Music is so powerful.
Its ability to transport us back to a place in time is unrivalled. It can entertain us in the present moment and also be a bookmark in time throughout our lives.
I was lucky enough to see Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band on Tuesday in Edmonton, my first time seeing the man known as "The Boss" live. It was such a remarkable experience for so many different reasons, which always forces me to circle back to revelling in the magic of music.
A friend I was with recalled vividly how Springsteen songs played during a few transformative moments in his life– leaving his hometown, the car he was driving and even the conversations he had that day. Another one was the soundtrack for an accomplishment he was proud of. Music can sometimes feel like a modern-day time machine.
Springsteen has a way with words that can both tap into a very specific feeling (think Glory Days) or tell a story that can have multiple meanings for different people (Dancing in the Dark, for example).
He played Santa Claus is Coming to Town, a classic that can bring almost anyone joy and happiness. Santa hats and Christmas outfits were scattered throughout Rogers Place, with people dancing like it was December 25. That festive spirit was alive and well.
I had heard the stories going in, but I still didn't believe a 75-year-old could play for three hours straight with no breaks. Especially one who cancelled last year's show due to peptic ulcers.
And it's not that he just played for that long, he played HARD. He never stood still. He played several different guitars and the harmonica. He engaged the audience with his voice, but also with his spirit and energy. You could see the band rally around his energy, knowing that he's bringing his A-Game at 75, forces the rest of the crew to step up and bring it night after night. Before he played an acoustic guitar for his final song, he high-fived and hugged every member of the 10-plus-piece band as they left the stage. That's a guy you rally behind.
I never really appreciated the light work at a concert like I did on Tuesday. It really set the mood for certain songs, and they turned the house lights up for the last half hour of the show, which I thought set such a bright and upbeat vibe to end the night.
On different note, Springsteen's vocal range was unbelievable. I've always been a fan of his story-telling, but I wasn't aware how good he was at getting those high, high notes and those low, low notes. He really is a special musician.
As he was running down a brief history of the E-Street Band, Springsteen, in the lead-up to Last Man Standing, talked about some of his band members and friends who have passed away. He said, "The grief– the grief that we feel when those that we loved leave us, it's just the price that we pay for having loved well."
While that may be a paraphrased quote from Queen Elizabeth II, ing that moment Tuesday, Bruce practically had the whole arena weeping.
It's just such poignant commentary on loss and our relationship with the feelings that come along with it. They can drive us to such sad and unhelpful places. But Bruce's words suggest that there's a different way to interpret those feelings. A brighter, more optimistic way that helps us move forward while still honouring the ones we've lost.
I like that.
There's a reason the E-Street Band has been performing for the last 50 years and has played in some of the world's most iconic venues. They do the little things well and make the concert more than just another show, but an experience you won't forget.
As Bruce said, "The E-Street Band, we've been here for 50 F****** years. And we're not going anywhere. We're just getting started."
We all need that type of energy in our lives.
Byron Hackett is the Managing Editor of the Red Deer Advocate and Regional Editor for Black Press Media in Central Alberta.
