Photos and a review of Bruce Springsteen in Ottawa
[A good assignment for Ross MacDonald and Karen Coughtrey. – AC]

If you’re going to spend Saturday night with a boss there’s no better boss to spend it with than “The Boss” himself Bruce Springsteen. This stop on the world tour was postponed from last fall and so Ottawan’s had been waiting a long time and knew they were in for a treat and showed up in numbers, clogging the roadways on the way to packing the Canadian Tire Centre to its 18,000 person capacity. With even the seats behind the stage and those closest to the rafters sold out, it was evident to any first-time fan that the long-time fans knew that this was an event, and just being in the building to experience it was worth any seat at any price.

With no opening act and everyone trying to arrive at the same time it was a logistical challenge getting everyone to the site and into the arena on time but those who accomplished it were treated to a nearly three-hour long show from the icon and the legendary E-Street Band. He’s known for this lengthy, energetic concert experience and Springsteen, a now septuagenarian, is truly an experienced showman and shows no sign of slowing down. He sang 27 songs for the adoring crowd with little to no breaks other than to take a few sips of water.

Springsteen opened with ‘Lonesome Day’, ‘No Surrender’, and ‘Prove It All Night’, and then took the already energetic show up to another level with ‘Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street?’ His voice sounds much like you’d expect it to sound now that he’s in his 70s but it is far from being diminished and with the crowd singing every word to every song, if it has become a little more gruff, it was clear no one cared.

The sheer amount and outpouring of love for him was evident everywhere in the room, from the plethora of signs, to the excited whispers of stories of past concerts, or memories associated with songs shared among groups of friends, to the loud shouts of BRUUUUUUCE, everytime the man stopped singing for a moment.

The bulk of the crowd were likely boomers and gen-x but the younger generations came out in numbers as well demonstrating in physical form the long lasting impact his music has had. In what was a truly precious moment he pulled a young child out of the audience up onto the stage to sing with him the chorus of ‘Waitin’ On A Sunny Day’ and as if that wasn’t enough of a memorable experience for that child, he ended up picking them up and dancing with them.

He is one of the greatest songwriters of all time and writes about working class life in the US of A but at its core it’s about the human experience and clearly resonates even internationally. There is no doubt he is a proud American and he sang ‘Long Walk Home’ as a prayer for his country but he received enormous applause when at the end of the night he declared “That’s it I’m moving to Canada.”

Springsteen is a pioneer of heartland rock and his music has of course also had an impact and influence on the works of other artists, including those in the alt-rock genre. After putting out albums like Born In The U.S.A. and The Ghost Of Tom Joad, it is little wonder that Bruce Springsteen is such a huge influence and inspiration to politically savvy artists such as Pearl Jam and Rage Against The Machine (Tom Morello has even collaborated with Bruce, and was part of the E-Street Band in the 2010s). Additionally, one can only assume that the Arkells who have covered his songs and their energetic live shows with the Northern Soul Horns, who add an element to their shows not unlike what the E-Street band brings to a Springsteen show, most likely consider him an influence.

There is a reason the E-Street Band gets equal billing and is so much more than a back up band, they are a key part of the concert experience and the respect Bruce has for the members of the band is palpable. The audience enjoyed incredible musical interludes and solos by nearly every member of the band. Jake Clemons was a particular stand out on Saxophone. Of course the crowd also went wild everytime Bruce broke out his harmonica.

The night was one big party and the crowd would have gone wild whatever he chose to play but some stand out numbers were ‘The Promised Land’, ‘Youngstown’, ‘Backstreets’, ‘The Rising’, and ‘Badlands’. Covers of The Commodores ‘Nightshift’ and Patti Smith Group’s (co-written by Springsteen) ‘Because The Night’ were also outstanding.

Springsteen sang all night with almost no breaks between songs, but he did tone down the party atmosphere briefly to tell one story about the first band he joined, just having learned to play the guitar, at the age of 15. The band was together from 1965-1967, an earth shaking time in America, an incredible time to be young and in a rock band. He reflected on the loss of his dear friend, George, which has left him as the last surviving member of that first band. “The grief that we feel, when loved ones leave us, is just the price that we pay for having loved well.” He followed this story with ‘Last Man Standing’ which beautifully encompasses both the losses felt and remarked in the venues at which that young band played in the 60’s but also today and being the last one left of that band.

The party continued on a new level during the first encore, the house lights were turned on and the crowd sang and danced through ‘Born To Run’, ‘Bobby Jean’, and ‘Dancing In The Dark’; those in general admission getting to dance with The Boss himself as he came through the crowd on ‘Tenth Avenue Freeze Out’. This part of the night ended with the greatest surprise as he kicked off the holiday season for us with his version of ‘Santa Claus Is Coming To Town’. There was no confetti, snow, or anything spectacular of that nature but it felt pretty darn magical all the same.

It was clear no one wanted the party to end but all good things must and the beloved Bruce sent his adoring fans on their way after excusing the E-Street Band from the stage to massive applause with a beautiful solo performance of ‘I’ll See You In My Dreams’ and there is no doubt some in attendance went home to relive this incredible show in their dreams.
Bruce Springsteen and The E-Street Band
Bruce Springsteen – lead vocals, guitars, harmonica, keyboards
Garry Tallent – bass, backing vocals
Roy Bittan – piano, accordion, keyboards, backing vocals
Max Weinberg – drums, percussion, backing vocals
Steven Van Zandt – rhythm and lead guitars, harmony and backing vocals, mandolin
Nils Lofgren – lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals, accordion
Patti Scialfa – harmony and backing vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, synthesizers
Soozie Tyrell – backing vocals, violin, percussion, acoustic rhythm guitar
Charles Giordano – organ, accordion, synthesizer
Curtis King – backing vocals, percussion
Jake Clemons – saxophones, backing vocals, percussion
Michelle Moore – vocals
Lisa Lowell – vocals
Ada Dyer – vocals
Anthony Almonte – percussion, backing vocals
Ed Manion – tenor and baritone saxophone, percussion
Curt Ramm – trumpet
Barry Danielian – trumpet
Ozzie Melendez – trombone