Bruce Springsteen, Conan O'Brien, Working On The Highway, Working On A Dream

As the 'Working On A Dream' tour comes to a close this Sunday night in Buffalo, I can't help but wonder how many more tours Bruce and his E Street Band have left in them.  They're going to take a break now, and maybe they'll settle in and get comfortable, happy to be home with family and friends.  Maybe they'll reflect on how important that is too, and how they need more of that in their lives, after so many years and so many miles on the road.

Yet, I suspect they'll be back.  I can't imagine Bruce ever stopping.  Maybe he'll write his memoirs, as has been suggested.  Maybe he has another solo project and tour in mind, maybe another Seeger Sessions CD and tour, or maybe both.  If he does some combination of, or maybe all of these things, how many years will pass... three.... five.... seven....?  How would a 70 something Clarence Clemons with bad Knees, hips and back feel about hitting the road again?  I have no doubt his heart would be willing, but could he do it?  I can't imagine an E Street Band without Clarence, and speaking of essential band members, with all due respect to Nils, it never felt right to me when Steve was away.

Here's good news.  It looks like Bruce has been listening to me (I knew you were reading, Bruce, why didn't you just say something?) and that we're finally going to get that Darkness box set I've been asking for.  Jon Landau says it's "93 percent done" and that a 'Working On A Dream' tour DVD will be out "fairly soon, post-Christmas".  Here's a link to the full report in yesterday's Rolling Stone Rock & Roll Daily blog.  http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/11/19/whats-next-for-springsteen-darkness-on-the-edge-of-town-box-set-dream-tour-dvd/

We've been blessed these last 10 years.  If I have my facts straight, Bruce has done four tours with the E Streeters, plus a Seeger Sessions and a solo tour, oh and maybe another half tour if we count 2004's Vote For Change mini tour, totaling maybe five or six hundred shows.  (hmmm.... let's see, 500 shows, 20,000 people per show, paying $100 each...  ooh boy, that's a big number!) It has been quite an extraordinary run for a bunch of middle aged musicians outworking others half their age. 

With two shows left in this tour, one tonight in Baltimore before Sunday's finale in Buffalo, I recall watching Bruce turn up one night on Conan O'Brien's show.  It was February 26, 1999, and he was there to pick up Max, to take him on the road, to go 'Working On The Highway' for the Reunion Tour, and begin a very hard working decade.  Have you had enough, Max?

working on the highway - bruce springsteen live
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Here's a fun clip of the same song from 1992, with that other band, at the Meadowlands in New Jersey. The best part of the clip comes towards the end when Bruce is joined on stage by that dancing machine mother of his.  You'll see where Bruce got all his moves.

 

I'll close off this week with the one song from the "Working On A Dream' CD that was played at almost every stop on the current tour.  Here's the title track from Bruce's appearance at the Pinkpop Festival in Holland on May 30, 2009.

Happy Friday!

Comments

[Friday Bruce Fix]

I would expect Bruce to record and tour again. I think it's just a question of which type of recording and which musicians he'll bring along for the ride. I think he still has a lot left to give us.

[molliemouse4]

Can't help being sad that the tour's nearly over. Can there ever be anything to follow & should we expect it? Love the man!