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The End Is Not Near - Not Even Close! A SoundPress.net Feature Article by Rich and Laura Lynch The last time we saw Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band in Buffalo it was the final performance of the seemingly endless global trek in support of the Magic and Working On A Dream albums. The 2009 show in Niagara County was an epic and classic E Street Band performance nearing the four-hour mark.
 Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band return to Buffalo! The night of the 2009 concert in Buffalo was itself eerily ominous. There was a cool November chill in the air and as the crowd amassed to enter the building a sulfuric stench from the nearby power plant hung over the arena. At the same time a pair of prominently placed street preachers were intoning that "the end was near". That show itself was deemed legendary and was well noted for a large sign that one fan raised during the encores that read, "It's Only Rock and Roll, But It Feels Like Love". The show was so celebratory in nature that many fans wondered if the love affair between band and aficionados might be complete and they speculated that perhaps the mighty E Street train had run its course. Surely, the band reached many career milestones during this trek by conquering famed festivals worldwide and the Super Bowl. Besides, how long could it really continue? They wondered aloud if Clarence Clemons could endure another grueling tour at his age and with his history of medical problems. And, surely Bruce would soon return to a solo project or revive the Sessions Band for his next road show. Then, the unthinkable happened. Clarence Clemons - the Big Man - and Springsteen's long-time stage foil died from complications of a stroke on June 18, 2011.
 Springsteen in the midst of the crowd in the midst of the first leg of the Wrecking Ball Tour. (Photo: Kevin Hubert - Toronto) The immediate questions arose - what would Springsteen do to replace Clarence and would the E Street Band continue. In recent interviews Bruce answered the inquiry. There will never be a farewell tour for this band and the spirit of E Street will continue on until the train pulls into the station one last time. The spirit of the band certainly was alive and well in Buffalo. Now down two original ESB members this train does carry the souls of the dearly departed - but, it also has picked up some compelling passengers along the way. When we walked into the arena in April of 2012 one of the aforementioned street preachers was right outside proclaiming his doomy message yet again. But, the end was not near. This show, in fact, seemed to represent a new beginning for the band which had nearly doubled in size since the last Buffalo show in 2009. Yes, Springsteen has replaced the Big Man with a big band, complete with horns and expanded percussion. This robust version of the touring outfit now includes 18-members: Bruce Springsteen - guitar, harmonica, vocals; Steve Van Zandt - guitar, mandolin, vocals; Nils Lofgren - guitar, vocals; Roy Bittan - keyboards; Max Weinberg - drums; Gary Tallent - bass; Charlie Giordano - keyboards, accordian; Soozie Tyrell - violin, guitar, vocals; Patty Scialfa - guitar, vocals (not present in Buffalo); Jake Clemons - saxophone, vocals; Eddie Manion - saxophone; Cindy Mizelle - vocal; Curtis King - vocals; Clark Gayton - trombone; Curt Ramm - trumpet; Barry Danielian - trumpet; Everett Bradley - percussion; Michelle Moore - rap vocal.
 The boy prophet and the Jersey Devil squared off once again in upstate New York in 2012! We can report the band is potent and powerful in its current incarnation and they were already in mid-tour form. There's plenty of full show reviews online so for now we'll just cover the most poignant moments of the evening. When the third song rolled around we got to see Jake Clemons step up front for the first time to take the sax solo on "The Ties That Bind". It became obvious that the talent runs deep in the Clemons family as Clarence's nephew nailed his part note for note. This was the first moment when we realized things were going to be all right - E Street remains in capable hands. Speaking of hands, the next major moment of the night came during the gospel-infused version of "My City Of Ruins". Originally penned for Bruce's adopted hometown of Asbury Park the song went on to serve as an allegorical anthem for America during the 'Tribute to Heroes" post September 11th concert. Now, it seems to have taken on deeper meaning in reference to the E Street Band. But, with all the hands on stage the collective unit has banded together to rise up above the unfortunate circumstances that have come about in the past year. "We're gonna go into the rarities, the rarities, right now," Springsteen said before launching into a rollicking version of "Mountain of Love" that had the crowd and concert peaking early in the night. This song, popularized by Johnny Rivers in the 1960's, has been played sporadically by the group over the years but was probably offered to the Buffalo crowd to acknowledge the "feels like love" sign from 2009. The energy between boss and fan base feels like a mountain of love, and it continues to grow and go higher and higher.
 This tour is a tribute to the Big Man - Clarence Clemons! (Photo: Ed Miller - EM PhotoDesign) The evening came to its ultimate conclusion during "Tenth Avenue Freeze-out" when a lengthy video presentation and tribute to Clarence Clemons was shown on screens while the band put the music on hold. The audience cheered and clapped for well-over a minute before the Bruce and Co. brought the song and concert to an emotional and captivating close. Springsteen will wrap up the first leg of the Wrecking Ball tour on May 2, 2012 with a hometown homecoming in Newark, New Jersey. After that the band will set its sights and demolition derby on the festivals and stadiums in Europe before returning to the States for an outdoor run of dates. So, you can see that the end is not near for the E Street Band. Not even close! Setlist - Buffalo - April 13, 2012: Buffalo Gals / We Take Care of Our Own / Wrecking Ball / The Ties That Bind/ Death to My Hometown / My City of Ruins / Rendezvous / Mountain of Love / Jack of All Trades / Prove It All Night / Darkness on the Edge of Town / Shackled & Drawn / Waitin' on a Sunny Day / The Promised Land / Apollo Medley / Point Blank / American Skin (41 Shots) / The Rising /Lonesome Day / We Are Alive / Thunder Road / ENCORE / Rocky Ground (with Michelle Moore) / Ramrod / Born to Run / Dancing in the Dark / Tenth Avenue Freeze-out Setlist - Buffalo - November 22, 2009: Wrecking Ball (with Curt Ramm) / The Ties That Bind / Hungry Heart / Working on a Dream / Blinded By the Light / Growin' Up / Mary Queen of Arkansas / Doe This Bus Stop at 8nd Street? / Lost in the Flood / The Angel / For You / Spirit in the Night / It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City / Waitin' on a Sunny Day / The Promised Land / Restless Nights / Surprise, Surprise / Green Onions / Merry Christmas Baby (with Curt Ramm) / Santa Claus is Comin' to Town (with Curt Ramm) / (I Don't Want to) Hang Up My Rock and Roll Shoes / Boom Boom / My Love Will Not Let You Down / Long Walk Home / The Rising / Born to Run / Tenth Avenue Freeze-out (with Curt Ramm) / ENCORE / I'll Work For Your Love / Thunder Road / American Land (with Curt Ramm) / Dancing in the Dark / Rosalita (with Curt Ramm) / Higher and Higher (with Curt Ramm and Willie Nile) / Rockin' All Over the World
 Related Links: For more information on BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links - Bruce Springsteen Home Page | EM PhotoDesign (Originally Published on April 15, 2012) |
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