San Francisco Music Blog

Christopher Victorio

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
HP Pavilion at San Jose
Review By Melissa Baron

Better Than: Come on, it's the Boss. He's the best there is.

Generations of Bruce Springsteen fans piled into HP Pavilion last night to see the rock 'n' roll legend live. For some--like the elementary-aged kids holding on to their parent's hands--this was obviously their first time catching the Boss live. But those who were taking their third, fifth, tenth spin proudly sported t-shirts from prior tours--some as old as the 1984-1985 world tour. As for the current merch selection? The economic crisis is not having an affect on Boss loyalty. Lines stretched around schwag tables where fan dished out $35+ for t-shirts, $60 for sweatshirts, $20 for CDs, and $15 for mugs.

Christopher Victorio

Springsteen missed his 7:30 p.m. start time by about an hour., and his fans took advantage of the extra time to down beers and compare notes on the last time they saw him perform. Finally the lights dimmed, Springsteen took the stage, and the crowd erupted.

He came out in a tight t-shirt, vest, perfectly fitting jeans, and motorcycle boots. The man was the living image of true American iconography. After all these years, he still could make all the ladies around me swoon.

Springsteen performed with the E Street band and two backup singers. All told, there were about 13 people scattered across the big arena stage .He counted off "1,2,3,4" before launching into "Badlands," sending the venue into a frenzy. People jumped to their feet and danced and sang along to every word. Fans stayed upright for most of the show--one father even helped his young son stand on the seat next to him so they could hug and dance together.

Springsteen worked the crowd. A platform in front of the stage allowed him to walk down into the general admission section, where he got down on his knees to sing. While there, he also picked up signs, posters, and one young girl, who he brought up to dance on stage. There was another elevated platform at the back of the stage that he played on so people with tickets behind the main backdrop could get some attention from the Boss. Two screens on either side of the stage showed musicians playing up close, allowing people to drop their binoculars and just enjoy the show. No matter where they were sitting, everyone got a lot of bang for their buck.

Springsteen and the E Street band are legendary for their live performances, a reputation they certainly deserve. They dazzled the crowd with their friendly stage presence and tight musicianship. Sax player Clarence Clemons plowed away at his solos, and it's charming to watch the chemistry between Springsteen and his wife/band mate Patti Scialfa. As for the man himself, Springsteen played so hard that sweat dripped off his whole body, from his forehead to his fingers.

While the overall show was great, it's difficult to see an artist with a 35+ year history who still releases new albums. Those new records are great and all, but fans really want to hear the classics. By the time the band finished their set they had played a great of material off the newest album, Working on a Dream, but not nearly enough of the older hits.

Springsteen ended the set with an incredible rendition of "Born to Run." He later returned to the stage for an encore and pumped out "Dancing in the Dark," "Thunder Road," and "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out." For those last songs, everyone jumped to their feet, exhausted from a performance lasting over two hours, and really danced like crazy.

He may be pushing 60, but Bruce Springsteen still has a whole lot of rock in him.

Critic's Notebook

Personal bias: This was my first Springsteen show.

Random detail: This is Springsteen's fastest turn around between album release and tour since the 70's.

By the way: The whole set list is available online.