I had an inkling this show might turn out to be something special–I suspected that mostly it would be dedicated long-time fans who were likely to recognize the importance of showing up for a run-through of BTR, and, sure, enough, that’s who was there. I have never seen a crowd so energized for so long, and Bruce & the Band clearly feed off of that energy; symbiosis, people! And that’s the best shape Clarence has been in in a long long while.

And I got chills as “Thunder Road” opened, too; the opening notes of that song often raise the hair on my arms a little, but the other night, well, full-body chills. “Jungleland” is still echoing in my head.

In 1975, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band had reached a crossroads. After two critically acclaimed releases that didn’t sell all that well, the band was on the verge of losing their record contract. But when the going got tough, the band proved tougher than the rest and produced the urban masterpiece, Born to Run. Sunday night, September 20th, Bruce Springsteen returned to the United Center with the promise of a full performance of the album that put them on the cover of Time and Newsweek the same week all those years ago. The band warmed up the full house with crowd favorites, “No Surrender,” “Hungry Heart,” and the recent “Working on a Dream.” There was even a timely tip of the cap to the glorious “Nebraska” album with a roaring version of “Johnny 99.” With nary a breath between songs, a man pushing 60 and acting 16 set a blistering pace. How many times have I heard, “Thunder Road?” Maybe a million. But in anticipation of the opus about to unfold and cradled in the excitement of 20,000 people remembering, those opening chords felt like long fingernails down my back. It probably wasn’t lost on anyone that in an ipod world, an album of this breadth and magnitude might be difficult to sell to a record executive in 2009. Thunder Road, Tenth Avenue Freeze-out, Night, Backstreets, Born to Run, She’s the One, Meeting Across the River, Jungleland. By the time, Bruce leaned into the microphone and hoarsely whispered, “To…night in Jungleland” we knew we had witnessed something extraordinary.
The band followed what is essentially not ever to be followed with some selections from The Rising, an album that reminded us who we were following the 9/11 attacks. Near the end of the show, Bruce playfully grabbed request posters from the crowd and wound up choosing a couple of songs that were tributes. The Crystals “Da Doo Ron Ron” recalled its legendary songwriter, Ellie Greenwich, who only recently passed away.
They also offered a version of the Jackson 5’s “Rockin’ Robin.”
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band closed with the old MTV video staple, “Dancing in the Dark” and for those who made it through over three hours of rock and roll, they were rewarded with “Rosalita.”
Springsteen’s voice has never, and I mean never, sounded better. 1978, third row center, Palace Theater in Albany, New York. 1985, Soldier Field Chicago, and September 2009, United Center. My top three right there.