**edit - yup here it is:

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=10833

Don't ruin this for me.

What did I just say?

Sorry Oli - didn't mean to burst your bubble. But in the interest of historical accuracy - this is vital information :lol:

UK alert:

Channel 4 quarter past 12 tonight, an hour of the Hyde Park gig!!!

I was looking forward to that. Then there was a power cut :mad:

I sat down and listened to The Rising for the first time in a while yesterday evening. I was reminded of how great and powerful an album it actually is. A real masterpiece - give or take a couple of songs.

Well I suppose I'm thankful for that information now instead of later, so thanks...I guess :(

Agreed 100%

My favourite Bruce album.

Just been listening to The River of the Live-3cd-boxset. I dont think there are many performances more magical then that one. I so enjoy listening to that one !

I salute you,
TS

The Live 75-85 boxset is one of the best. I think it came out on vinyl in 1986 and it has been a favorite of mine ever since.

However - I think the version of The River on Live in New York City (2000) is one of the best ever. Many Bruce fans dislike it since it deviates from the original - I think it's inspired.

Because of the long saxophone-intro ?
Well that is magical too. I always had something with the sound of a saxophone, thats why I started playing one too.

I salute you,
TS

The Live In NYC version is good, and would be a perfect piece of music for film noir - but to me, that harmonica intro of the original is just a magical piece of music. Perhaps one of the greatest instrument intros ever.

I remember being in Glasgow, not expecting to hear the amazing song, and then suddenly that harmonica intro just started. Nearly brought tears to my eyes, I tells you.

And come to think of it, I don't think I've ever heard a bad or off recording of that song - just some are better than others :)

I do love the sax/harmonica intro on the live in New York version! It's definitely one of my favourites performances, that and the one from Glastonbury, seeing that sent Shivers down my spine!

So we can agree The River performed live is always magical despite how Bruce decides to play it? ;)

I salute you,
TS

Yeah - pretty much :)

It's interesting that Bruce can mess around with classic songs and his fans embrace them (mostly). If Bon Jovi messes with a classic it is usually not accepted.

The 2007 arena version of Reason to Believe was as far from the acoustic original as possible - and it might have been the best version yet.

I so enjoyed that version. He played it as well in Arnhem when he was sick and everybody was like. This sounds cool, what is it.

Also cool to see that Johnny 99 returns every concert as a different version. I like all of the versions. The Seeger Sessions version is also very nice to hear and hear and hear ;)

Bruce's keeps the power of the song where Bon Jovi leaves it out and therefore ruining the song.

I salute you,
TS

I can't decide which Reason To Believe is the best:

The Magic Tour version or the Ghost Of Tom Joad Tour version.

Both very different but both incredibly AWESOME.

State Trooper, another song that is brilliant in ALL incarnations.

I cannot recall the GOTJ-Tour version of Reason to Believe. I take it it's the acoustic one ?:

Reson To Believe Magic Tour, it still keeps me going:


I salute you,
TS

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 :p

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.

Harmonica is one of the few instruments I have even the slightest handle on playing.

Okay you got me, you got me. Your wisdom out wises my wisdom :(

And I'm going to go into a Amy Macdonald daydream *sighs dreamily* We're getting married :)

Funny that you mention that Kathleen.....

http://i2.bebo.com/041b/8/large/2008...308542754l.jpg

OK so its not a full beard but there we have it: Proof that facial hair does impact one's musical output (given that this photos from when her first album came out, and her second is weaker in comparison...). It doesn't even have to be real ;)

That's just.........wrong LOL

So now the Darkness box is closing in!!! This is from the Backstreets site:

DARKNESS BOX WATCH
Package nearing completion, its documentary to premiere next month
Just announced this morning, the documentary that Thom Zimny has been working on for the impending Darkness box will premiere at the 35th Toronto International Film Festival as a Gala screening in September. Zimny created the Wings For Wheels doc for the Born to Run 30th Anniversary box; his new film is titled The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town.

Speaking to IndieWIRE, festival documentary programmer Thom Powers says that The Promise draws on "a treasure trove of footage from the 1970s. You see all the twists and turns of the making of this album. And we're the first people to announce that this film even existed... It's been in the works for a couple years now in total secrecy. And we’re very proud to be presenting it."

The description of the film from TIFF.net: "The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town takes us into the studio with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band for the recording of their fourth album. Grammy and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Thom Zimny has collaborated with Springsteen on this documentary, gaining access to never before seen footage shot between 1976-1978, capturing home rehearsals and recording sessions that allow us to see Springsteen's creative process at work."

TIFF runs from September 9 - 19. According to the festival website, a confirmed schedule will be posted August 24. Tickets are available now.

Update: A Shore Fire press release confirms that "Bruce Springsteen, Jon Landau Management, and Columbia Records are working on completing a new package related to Darkness on the Edge of Town, which will include the new Thom Zimny film The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town. Further details will be announced when they are finalized." The statement also gives the date for the TIFF premiere as September 14.

Toronto Star movie critic Peter Howell writes that "The pick of the The Promise as a Gala selection almost guarantees that Springsteen will come to Toronto to introduce it to the TIFF audience."

AWESOME news.

Fantastic news about the Darkness boxset :D. Also have to post about my new favorite thing that bruce has done, namely the solo piano version of thundercrack...just wow :D

Speaking of Amy Mcdonald (or at least, we were), an EP I ordered with hers came through the post last week and contains a nice live acoustic Born To Run :)

I wish more people would send EP's with a Bruce cover whenever you order their gig tickets. Even Bruce!

Softy.
You are easily satisfied.
Only one artist is allowed to perform Born To Run and it aint Amy.

I salute you,
TS

OH YEAH.

I'm going to an 80s fancy dress party tommorow dressed as BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN. It was either him, Coleen Nolan or Elvis, but then I remembered that Elvis never made it to the 80s :(RIP brother.

I'm so stoked (is that the right word?)! Walking through the town, hopping onto a bus dressed as Bruce. This really is a dream come true *sniff sniff* (that's my tears, not me sniffing cocaine).

And perhaps even better, a very good friend of mine, Emily, has asked me to bring my guitar so that after the party/the next morning I can play her a Gwen Stefani song (and sadly, I already knew a Gwen Stefani song).

So inbetween playing Gwen Stefani and some other songs that everybody loves (Ring Of Fire, some Elvis, that stupid ****ing Lady Gaga) I plan on playing some damn Springsteen. I would have anyway but, being dressed as Bruce just makes me more determined to do so.

And because I like making lists, I'm going to show you a list of the Springsteen songs I plan on playing with my acoustic guitar! And also a list of songs I might play if nobody's fallen asleep.

BRUCE SONGS TO PLAY
Red Headed Woman
Waitin' On A Sunny Day
Worlds Apart
Dancing In The Dark
Glory Days
The Ghost Of Tom Joad
The River
Fire
Gypsy Biker
Two Faces
Pink Cadillac/Pink (this is a sort of medley I've been working on. I love the song Pink Cadillac, my friend Emily loves the Aerosmith song Pink so I figured after Cadillac I'll do a verse and chorus of Pink. I'm thoughtful like that. Hire me!)

SONGS I MAY PLAY (MIGHT HAVE TO TIE PEOPLE DOWN AND FORCE THEM TO LISTEN)
State Trooper
Johnny 99
Long Walk Home
Darkness On The Edge Of Town
One Step Up
Lucky Town
Ain't Got You (might make this an intro to another love, not sure which one yet. Probably an Elvis one)

As you can see, I plan on making this a Bruce tribute show. A long one at that...