Concert Review: Bruce Rocks the Rock

The show opened up in somewhat odd fashion, with the house lights on, and with all of the members of the E-Street Band simply walking on stage and taking their places, with Bruce himself being the last up. He then stood before the microphone, and asked if everyone there was ready to be transformed. Later on in the show, he asked of the crowd everything that they had, and claimed that he wanted everyone to go home that night with tired legs and sore feet and aching backs and scratchy voices from singing hard all night. Those are the liberties you can afford to take, when you are "The Boss".

Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band, playing their first ever show at Newark's Prudential Center (often referred to as "The Rock"), opened up with a riveting version of "No Surrender", followed immediately by the opening song in the latest album, "We Take Care of Our Own".

They ripped through a fiery three hour set, electrifying those in attendance and adding one particularly special treat for fans. Marking the special occasion of the first time that they were playing at Pru Center, Springsteen announced that he would play one song for the first time in decades, much to the delight of the crowd. He then played "Bishop Danced", and loyal followers voiced their appreciation.

There was a good mix of old and new, with a rich sprinkling of songs from the recent album, "Wrecking Ball". That included the title track itself, as well as "Death to My Hometown", "Jack of All Trades", "We Take Care of Our Own", "Land of Hope and Dreams", "Shackled and Drawn", "Rocky Ground", performed with Michelle Moore, and "We Are Alive". Some of the older fan favorites were performed as well, of course, including "Badlands", "The Promised Land", "Born to Run", and "Dancing in the Dark", and the always popular "Rosalita".

Springsteen even did a great acoustic cover of "The Weight" as a tribute to late drummer Levon Helm, of "The Band".

Towards the end of the show, there was a touching tribute to late E-Street band saxophonist Clarence Clemons right in the middle of "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out". Everyone just froze in place as the music and lights yielded to a video tribute of Clemons, before the song resumed. It was the final song of the show.

As expected, the energy was high, the home crowd enthusiastic, as they not only welcomed him back home to close out this leg of the tour, but also sent him off to Europe with a bang. Bruce & the E-Street Band will be touring Europe for the next few months.

Here is the set list for the show:

1. No Surrender (with house lights up)
2. We Take Care of Our Own
3. Wrecking Ball
4. Badlands
5. Death to My Hometown
6. My City of Ruins
7. BISHOP DANCED (first time since 1973, first time ever with full band)
8. It’s Hard to Be A Saint in the City
9. Jack of All Trades
10. Candy’s Room
11. She’s the One
12. Shackled and Drawn
13. Waiting on a Sunny Day
14. The Promised Land
15. Talk to Me (Flynn McLean from BTX’s birthday sign request. Happy Birthday Flynn!)
16. Apollo Medley
17. The Rising
18. Lonesome Day
19. We Are Alive
20. Land of Hope and Dreams

21. THE WEIGHT (TAKE A LOAD OFF ANNIE) (sign request for the late Levon Helm)
22. Rocky Ground with Michelle Moore
23. Born to Run
24. Dancing in the Dark
25. Rosalita
26. Tenth Avenue Freeze Out