For many, as the inexorable march of age moves ever closer, the distinct aspects of personality and character that make us all unique begin to fade. Our emotions become dulled, and the vivacity that once accompanied our lives ceases to exist. All that remains is the memory of what we once were, and what we never will be again.
For Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, however, the impact of old age is hardly apparent. Going on their 51st year as a band, the group’s youthful exuberance and tenacity has hardly dwindled since their Glory Days (pun intended). On Aug. 9, The Boss and Company rocked Wrigley Field with impressive vocals, violent instrumentation, and an unmistakable nostalgia that utterly consumed those in attendance.
With his concert on Aug. 9, [Bruce] affirmatively sent the world a message: even with their old age, the E Street Band is not going anywhere.
The set list was masterfully composed, transporting spectators from Chicago’s friendly confines to the realm of working class grit where most of Bruce’s work seems to reside. The show opened with “No Surrender,” a reference to the band’s defiance of the attitudes and notions that typically accompany old age. As they belted the chorus, they stood in direct opposition to Father Time, saying that he will never be able to conquer the kids from Asbury Park, New Jersey.
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A fusion of old and new tunes followed, highlighted by smashing hits such as “The Promised Land,” “Out in the Street,” and “Backstreets.” With the passing of each successive tune, the crowd appeared to lend a little bit more of their souls to Bruce on stage, as if they themselves were willing more air to come out of his withered lungs and raspy vocal chords, propelling the concert to its next hit.
After crowd favorite “Thunder Road” was played, Wrigley Field’s stadium lights burst on, ushering in the show’s encore. The encore consisted of six E Street classics, and every one of the Bruce faithfuls still in attendance grew more immersed; it seemed as though a more intimate scene was taking place in front of us, for everyone had a clear view of the newly-illuminated Springsteen.
The concert concluded with “I’ll See You in My Dreams,” a song from Springsteen’s most recent solo album, Letter to You. In it, Bruce speaks to his friends- some long gone, others freshly passed, that have died. He performed this song acoustically, without its typical rock-n-roll accompaniments, almost as if he wanted his message to reach the afterlife untainted by any external forces.
It was an ending to end all endings, and a fitting cap to a masterful performance from The Boss. With his concert on Aug. 9, he affirmatively sent the world a message: even with their old age, the E Street Band is not going anywhere.