Bruce Springsteen

[NewJerseyRich]

I'm sure he played "This American Land" in Dublin? Written during the Seger sessions it's kind of Bruce's take on Thousands are Sailing, no comparison, but it's a good little diddy...

NJR, do you share the feeling that Bruce's "American Land" sounds just a little like "Sally MacLennane"?

Thinking about it, I'm not absolutely sure that the "dad, haircut and motorcycle" reference is to an actual song. I think Brooce tells a story about an incident involving his dad having his [i.e. Bruce's] hair cut when he was a teen in his intro to "The River" on one of his live albums. If that is the reference, I'm suitably impressed by the obsessive knowledge of the clip makers...

Firehazard...you know the very first time I heard "American Land" was live. As I don't buy these compilation/retread discs he throws out to keep the millions flowing. I thought he was covering a Pogues song originally as I hadn't heard the song yet. After a few lines I knew it wasn't any Pogues song I recognized, But I definately agree it sounded alot like Sally MacLennane.

The actual story telling bit was something he did live forever just up until the Live 1975-85 where the military draft story with his dad is recorded.

[firehazard]

Firehazard...you know the very first time I heard "American Land" was live. As I don't buy these compilation/retread discs he throws out to keep the millions flowing. I thought he was covering a Pogues song originally as I hadn't heard the song yet. After a few lines I knew it wasn't any Pogues song I recognized, But I definately agree it sounded alot like Sally MacLennane.

We came out of the London gig just before Christmas the year before last, when Bruce and the band had played American Land just near the end of the set. And there was a group of lads next to us on the way out talking very excitedly about how Bruce had just played "that Pogues song". I told them that it wasn't actually a Pogues song, but I don't think they believed me...

[Fr. McGreer]

Firehazard...you know the very first time I heard "American Land" was live. As I don't buy these compilation/retread discs he throws out to keep the millions flowing. I thought he was covering a Pogues song originally as I hadn't heard the song yet. After a few lines I knew it wasn't any Pogues song I recognized, But I definately agree it sounded alot like Sally MacLennane.

We came out of the London gig just before Christmas the year before last, when Bruce and the band had played American Land just near the end of the set. And there was a group of lads next to us on the way out talking very excitedly about how Bruce had just played "that Pogues song". I told them that it wasn't actually a Pogues song, but I don't think they believed me...

I lied when i said i only owned his Greatest Hits. I also have Magic and Seeger Live in Dublin.

The first time i heard American Land was on the TV. RTE were broadcasting a highlights version of the Seeger Sessions live in Dublin. I went next day and bought the CD/DVD package. Only after 2 or 3 listens did i realise it was more or less Sally.

[NewJerseyRich]

Firehazard, you know you can't tell them damn kids anything , McGreer if you're interested and get a chance get a copy of Darkness on the Edge of Town and/or The River. You can get used CDs from Amazon at deep discounts and I've never had an issue when I try out someone I'm not quite sure about. Especially if I can;t find them locally of the used shop wants too much for the CDs. Don't get me wrong I love supporting the used shops, but if you're just trying something youre not sure your gong to like it's worth giving Amazon a look....through the Medusa link of course!

[NewJerseyRich]

The Boss announced today some US dates this spring followed by a summer full of European tour dates. If anyones interested see http://www.brucespringsteen.net for all the info.

[firehazard]

The Boss announced today some US dates this spring followed by a summer full of European tour dates...

Most of the European dates have been announced for a while now and, whatever it says on brucespringsteen.net, many of them are sold out already.

I failed to get the tickets I needed for Hyde Park, despite hitting the phone lines the second that they went on general sale. Wheelchair tickets were sold out immediately. I enquired about this with the promoter, and they admitted that by the time the general sale opened they had only 10 tickets on sale for wheelchair users. That's 10 out of (literally) many tens of thousands. When the disabled tickets sold out, there were still several thousands of general admission tickets left (they didn't sell out till some weeks later). I can't begin to say how pissed off I am about this, and the obviously inadequate level of provision of tickets for disabled viewers by this particular venue and promoter. Baxtards.

So no Bruce for us this year.

[NewJerseyRich]

The Boss announced today some US dates this spring followed by a summer full of European tour dates...

Most of the European dates have been announced for a while now and, whatever it says on brucespringsteen.net, many of them are sold out already.

I failed to get the tickets I needed for Hyde Park, despite hitting the phone lines the second that they went on general sale. Wheelchair tickets were sold out immediately. I enquired about this with the promoter, and they admitted that by the time the general sale opened they had only 10 tickets on sale for wheelchair users. That's 10 out of (literally) many tens of thousands. When the disabled tickets sold out, there were still several thousands of general admission tickets left (they didn't sell out till some weeks later). I can't begin to say how pissed off I am about this, and the obviously inadequate level of provision of tickets for disabled viewers by this particular venue and promoter. Baxtards.

So no Bruce for us this year.

That's terrible. I believe in the US Bruce has some say in the mode of tix sales and distribution.

[NJR]

Poges in Oz? Next best thing.... Bruce tonight@ MSG

[Mike from Boston]

It appears they pulled the plug on the amps at the end of a Hyde Park Springsteen concert while the Boss and Sir Paul Mac were playing. I guess the people in charge never heard about the infamous Heidi game where the plug was pulled on the broadcast of a Oakland Raiders New York Jets game at promptly 7PM in order to show the kids movie Heidi. Of course once the game was shut off the Raiders pulled off a miraclous last minute comeback scoring two touchdowns in a little over a minute to beat the Jets 43-32.

http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20 ... NTPAGE%7Cs

[firehazard]

It appears they pulled the plug on the amps at the end of a Hyde Park Springsteen concert while the Boss and Sir Paul Mac were playing...

Had I been there, I would probably have been a tad miffed at the plug-pulling. Though thinking about it I'd've been a lot more miffed if they'd pulled the plug on Broooce doing his own thing without that smug old former moptop.

As the reason that we weren't there was because of the organisers' totally inadequate allocation of wheelchair spaces, and given that when I questioned them about this their first response was to start quoting their lawyers at me, then somehow I am not surprised that they do bad stuff.

[Niall]

he started his gig in dublin by playing what was left of the song he was playing when the plug was pulled

[Fr. McGreer]

And had a big comedy type power-on switch that himself and Steve theatrically turned on before they proceeded

[philipchevron]

Classy!

[seanpat]

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists ... d-19691231

I was surprised to see that Rolling Stone picked up on the fact that "American Land" has an extremely similar melody as "Sally MacLennane". Wonder if the Boss ever listened to the Pogues.

[firehazard]

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-bruce-springsteen-songs-of-all-time-20140116/american-land-19691231

I was surprised to see that Rolling Stone picked up on the fact that "American Land" has an extremely similar melody as "Sally MacLennane". Wonder if the Boss ever listened to the Pogues.

Yes, the similarity was immediately apparent to many of us when the Seeger Sessions material was released. And at the end of a Brooce gig back in 2007 (I think), we left the venue behind a group of lads who were expressing their amazement that they had just played "that Pogues song".

Mr Chevron told a story involving Mr Springsteen, Mr Dylan, The Pogues and a toilet that took place at a gig once, but I can't currently locate it...