The Night that it all happened

So there I was finally at Parc Des Princes, the venue I would finally fulfil a dream. I was there at 2PM although the concert was scheduled for 8.30PM. This because I wanted to get the yellow band that would allow general standing audiences a chance to get into the pit… where you get really up close and personal with Bruce and the band. Not a single person in the pit in any U2 or Bruce Springsteen gig is a half-fan.

They started letting us in at about 5.30 PM… and after a quick piss in one of those portable loos, I dashed to the pit area like I had a pack of hyenas aiming for my ass. All the instruments were draped in tarp then, and the sun was burning hotter than ever. We sat there on the floor… all of us. Sometimes chanting choruses… and sometimes just taking each other’s pictures. I decided to sleep. Every now and then, the technical staff would appear and remove one tarp at a time, neatly fold ‘em and and reappear 20 minutes later to do the same for another instrument. It was crazy watching those guys. There was this Chinese guy who was especially annoying.

So, after waiting for 6 and a half hours, we finally decided to start greeting the band. Lots of wasteful clapping only got more technical people on stage to fix the guitars and drums. Very very irritated – that’s what I felt.

Suddenly at 8.45, the music began – the music you’d expect to hear from the Jersey Shore Boardwalk… from the carousels. And we knew it was time. The crowd had filled up the pit and the whole stadium by them – all of 55000 people. And then the roar for Nils Lofgren and Roy Bittan. Followed by Suzie Tyrell, Charlie Giordano, Gary Tallent, Little Steven (who got a raucous welcome) followed by Max Weinberg. Then came The Big Man and The Boss. The crowd was screaming so loud, I couldn’t hear myself scream.

A quick Bon Jour… a wave of his hand and that familiar kick start. 1…2…3… 4 (here I felt the earth move. I swear. I was expecting Summertime Blues, a cover that was opening the gigs of late. But I had to admit, my dream actually came true that night. I remembered how I would play music for my friends and serve them cheap booze and salami sandwiches in my PG apartment back in 2000… and how I always began with Adam Raised A Cain. This song always set the tempo even in a room full of guys who had only heard Dancing In The Dark before this). The first few notes of the song killed me, with Bruce stepping back and taking over the guitar like a possessed 18 yr old. The choruses were loud and full of energy and when he took over the lead guitar portion, it was mind-blowing. I have many DVD’s of Bruce performing Live, but not a single one where he performs this song. To watch him play that guitar, strangle its neck like he was beheading a python… man!! Now, one thing about Bruce and his live performances… all the songs end with 1…2…3… the countdown to the next song. And Radio Nowhere began. The audience was wild. As wild as they would be if her had played Born To Run. I could feel the energy in the crowd. It was like a group orgasm. This was followed by a rare electric version of No Surrender. Having followed Bruce on the road for a while, I knew that this was a ‘been-there-son’ moment.

And when that got over, Bruce counted down (familiarly) to The Promised Land. The opening two drumbeats followed by the powerful harmonica was a 10 sec moment I have recorded in my brain. I hope to remember this the day I die. In the middle of the song, Bruce and the band made way for the Big Man to find the Zen-moment and blast home a sax solo that made every hair on your body stand like you were shot by some electric gun. Bruce then accepted requests and started off with Spirit In The Night, a classic from his debut album. Then, request No.2 – Rendezvous. This time, we counted down for Bruce!!

The song ended with the opening of Candy's Room. This track starts like no other really. So much of older material making it into the set, it was unbelievable. Atlantic City had its electric treatment with some brutal lead guitar towards the end. Another request was played in Janey Don't You Lose Heart. Not particularly a favourite of mine, but a great tune and easy song nevertheless. Songs like this act like a great opportunity for Bruce to catch his breath… which he surely needed for the next song.

The opening chords of Darlington County blew me away. As a kid, I would picture this song being performed live… and I’d imagine the band having fun on stage. I never expected this song this time… and I was so numb, I remember thinking ‘Glory Days wasn’t supposed to sound like this!!’ Bruce shared the vocals with Nils on this, and when he was not, made his way to either side of this stage and let the fans go for it. Man, it was a free-for-all, with groping and petting and slapping etc etc etc!! Then came a major highlight of the night - Because The Night. This song (written by Bruce and Patti Smyth) stood out because of the crowd’s involvement and the absolutely adrenaline pumping lead guitar by Nils Lofgren. He went round and round… and played the notes like a wizard.

By the time you recovered from this, Bruce introduced She's The One, a Born To Run classic. This Bo Diddley beat went through us like a fucking runaway train. It was storytime, according to Bruce. When he started talking about life in America these days when such things happened that were once considered un-American (like illegal wire-tapping and Habeas Corpus) and the notes of Livin' In The Future began, we were back to the new material. A perfect timing with Max Weinberg here… and a bang-on solo The Big Man.

Mary's Place was similar to the performance in the Barcelona DVD… minus the band introductions. Then came Fire. This was quite funny because it was actually a request, and Bruce showed the band the sheet of paper with the word ‘FIRE’ on it… and Max started playing the opening sounds of I’m on Fire!! Bruce had to stop and him and tell him, ‘Max, Its Fire, not I’m on Fire’. This song was a big hit during my party days. My friends Sheik and Bhatti would go nuts when the ‘Romeo and Juliet…’ part of the song began. Brought back great memories.

For You was performed solo on piano. The stage went dark, the audience was dead quiet and Bruce took to the piano like I take to peanut butter. It was so moving to watch him there, and to watch Max (who hadn’t vacated his position like the rest) appreciating him. Then came a crowd favourite… The River. This was followed by some fist thumping in The Rising. The lights had all gone red now… and the crowd sang the choruses with so much energy… Boiling point. Last To Die and Long Walk Home were quite normal affairs. Badlands and Out In The Street got the audience mad again. The band was done for the night (yeah right) and came up for their bows.

They returned 3 minutes later for the encore with Girls In Their Summer Clothes, where Bruce made sure every pretty girl in her summer clothes was given adequate attention by him and the hovering cameras. As this song was ending, I saw Bruce indicate to the band with all his ten fingers. And the opening chords and beats of Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out began. The eternal favourite… my night was becoming a dream come true. I got to watch Born To Run Live… an ambition I had ever since I was 18, followed by Bobby Jean, Dancing In The Dark and a loud and peppy American Land to close the set.

I made my way out of the gig, bought a bottle of water and found myself at Les Defense station at 12.50am… with no buses. I walked all the way to my IBIS Hotel… all the way singing to myself. When I reached my room, I made a quick call to my wife and told her how much I loved her and that she deserved all my love and gratitude for letting me go for this gig… at a time when we were expecting a baby and not as financially sound as we would have liked to.

As Shridhar suggested, now I can die a happy man.