrecking Ball” and “The Rising” amplified the emotion with their themes of loss and recovery, and they were then complemented by the pairing of “Badlands” and “Thunder Road,” which through rip-roaring guitar, a superb Ed Manion-led coda and tons of spirit from Springsteen, the E Street Band and Austin, echoed Bruce’s words in reference to “Last Man Standing”: “Live right now!”. Then, at the top of the encore came a tour debut, a song fitting for Texas and another song that aptly complemented the last two songs of the main set, “Cadillac Ranch.” It’s always a joy to see this one in the setlist, and this version excellently conveyed why with Springsteen and the E Street Band giving Austin a superb performance brimming with energy. Bruce led the way with a wild man scream and pure ferocity followed, highlighted by a delightful duel in Texas between Little Steven on guitar and Soozie Tyrell on fiddle that I dare say Soozie won – readers who’ve followed along with my River Tour 2016 reviews will know how much excitement this sequence brings – and while Nils unfortunately wasn’t able to supplement his efforts in “Because the Night” with a shredding solo akin to the 2016 tour (he did share a moment with Bruce that was straight out of 1985 mind you) in place of that was the addition of the Horns’ riffs, which punctuated the song greatly and undoubtedly left Austin bouncing. There was no Emergency Public Announcement prior to “Born to Run” on this night, which makes some sense as any damage was surely already done during “Caddy,” but Bruce and the E Street Band nonetheless delivered five fantastic final song performances before Bruce closed the night out solo with “I’ll See You in My Dreams.” A communal reading of “Born to Run” was followed by versions of “Rosalita” and “Glory Days” dominated by Little Stevie’s fervour, and I’m sure even Bruce was taken aback by his shouts of “Yeah!” during “Rosie”! Steve’s infectious energy made for shining versions of these songs, and the “Dancing in the Dark” and “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” that capped off the E Street Band’s evening were all the better for it too. In the end, when Bruce and Stevie found themselves declaring “I don’t want to go home!” during “Glory Days,” there was enough evidence in their performing to confirm they meant it. Unfortunately for Austin and those onstage, everyone did have to go home eventually, and Bruce sent this third of three shows in Texas out with what could be his most determined reading of “I’ll See You in My Dreams” yet. As was the case in Houston, here Bruce wasn’t letting the sentiment of this song speak for him, and instead he delivered a profound performance – “my soul, my soul feels like it’s been split at the seams!” – that assured Austin he meant every word he was singing, and that even though he had to go home after this, maybe for the final time from this venue, his and Austin’s story will never be entirely over. Not quite reaching the very high bar that was set in Houston, this third and final night in Texas on the opening leg of the 2023 International Tour saw Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band give Austin a superb show with several excellent song performances. With the night kicked off by Country music legend George Strait introducing our main attraction, there was a special energy that Bruce and his Covid hit E Street Band fed off of from the start. Buoyed further by Nils Lofgren’s return to the stage, but undone by Jake Clemons’ absence, on this night Eddie ‘Kingfish’ Manion stepped in and did a stellar job of covering saxophone solos, while Bruce and the rest of the E Street Band strove to give Austin their best in spite of being a man down. Featuring fantastic versions of “The E Street Shuffle,” “Backstreets,” “She’s the One” and tour debut of “Cadillac Ranch,” Bruce and the E Street Band’s finest moment on this night was their second live performance of “If I Was the Priest,” which blew away the already outstanding live debut forty-eight hours earlier. It could honestly end up being their finest moment on the tour entire!

Concert Review (Austin American Statesman) : The man to my left asked me if I was local or if I had traveled from out of town to Moody Center on Thursday night. “Local,” I said. “Ah. How many times have you been?” he asked. “To the Moody?” I replied. “No, to this tour,” he said. “Oh! I’ve never seen Bruce before,” I said. The man smiled. “You’re in for a religious experience,” he said. I had suspected as much when I descended the escalator and saw that the Stubb’s Bar-B-Q stall had spelled out “THE BOSS” in sausages on its flat top grill. Bruce Springsteen brought his latest tour to Austin’s new-ish arena on Feb. 16, and while the Boss was evoking well-earned fervor from a six-string, I was playing third string. Former music writer Peter Blackstock would have covered the show, but he left the paper in December. Current music writer Deborah Sengupta Stith was set to review but had to bow out at the last minute. So, me and my New Jersey-sized blindspot — Springsteen’s progressive politics were a childhood boogeyman growing up, but I love Lucy Dacus’ cover of “Dancing in the Dark,” I thought the movie “Blinded by the Light” was delightful, and I did go through an "I'm On Fire" phase last year — sat in among the Bruce Tramps. And not that 33 is that young, but rarely have I felt younger, especially after last week’s Death Cab for Cutie show seemed hell-bent on reminding me of the passage of time. Leading up to the show, it felt like the second coming was upon us. The 73-year-old rock star has achieved mononymic status (unless you’re a bigger fan of Batman). And if you can believe it, “Born To Run” has been part of the pop culture firmament for nearly 50 years. This was set to be Springsteen’s first Austin concert since South by Southwest 2012. As with most major artists, the Ticketmaster monopoly had created ticket mishegas, as the company’s “dynamic pricing” model put admission beyond the reach of many Springsteen lifers. (Springsteen brushed off criticism of the high prices but promised to release recordings of the shows for $14.99.) When the night came, as with the most famous religious experience in Western society, a prophet appeared to herald the chosen one. And I mean Western society: Texas music titan George Strait emerged onstage to introduce Springsteen and “a band that needs no introduction.” The low bellows of “Bruuuce” across the arena gave those shiny new acoustics a warmup for the E Street Band. As he usually does on this tour, the Boss kicked off the setlist with “No Surrender,” a 1985 “Born in the U.S.A.” track that rages against the dying of the light. Little Steven Van Zandt joined Springsteen face to face on the mic for the first of many times, the two old friends serenading each other with a string of la las. "'Cause we made a promise we swore we'd always remember/ No retreat, baby, no surrender,” Springsteen sang. It made me wonder how many of those assembled in this temple of wealth, holders of tickets far beyond the working class that their idol once represented, had indeed surrendered. A fleeting thought, as Springsteen ended the fool-proof opener with kick-in-the-head strums and rounded up his crew with a finger circled above his head. As the band played “Ghosts,” Springsteen told the crowd that saxophonist Jake Clemons (nephew of original E Street sax player Clarence Clemons) was back at the Four Seasons hotel with COVID-19, “eating cheeseburgers and watching pornographic films,” he joked. Eddie Manion took the sexy sax solos at Moody. The concert, just shy of three hours, packed in the hits and the deeper cuts. For newbies, a bit of a challenging experience; for the faithful, it seemed euphoric. I stood adjacent to three superfans on all sides, who rarely left their feet and recited every word, taking time to analyze slight setlist adjustments with each other. The source of such devotion made his case with every number. “I Prove It All Night,” with horns that worked their way to your skull like a power drill, evinced Springsteen’s musical prowess, giving the legend a meaty guitar showcase. We watched those famous fingers make quick work of their instrument’s lovingly scratched-up body. The whole E Street Band, of course, put on a show that's like watching Navy SEALs do their job. Drummer Max Weinberg made a ratatat hurricane on “Candy’s Room,” and Nils Lofgren unleashed heaven and hell with his pick on “Because the Night.” The showmanship, though! Decades in, Springsteen makes most frontmen look lazy. He busted out the harmonica for an excellent rendition of “The Promised Land,” which seemed to cause a Pavlovian response (a spontaneous “oooh”) in the crowd. On “Out in the Street,” he swung his body around the mic stand with the prowess of a veteran at the Yellow Rose. The extended jazz jam that was “Kitty’s Back” provided a breather in the breakneck pace of the show, but Springsteen still looked like an orchestra conductor teaching aerobics. Every minute of every hour, the Boss clocked in, eyes shut and lips rolled back to let out that gravelly howl. A gut-punch performance of “The Rising,” set dramatically by spotlights piercing through fields of shadow, made me wonder: Have I ever seen a jugular vein glow in chiaroscuro like that? Part of the joy of seeing an icon in the flesh is the lore. Before a stirring “If I Was the Priest,” Springsteen mentioned he wrote the song when he was 22. And a gorgeous solo acoustic “Last Man Standing,” which he wrote about being the last surviving member of his first band, was preceded by a little history, and a little poetry. In 1965, when Springsteen was 15, he’d been playing guitar for six months. A guy his sister was dating invited Springsteen to audition for a band, he recalled. They named themselves after a shampoo: The Castiles (not Propecia, as he joked). They lasted for three years, he said, which wasn’t too shabby for teenagers. Springsteen wrote the 2020 song “Last Man Standing” after the 2018 death of Castiles comrade George Theiss left him alone. “It’s about a job I chose before I ever called it work,” he said of the song. “At 15, it was all tomorrows and hellos.” You take the bitter with the sweet, and this show was no different. As the night progressed and delirium set in, the E Street Band cracked the remaining ice and let the hits rush out. “Because the Night,” which Springsteen co-wrote with Patti Smith, who made it famous, was my personal highlight. It was just a herald, though: “Wrecking Ball” came soon after, followed by a glorious “Badlands” — which saw Springsteen park on the lip of the stage, jutting out into arms outstretched like reeds — and “Thunder Road.” That was all well and good, but I, a fledgling tramp, was not prepared for the encore. After a bow, a shout out to Central Texas Food Bank, a return and a Texas-perfect “Cadillac Ranch,” the lights came up on the house with “Born to Run," as if the sheer electricity in the room forced the circuit’s hand. Springsteen, Van Zandt and Lofgren hammed it up for “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight),” which slid into "Glory Days" and “Dancing in the Dark.” In particular, Springsteen and Van Zandt barely seemed to be working. They mugged; they strutted; they sweated. The Boss made the band intros. “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” was anything but frozen — the thaw had long since come. Springsteen plucked a pink cowboy hat from the front row and did a little shimmy. A tribute to the late Clarence Clemons played on the big screens. By the time the rest of the players left the stage and gave Springsteen berth for a final solo acoustic moment, heart-piercing closer “I’ll See You In My Dreams,” I counted myself a convert to the cult, just like whoever made those sausages.