From: bs810@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (D. Eric Nay)
Subject: Review: Bruce Springsteen, CapCtr, 08/25/92
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, (USA)
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 92 22:17:57 GMT


Bruce Springsteen-August 25, 1992-Capital Centre, Landover, MD

	 "The Boss" pretty much lived up to his reputation in a concert
last night at the Capital Centre.  While I wasn't cosmically transported 
to another land (hey, this isn't a Dead show:), I definitely did catch some
pretty intense happy vibes and was treated to some good old loud rock 'n'
roll, American style.  Having not kept up with Springsteen much over the
years 'cept what ya hear on the radio, I wasn't familiar with a few of the
tunes, particularly one of the most enjoyable ones that contained some
unique exploratory jamming.  The sound of the vocals where we were at was
at times muddied (bottom of the upper section, stage left) but luckily he
played alot of songs I did know, so making out the lyrics to those was alot
easier.  The instruments sounded great, though Bruce appeared to break a
string or something going into the second song, as he made the power opening
then suddenly walked to the back of the stage to grab a different guitar.
He played the crowd pretty well, telling stories here and there as I'd heard,
and at one point getting sections of the crowd to do the competing cheer.
During one of the unfamiliar tunes (which I labeled "Takes A Newborn Day")
he gave kisses to two different women in the crowd, one of whom absolutely
freaked, before leaping into the crowd and singing while held aloft by the
crowd.  Later on in the second set, the whole band paraded down around the front
of the stage.  Also of note was a kid who came on stage during one of the 
encores, faking some guitar licks. Don't know who he was but I'd guess about
12-16 yrs. old. The setlist went something like this:

Better Days, Local Hero(?), Lucky Town(?), Edge of Darkness, 
Dancin' in The Dark, 57 Channels, Trapped, -, -***, My Hometown, 
Takes a Newborn Day(?), -, Roll The Dice.

-, Cover Me, Is That You(?), See You With Another Man(?), Born In The USA,
Ain't Nuthin' But A Party, Human Touch, Glory Days, Darlington County,
Hungry Heart, -, Thunder Road, Born To Run, Searching for Treasure(???)

	The show ran from about 7:45 to 12:05, with a 15-20 min. break. I
might've missed a song or two in the list, - means I had no clue, the one
with the stars contained some fine exploratory jamming, the (?) speak for 
themselves, though I really doubt the last encore bein' called that (Hey,
I was a little drunk by then...)  So there ya have it, one friend thoroughly
dis-enjoyed herself, another loved it, and I must admit to bein' put off 
slightly by the way he would open most tunes realllllll slowly and melo-
dramatically, though it worked in some cases like a beautiful segue into 
Cover Me.  Like I said, "The Boss" pretty much lived up to his reputation,
but hey, thats one heavy reputation...definitely worth the money if I'd of
had to pay :-)

-eric n

P.S. Much was made among some of the people we spoke with and a friend
about the E-Street band bein' gone, and while I grant that Clarence is among
the baddest blowers, etc., these cats he's got now fill the shoes quite well, 
FWIW, they *were* the E-Street band to these ears.
-- 
It left a smoking crater of my mind I'd like to blown away