Bruce Springsteen

with

The Seventh Annual Light of Day show was blessed with a suprise guest, as Bruce Springsteen, old friend of founder Bob Benjamin and longtime LOD supporter, showed up for a few songs to help the cause. “I think we’ve got a friend here,” announced Marah’s Dave Bielanko late in the band’s set, and with that, on came Bruce, wearing a newsboy cap, denim and black work boots. He took guitar and lead vocals on the Eddie Floyd classic “Raise Your Hand,” and traded licks with Dave’s brother Serge on the Marah original “Reservation Girl.”
Brought onstage to an oldschool R&B instrumental vamp, Springsteen reappeared a few songs into Joe Grushecky’s set, performing a mix of Joe’s tunes and his own material, highlighted by an extended “Atlantic City,” “Darkness on the Edge of Town,” and a rousing version of “Code of Silence” with Grushecky, that song’s co-writer. The night ended with all the night’s performers crowding onstage for the usual all-star jam, Bruce leading them in a singalong on “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” before thanking everyone for coming and driving off into the night

Marah: Raise Your Hand/Reservation Girl
with Joe Grushecky: Never Be Enough Time/A Good Life/Darkness on the Edge of Town/Talking to the King/Johnny 99/Code of Silence/Atlantic City
with all: Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town

www.backstreets.com

href=’http://theboss.today.com/files/2006/11/small_thanks_troops_card.jpg’ title=’small_thanks_troops_card.jpg’>Its Thanks giving today……… Happy Thanks Giving to All-!!

I saw this giant eight foot ‘thank you card’ at Rochester Airport in upstate NY a long while back now…….I photographed it with my pocket SD550 which is just a point and shoot camera but a good one………. its done a good job of capturing this emotive scene……. hundreds of people had written their best wishes and prayers for a safe return for all the troops into this huge card. Some were very specific personal messages to individual named Husbands and Fathers and Sons others generic good wishes to all. I found it a moving sight. Weirdly now on the radio I can hear Bruce Sprinsteen…… Devils and Dust ………. its an anti-war song I’ve heard it before but it seems to me very respectful of the reality of the life of individual US soldiers, it’s respectful of them and the toll it takes on them to be in Iraq. Bruce Springsteen has in his songs always been respectful of the Blue Collar working man of America and in my view this is no exception.

Its a bit random….. I wasn’t expecting to be quoting an anti-war song by the barde of New Jersey…..er…..anyway here below are the lyrics to Devils and Dust by Bruce Springsteen. I hope its not that bad today for most of them out there……. maybe some will get a chance to kick back and relax today……. Its Thanks Giving after all…… its a time to be thankful so lets go with the card and say ‘thank you’ to them and wish for each one of them….. to be home safely soon. Again “Happy Thanks Giving’ to all, and especially anyone serving in Iraq.

Bruce Springsteen; Devils and Dust

I got my finger on the trigger
But I don’t know who to trust
When I look into your eyes
There’s just devils and dust
We’re a long, long way from home, Bobbie
Home’s a long, long way from us
I feel a dirty wind blowing
Devils and dust

I got God on my side
And I’m just trying to survive
What if what you do to survive
Kills the things you love
Fear’s a powerful thing, baby
It can turn your heart black you can trust
It’ll take your God filled soul
And fill it with devils and dust

Well I dreamed of you last night
In a field of blood and stone
The blood began to dry
The smell began to rise
Well I dreamed of you last night, Bobbie
In a field of mud and bone
Your blood began to dry
And the smell began to rise

We’ve got God on our side
We’re just trying to survive
What if what you do to survive
Kills the things you love
Fear’s a powerful thing
It’ll turn your heart black you can trust
It’ll take your God filled soul
Fill it with devils and dust
It’ll take your God filled soul
Fill it with devils and dust

[ harmonica ]

Now every woman and every man
They wanna take a righteous stand
Find the love that God wills
And the faith that He commands
I’ve got my finger on the trigger
And tonight faith just ain’t enough
When I look inside my heart
There’s just devils and dust

Well I’ve got God on my side
And I’m just trying to survive
What if what you do to survive
Kills the things you love
Fear’s a DANGEROUS (should be POWERFUL) thing
It can turn your heart black you can trust
It’ll take your God filled soul
Fill it with devils and dust
Yeah it’ll take your God filled soul
Fill it with devils and dust
Thanks to
http://www.jezblog.com/

What can I say? I’m only just recovering from the brilliance of this gig. So far in the noughties U2 at Slane Castle (the first one) has been my favourite gig. However, Bruce and the Seeger Sessions Band performance in the Point last Fri is my new favourite. I’m a longtime Bruce fan and have all his albums - apart from the Seeger Sessions album - which I just never got around to purchasing. I was lucky enough to get a ticket for Fri night at the Point and went along wondering how different this performance was going to be from that with the E Street Band in the RDS in 2003. Different it certainly was.

Bruce and his 16 strong band came onstage at 8.20pm opening with a cajun version of “Atlantic City”. The music style is cajun/folk with a large hint of Irish trad also. The band are talented musicians who clearly enjoy performing, as does Bruce and his wife Patti. They sang and played practically non-stop for 3 hours. Mostly from the Seegers Sessions album, however “Devils and Dust” and “City of Ruins” were thrown in. I didn’t stop dancing for the whole show and I think most of the audience were the same, especially after Bruce encouraged “fine Irish asses” to get up off their seats. I left the Point wanting to go to Sat and Sun nights performances too but sadly I wasn’t lucky enough. Truly the gig of 2006 and possibly the noughties.

After weeks of trying it out at soundchecks, “Youngstown”, quite appropriately, made its tour debut in Sheffield. Tonight’s show has featured a lot of Springsteen-penned tunes, including “Blinded”, “Growin’ Up”, “The River”, “Adam Raised a Cain” “Atlantic City” and “Devils & Dust”. And for the first time in a long time, “Bring ‘Em Home” is back on the set.