boomac Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 I was just invited to attend the Springsteen Concert this Saturday night. Luxury Box Seating. I said, "thanks but why don't you invite somebody that will appreciate it more than me". I never really cared for the guy and can only think of one tune that he ever did. Born in the USA. Since the next person to be asked can't be reached till tonight, I guess I could have a change of heart. Should I reconsider? Am I not giving the guy a fair chance? Would I not be hypocritical? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 Scott, GO!!!! I'm not a Springsteen fan either although I know at least 3 songs. He apparently puts on a great show with lots of energy. Plus, it's the boss!!! Meaning your boss. You should definitely go. I wouldn't hesitate. I get to go to lots of events since we have suites at MCI Center, Redskin's Stadium and Camden Yards. It's the best way to see a game or a concert for sure. Private bathroom and free food & drink! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
formica Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 Scott, I can understand... would have done the same thing. One of the basic things that make a show "great" is actually enjoying the artist's music... THEN you can look at showmanship. The several songs that I know from Bruce, I didn't care for... so it would make the choice easy for me. On the other hand, I'm quite sure you don't share my musical tastes either... So the question here is, did YOU like the one song you know? Rob PS: I have a private bathroom and food (not free ) at home too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 ---------------- On 9/23/2003 1:50:56 PM formica wrote: PS: I have a private bathroom and food (not free ) at home too... ---------------- Yes, but is it catered or must you prepare it yourself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
formica Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 ---------------- On 9/23/2003 2:20:39 PM garymd wrote: Yes, but is it catered or must you prepare it yourself? ---------------- In all honesty, I rather not have my bathroom catered... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomac Posted September 23, 2003 Author Share Posted September 23, 2003 The decision has been made. My wife gets to go. This will work out great. She's had a tough few days at work and deserves to be treated to fun night out. On the other hand, with the babe out of here, I can spin up some Lee Morgan, Art Blakey, Sonny Clark and still have time for some McCoy Tyner. A bottle of that Canadian Stuff and some club soda will make it a dandy night. No crowd -no BS - no forced smiles and best of all, no BOSS. Thanks for the advice guys. Gary, if it was Bob Seger or somebody like that I would have jumped on the offer. I'm looking forward to Saturday Night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodog Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 comments deleted since decision has been made. forrest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Scott, Brilliant decision. If I knew sending the wife was an option, I would have definitely suggested that. I hope you both enjoy your evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomac Posted September 28, 2003 Author Share Posted September 28, 2003 My wife went to the Springsteen Concert last night. She came home at 10:15 PM and ended my jazz listening session rather early. I guess it wasn't her idea of a fun night either. Her comments: Male/female ratio looked like six to one. Groups of guys everywhere. He mumbled through most songs. Couldn't understand a thing. Couldn't see much from the box. It was loud. I asked if there was electricity in the air and she relpied, "no and I'm really glad I didn't pay $76 for that ticket". Oh well, she had a night out and got to see the stadium with the roof closed. Me, I had a grezzy pizza, some Sam Adams Ale and was able to listen to McCoy Tyner "Tender Moments", cannonball's "Somethin Else" and "Mingus Ah Um". Hey, Dannie Richmond is/was a darn fine drummer. That guy could/can fly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhawk92 Posted September 28, 2003 Share Posted September 28, 2003 Boom- Interesting comments. Some of the folks up here in CT saw him last week in Hartford and had similar comments. Maybe he is getting rusty in his later years. Personally, I have never been a big fan of his music, and recently, folks have said he has gotten very political at his shows about the Iraq situation, ala Dixie Chicks. But I still wonder why a guy who is supposed to be about "blue collar" rock calls himself "The Boss." Not trying to start a flame war, but just some observations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomac Posted September 28, 2003 Author Share Posted September 28, 2003 I know what you mean jhawk92. I've asked many times, what makes him the boss? Who is he the boss of? Have never gotten an answer. I saw a bit of the show on the news and he looked like crap. I thought he was a young guy. My wife said there were groups of guys, most seemed to be in their 20s, that danced together and jumped up and down with each other in head locks! We wonder if this is a Wisconsin thing but at a large wedding several months ago, there were guys, in their 20s, that sort of danced at each orher all night and several were from Chicago. I don't see the harm of it but darn, seems odd to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBB Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Oh boy. Here we go. Before I get started I would like to make a few statements. First, as Jhawk said, Im not willing to start a flame war. Second, reread the previous line. Ive never been a big Bruce Springsteen fan but I respect his dedication and talent. I wont get into details here but I think I can comment about a couple of the posts concerning the man and his band from my personal experience. Bruce is NOT a friend of mine but we have crossed paths on occasion. Some background info first. Im nothing more than a musician who has played in many of the same clubs and lived in the same neighborhoods as Bruce has because Im from the Central Jersey shore area and Bruce and I are the same age. The Central Jersey Shore areas music scene is pretty tight and many of the musicians that have become popular nationally can still be found hanging out at their old stomping grounds on occasion. People like members of the E-Street Band, Jon Bon Jovi , Richie Sambora and South Side Johnny can be seen frequently at the local stores, restaurants and nightclubs when they are not on the road. They also like to sit in with the local bands when they are home because they are originally from the area and have homes in Rumson, Sandy Hook, Monmouth Beach, Long Branch, Deal, Spring Lake, Belmar, and Point Pleasant that are near their families in Red Bank, Freehold, The Highlands, Colts Neck and Little Silver. All these places are around Asbury Park where the Jersey Shore music phenomenon started. Many of the popular groups started their careers at clubs like The Stone Pony, The Fast Lane, Mrs. Jays, The Deck House and many others. These were clubs that were located a short walk from the Asbury Park Convention Hall which used to have concerts every week featuring the worlds most famous bands. It was a spot where very many musicians played and socialized every day and night for many years. It wasnt unusual at all for members of a Super Group that just played a gig at the Convention Center to stop in some of these clubs and hang out with the local musicians and jam or just shoot the breeze. I was just one of tens of thousands of musicians that played at these places. My point being is that if you performed at these clubs on a regular basis you eventually would meet many of todays popular musicians and have conversations about the music, business, old school mates or the type of tequila they liked to drink. None of these world famous musicians are personal friends of mine but like going to your local high school and attending the same classes as other people you get a pretty good feel for being able to separate fact from fiction if you spend enough time with your peers. My comments: Bruce the Boss. This one is sort of funny. In real life Bruce struck me as a nice guy from a blue-collar life style from Freehold. He used to spend time playing guitar and sleeping in a surfboard shop. He was nobodys boss and the fact of the matter is he hates being called the boss. He may smile when some one refers to him as the boss but I assume he is just being polite. From what I understand it was a name started by his fellow band members years ago in the old E-Street Band. I remember hearing his original drummer, Vini Mad Dog Lopez, calling him that a few times but never to his face. Needless to say Max Weinberg eventually replaced him before Born to Run was recorded. By the way, Ernest Boom Carter performed the drum track on that recording not Max. One last comment since I realize this post has become incredibly too long. It concerns the groups of guys that people have said have been attracted to the band, dancing and frolicking around in the audience and the band drawing a largely male following. This one puzzles me. I suppose it may depend on what area of the country listens to and follows the group but from what Ive witnessed over the years Bruce and the E-Street band was nothing less than a (please excuse the expression ladies) Chick Magnet. Of course Ive seen them play many times in Jersey and there were always many women that would enter the clubs in groups of 6 to 10 girls storming the floor for tables. If I were forced to guess at a male/female ratio that comprised Bruces audience I would have to say that women were often the majority by a slight margin. I never noticed a male OR female dominant clientele in any club or concert that he played at when I saw him perform. Perhaps things have changed over the years and across the country but not much has changed along the Jersey Shore scene except for the down fall of the Asbury Park in the last decade, which I understand from my friends, is making a come back to the music scene. No flames from my direction. I was just telling you what I thought about the subject just like friends sitting in our living rooms and having a conversation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomac Posted September 29, 2003 Author Share Posted September 29, 2003 BBB, Thanks for that information. I was never familiar with Spingsteen or his band. I started asking "The Boss" question years ago and always in a kidding way. It was funny, however, that I could never get an answer. Now I finally have one and it makes sense. I'm not sure where I was, in life, when Bruce was really popular. I, honestly, am aware of only one of his songs. Therefore, I'm not being critical of his music or him personally. My wife is usually quite objective, loves most all "Rock" music and likes big events. She was less than impressed and said that the only song she could understand was the one he did with his wife. (not sure it was his wife) What time frame was the "South Jersey Scene" you are referring to and when was Springsteen most popular? I spent a lot of summer time in either Ocean City or out on Long Beach Island but I'm gussing it was quite a few years eariler. Again, thanks for the info. It is appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Songer Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Dannie Richmond was a GREAT drummer--did you know he was an R&B "honker" on the tenor sax before he hooked up with Mingus only a few WEEKS after he started playing the drums!! Ended up playing with Mingus till the end. He did some nice work with both George Adams and Duke Jordan after Mingus died. He is also on the great John Jenkins/Kenny Burrell Blue Note LP from 1957. How anyone could learn to play the drums that quickly and become that good in such a short time has always amazed me. By the way, I saw Bruce Springsteen a couple of times--once back in 1975 at a club in Hollywood called the Roxy which was a GREAT Rock and Roll show--really a lot of fun. Then I saw he a couple of years ago at the Staples Center here in LA and he was STILL the SAME--really poured it out. Not really my cup of tea as far as the music goes, but it was a great show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBB Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Boomac, Actually it was the central Jersey shore area I was referring to. The furthest south I ever played was on Long beach Island at Joe Pops in the late 80s. I think the Jersey Shore scene was at its height between 1974 an 1983 although I played there until 1991 when I moved out of New Jersey. That was the year that began a very tough decade for the music scene on the Jersey shore. Oh well. Enough of the Old Timer stuff. Life goes on. Everyone should enjoy the type of music that turns them on wherever they may be. Happy listening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodog Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 ---------------- On 9/28/2003 10:45:09 AM boomac wrote: My wife went to the Springsteen Concert last night. She came home at 10:15 PM and ended my jazz listening session rather early. I guess it wasn't her idea of a fun night either. Her comments: Male/female ratio looked like six to one. Groups of guys everywhere. He mumbled through most songs. Couldn't understand a thing. Couldn't see much from the box. It was loud. I asked if there was electricity in the air and she relpied, 'no and I'm really glad I didn't pay $76 for that ticket' ---------------- I saw Springsteen twice, and although I'm a fan of his songwriting, his concerts were examples of poorly mixed sound. An unattentive sound man can ruin a show. What a shame. $76.00... jeez. Strange the guy/girl ratio was so lopsided. glad you had a good time! Forrest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomac Posted September 29, 2003 Author Share Posted September 29, 2003 Forrest, I guess if its the sound we're looking for we should by the LP or CD. I figure concerts are for the overall experience. BBB, By the mid 70s, I was done with the service, through college, married and trying to make a living. I guess that might explain my egnorance about Springsteen. I remember Somers Point, NJ in the mid to late 60s. Tony Marts, Bayshores and the Point Diner. They were good days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKlipschFan Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 BBB I love stories like this... The Truth is stragner than fiction sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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