Fun, fun, fun-that is what it was all about this past Monday at the Richmond Coliseum. Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band proved they can and still do hang with the big dogs, delivering a show that flew past the three-hour mark.
Opening with the thunderous drumbeat of the 1975 song “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out,” Bruce had the capacity crowd of 13,500 singing before he, himself, began the song. With incredible intensity, the self-proclaimed “biggest bar band in the world,” transitioned from one song to the next through classics such as “Born to Run,” “Dancing in the Dark” and “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight).” Springsteen and his bandmates also mixed it up with rarities and b-sides such as “Stand On It,” “Cadillac Ranch” and “Murder Incorporated.”
The crowd responded to the energy Bruce emitted, jumping and singing every line and syllable. Such performances of this legendary band earned its leading man the nickname “The Boss” in the early ’70s. The band’s mid-’80s world tour to promote “Born in the U.S.A.” still ranks as one of the top tours of all time.
Most of the band members are in their late 50s, though Clarence Clemons, the iconic 6-foot-8-inch saxophone player, who towers over the other bandmates, is pushing 70. The musicians seemed to forget their ages, particularly Springsteen, as he kicked, shouted, twisted and knee-slid up and down the stage all night. Springsteen’s presence was extraordinary, playing to those behind, in front of and beside the stage.
“This was the only other place we could play,” he said while sitting at the piano. “It was here and Jersey. Richmond was great to us.”
Springsteen played at VCU more than 35 years ago, visiting Richmond several dozen times before making it big with his classic-rock album “Born to Run.”
After hitting song number 20 for the night, the band left the stage amid shouts and applause.
Less than three minutes later, the band returned for an encore and had plenty more to dish out. Springsteen noticed a sign in the audience that simply stated, “CRUSH!” and said “Crush On You” was probably “the worst song we ever put on record.” The band followed his statement by ripping into the sons, fulfilling the request.
The E-Street Band last played “Crush On You” 28 years ago, a distance in time that might curtail performers from playing a particular song. Not so for Springsteen, who revels in pulling out rarities from his seemingly limitless collection. Springsteen’s set lists are some of the most versatile in the industry, with fans and critics alike pointing to the nightly variations as a reason behind so many fans following the tour. Springsteen’s love for performing and for drawing out as much energy as possible from a crowd ensures he will have many fans for years to come.