Recently I had the golden opportunity to see Bruce Springsteen's play, "Springsteen on Broadway." It was a rainy, cold Saturday evening in late October. The play is at the Walter Kerr Theatre, a small theatre with less than 1,000 seats. I learned from an usher at the theatre that Springsteen took great care and a lot of research before selecting the theatre for his show. He knew the size and acoustics in this theatre were ideal for the intimate setting he wanted to create.
The stage had a stool, a microphone, and his piano. He came out dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans and carrying his guitar. He began by saying he was a con man, an entertainer, and he never worked a real job in his whole life. Then he started the show with one of my favorite songs, "Growing Up," and I knew right then and there that this was going to be an excellent evening.
Like his autobiography, "Born to Run," he began telling us about his hometown of Freehold, New Jersey. Springsteen's music is filled with poetic imagery, and listening to him talk about his life, it is easy to see him as a young boy in his neighborhood and with his close-knit family. The description of his father and the love/hate relationship over the years was tearful, sprinkled with laughter and it was apparent that many could identify with that relationship.
When he spoke of his mother, I could hear the love and respect he had for her. The small details of going to work with her and the sights and smells of the office. The description of the building and the sound of her high heels clicking on the linoleum floor. As he told us about her current health issues everyone felt his pain and privately wished her well.
If you are a fan of Springsteen, you know the story of his first guitar, but to hear him that night describe in detail how much his fingers hurt and how disappointed he was that he gave up so easily, was an inspiration. He hated having his mother spend her hard-earned money on the rental for the guitar, but he knew the music was in his heart and soul.
His teen and young adult years of long hair and learning to play by watching his favorites like Dylan and Hendrix, hiding from the rednecks and hating every minute of school; I could not help but laugh at the antics of it all and cry as he stumbled through life. He soft-spoken voice as he talked about dodging the draft and wondering about the boy that took his place. A tear rolled down my cheek, knowing his guilt was genuine.
On the piano he began to play "Tenth Avenue Freezeout" and when he got to the part about the "Big Man" that joined the band, he stopped to tell us how much he loved and missed Clarence Clemons. His voice cracked as he talked about his relationship with him, and the feeling he got every time he walked on stage with him.
The only other person that joined him on the stage was his wife, Patti. They sang two songs and the audience could see the musical respect they have for each other. Springsteen spoke of all the men that played surrogate father figures for him, and with each one, I could see the correlation of the songs that he wrote during their time with him and their influence in him.
He admits that his style is a combination of his life and the people that influenced him. He has a creative mind and soul and does not give up very easily. He went from coast to coast to find his place in the music industry, stayed true to his beliefs and held everyone in his band accountable as well.
Springsteen doesn't want to be an idol or an icon only a respected musician that will keep playing until they tell him to stop. I am inspired by his strong can-do spirit and never-ending love for his art. If you have an opportunity to see him in concert or in this play, please don't hesitate, you won't regret it.
