It was back in 1975, the year I graduated from High School...

[WCGreen]

Cleveland had adopted Bruce and had been playing him for about two years...

My mom came home from school, she taught high school home ec, and asked me if I liked this Jewish Rock Star. I said who, what are you talking about mon...

She replied, Springstien, Bruce Springtien...

I said Springsteen mom, Springsteen.

She continued. One of the girls in my seventh period class has two extra tickets to this Springstein. Only problem is they aren't together. So you still want them?

Hell yea.

The girl gave them to me. One seat was in the fourth row and the other was in the 7th row. My friend Remo drove us down. this was before he release the Born to Run Album.

Every Friday night the local prog rock station would start the weekend at 6:00 on Friday night with a Born to Run, then a local rant against the man from an old dude who would just scream about being freed from the shackles of 9-5... then they played a version of Friday on my Mind by Earthquake...

So anyway, Remo and I went on down and we saw Bruce up close and personal in this theater down town. It was the best show I had seen up to then.

I've seen Springsteen three other times.

The second time was with my sister. I was in the shaky part of sobriety, about 3 months in. This guy I met at work knew a guy and he told me to go on down to the Coliseum and pick up a couple of tickets at the box office. My sister drove me down, I was still under suspension at the time. I hardly knew this guy and I think he felt sorry for me. So we went on down thinking that we would just hang around if the tickets weren't there.

Well, there were two tickets at the window, just like he told us. Seventh row on the floor. Didn't have to pay for those either. this was for the Born in the USA tour.

Bruce has been a big part of the music of my life.

And now, for Kerry and Obama, he is the man...

[lizziegrace]

1. Great memories Chris

:hug:

he's amazing. I saw him on the "Rock The Vote" tour in Cleveland in 2004. Even though we had nosebleed seats, it was amazing.

[WCGreen]

6. Yea,, he is amazing...

I sw him another time but it was at the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame concert...

[lizziegrace]

7. How are you doing??

I worry about you. :hug:

[WCGreen]

8. Some minor health troubles here and there...

But for the most part, nothing serious...

[Left Is Write]

2. My dad used to give each of us kids an LP for Christmas...

something that was from just him, rather than the other gifts from both Mom and Dad.

My dad's annual Christmas LP was how I acquired my Bruce Springsteen collection. :D :hi:

[BensMom]

3. I was at the show in 1984

We camped out in line 3 days for those tickets.
And that was a good time, too.

I think I want to see him again - that half time show really made me feel good!

[WCGreen]

5. Acoustic version of Born to Run

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. What a great story, Chris...

He is the man, indeed...

He's going to be playing in LA...

Wish I had someone to go with me...I'd love to hear him live!

His songs never get old...

:hi:

[NanceGreggs]

9. Here's my Bruce story ...

Back in 1978, I was working as a staff writer for a music industry magazine here in TO. Bruce was in town for a concert, and I was given a back-stage pass and an invitation to a private party for him following the show.

There was one other staff writer, Jay - he was a Springsteen fanatic! From the minute he found out I had that private party invite, he was on my case - asking me - pleading with me - begging me to give it to him.

This went on for a week. The afternoon of the event, I told Jay that he should be leaving work early, being as he had a concert to attend and a party to go to and all - and handed him the pass and the invite.

He literally got down on his knees and kissed my feet, in front of the entire staff!

I had intended to give him the invite from day one - because I knew how much he adored Bruce - but I sure had a good time for a whole week, hearing him plead his case every god-damned minute of every day!

[WCGreen]

11. Great story Nance...

But you missed a great show. Hope you got to see him another time.

[NanceGreggs]

12. Oh, I did ...

And it was, as John Lennon would have said, SPECTULARGE!!!

[many a good man]

10. Had tickets to see Bruce at the Agora in '76

But my damn car broke down on the way and I missed him.

PS.: GOTTA GOTTA GET DOWN! Here's a link to the immortal Murray Saul on one of his rants from '75, if you're feeling really nostalgic: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1695979383659384155

[Kat45]

13. My introduction to Springsteen

When his music first came out, I couldn't stand him. Then every so often I'd hear a song I liked, and eventually there were a number of them. But I couldn't understand why people made such a big deal of him, and they'd tell me you had to see him live. I decided I had to see for myself. Tix were hard to get but fortunately my father knew someone who had a ticket agency and he got me some tix. I went to see him on "The River" tour. I was probably the least familiar with his music of anyone in the place, but he totally blew me away and won me over. I've seen a lot of concerts through the years--I wrote for a local rock magazine for a while--and I can honestly say that he is the best performer I've ever seen. I saw him a couple of more times, including his show in Fenway Park, the first concert booked in the storied baseball park. (I almost went to see him in a small club in Boston back when he was barely known but getting some hype, and I still kick myself for not going.)

Tomorrow morning tix go on sale for his next shows here, and after watching him today I decided to make a serious effort to get up early so I'll be up in time to try to get tix.