Morning in the Promised Land

Walking from Grand Central to that big old shed of a Sheraton on Seventh Avenue for the Clinton Global Initiative takes me past St. Patrick's through Rockefeller Center (I always take the most scenic route around town, by old habit). This morning, that brought me smack up against a crowd of thousands squeezed between granite curtain walls as the roadies for the E Street Band scurried about a tiny stage tweaking the instruments. Roy Bittan, looking like a keyboard-humping Uncle Junior in a porkpie hat, got into place. There was violinist Suze Tyrell (I dig the strings on the new record), and Max Weinberg climbed onto the short riser. I decided immediately that Rupert Murdoch and Muhammad Yunus could wait.

Bruce  opened up with Promised Land, then swung through the new single Radio Nowhere. The third tune was Livin' in the Future from the new record, and he described it like this: "this song is called Livin' in the Future but it's really about what's happening now...about the things that are happening in this country that shouldn't be happening in this country." It's a rollicking up-tempo tune, and Springsteen delivered it sans guitar, gesturing like some white, wild-haired 50-something Beastie Boy - but the message of the song is deadly serious:

Woke up election day
Sky's gunpowder and shades of grey
Beneath the dirty sun
I whistle my time away
Then just about sun down
You come walkin' through town
Your boot heels clickin' like
The barrel of a pistol spinnin' round

Don't worry, darlin'
No baby, don't you fret
We're livin' in the future
And none of this has happened yet

The band skipped into My Hometown, and as I walked away the sound actually improved, and I turned west on 51st Street, singing along...those assembly jobs are going boys, and they ain't coming back.

Comments

[grasshopperkm]

Sounds terrific. And to me, the best part of all?
"I decided immediately that Rupert Murdoch and Muhammad Yunus could wait."
But then Bruce Springsteen is one of those musicians I admire more than I love. I like his music and love who he is, but he just hasn't yet relieved my every pain.

[Tony Alva]

Only in NYC can you be walking to a meeting and come across Bruce Springsteen playing a concert. I am envious.