The Official Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Thread.

Re: The River
I enjoy the LINYC version, and I think there's merit in the arrangement, but it's nowhere as good as the harmonica only, ala' '75-'85

The Magic-Tour version is execellent. I remeber hearing it in Cologne in December 2008 and they rocked the arena. For that reason I really like the audience at Springsteen concerts. The crowd went nuts to nearly every song. It doesn't matter if it's a popular one or a rarity and Bruce and the band guarantee for a quality performance.

Yes the audience went wild with that song in Holland too, even tough I sat in the far back of the stadium.

Another question. Does anyone know what harmonica bruce plays. I read on the internet that he plays a hohner marine band c minor but on other pages it says he plays a harmonica with key A and there are also marine band deluxe harmonica's. I am still looking to find what harmonica he exactly plays.

I salute you,
TS

I only know a little about harmonicas. My husband plays one a bit as does a family friend. Harmonicas come in different keys so I would assume that a different one is played depending on the key of the song.

From an old Lucky Town post: *there's a rack of harmonicas tuned to different keys; as of 1992 Springsteen's harmonica brand of choice was Hohner Marine Band harmonicas.*

I got a hohner harmonica myself but it just sounds flat, not bluesy nor jazzy. I read the river is played on a G-keyed harmonica and other songs on C-minor and A. Hoped he would do it all on the same harmonica. Planning on buying one.

I salute you,
TS

There is a series of harmonica lessons on youtube that is awesome. I think my husband recently bought the entire set on DVD but you can see them all on youtube. The guys name is Adam Gussow and there are tons of short clips there for lessons. I think this is the first one:

I keep meaning to check out learning the harmonica.

When it's 3am and I'm in my dark room playing The Ghost Of Tom Joad on my guitar (quietly of course...) there just seems to be something lacking, and it's definatly a harmonica.

And a messy beard. I really need a messy one of them to get the feeling just right.

I believe that it's a scientific fact that a beard (either messy or neat) has no effect on the awesomeness of the music made.

Bruce Springsteen - beard

Willie Nelson - beard

Bob Dylan - messy everything

The BeeGees - beard

I rest my case

Okay I'll just put my clothes into the case and leave

(just as well, I STILL can't grow a beard anyway)

Amy Mccdonald - no beard

Need I go on........................?

Actually I can name countless musicians (who are female) without a beard.