Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band performed at the Times-Union Center in Albany on Monday night
Bruce Springsteen with Jake Clemons
ALBANY _ Amid the story of hellos and goodbyes, new faces and new songs, the things that leave us and those that never do, the mission of the E Street Band remains the same. Bruce Springsteen brought the remnants of his legendary band to the Times-Union Center on Monday night and stayed true to a promise made long ago with a three hour set of music that sought to provide both spiritual and physical renewal.
“Prepare to be transformed,” Springsteen told the sold-out house. “The E Street Band has returned.”
Despite being down by two (three if you count Springsteen’s wife Patti Scialfa who stayed “home with the kids”) the E Street Band has swelled to a 16-member ensemble and Springsteen spoke of the dearly departed, Danny Federici and Clarence Clemons, saying “if we’re here, and you’re here…they’re here.”
Springsteen is touring behind his latest release “Wrecking Ball,” a collection of songs for the times that speak of financial hardship and loss. He spoke little of the policies that led to those hardships, other than a brief introduction to “Jack of All Trades,” perhaps realizing that both the preacher (self-described as a “rich guitar player”) and the flock that could afford $100 tickets, $20 parking fees, and $7 beers had little in common with the struggling half of the 99 percent-ers.
Springsteen opened the show with the lights on, slamming into full gear with “Badlands,” before unleashing “We Take Care of Our Own,” the lead single from the new release. He followed it up with the title track, building it from an acoustic intro to a full-blown anthem.
From anger and vitriol he moved directly to the sheer joy and abandon of “Out in the Street,” and then veered back with the Celtic-fired “Death to My Hometown.” He used the melancholy of “City of Ruins” to introduce the band, pausing to reflect on those who had passed without mentioning them by name.
Jake Clemons, nephew of Clarence Clemons, was part of a five-piece horn section but given front-and-center status on much of the material. Clemons has a great tone and presence and while not a replacement for his uncle, he proved to be a great addition to the band.
Springsteen continued in disjointed fashion, moving from the romp-and-dance of “Darlington County,” to the blistering “Murder, Inc,” swashbuckling through a guitar battle with Steven Van Zandt. He mimicked a leg-chained walk at the outset of “Shackled and Drawn” which led into the hope and promise of “Waiting on a Sunny Day,” giving the chorus over to a fan he pulled up on stage.
Springsteen was reaching for something, and seemed determined to continually switch gears until he found it, either through the soul music sortie of “The Way You Do the Things You Do,” or the impromptu by-request acoustic rendition of the B-side rarity “Janey Don’t You Lose Heart.”
The “moment” that happens at almost every Springsteen concert (a remarkable feat) came with a cathartic “Backstreets,” that led a charge to the finish that included “The Rising,” “Lonesome Day,” new song “We Are Alive,” and the call-to-arms of “Land of Hope and Dreams.”
The encore started with “Thunder Road,” and included the spiritual “Rocky Ground,” the iconic “Born to Run” (where Jake Clemons really proved he can more than handle the job) and “Dancing in the Dark.”
The evening closed with “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out,” which featured a rousing ovation during a video tribute to Clarence Clemons.