My Bruce Journey - Part 8

‘ I wanna be where the bands are’


About the time that we were missing out on the Tom Joad tour we came across by accident a TV programme called, I think, The Women of Country.  Despite my teenage assertions that I would never like country music I found that I loved some of the music on this show.

This prompted me to buy a boat load of what was termed at the time ’new country’- Suzi Boggus, The Dixie Chicks, Trisha Yearwood and the like.  Apparently traditionalists don’t think this is proper country music which is somewhat of a comfort to me.

Never really got into the men of country though - the Stetsons are so off putting!

And yes we have Shania Twain’s ‘Come on Over’- the 1998 version.  She released another version for the European market a year or so later.  I know it’s fashionable to knock Shania but I loved this album at the time - played it to death.  I have to confess though that I liked her better before she became really famous. You can have too much of a good thing.

Contrary to popular opinion not all country music is depressing and sentimental.  Some of it is the most uplifting music I have ever heard.

If you have kids just read the lyrics to ’I Hope You Dance’. Ronan Keating made it famous in the UK but it is originally a country track recorded by Lee Ann Womack and it puts into words everything you wish for your children setting out into the world - now maybe that is sentimental.



Well back to Bruce.  We didn’t buy ‘Tracks’ when it first came out - couldn’t afford it. Got tickets for the Manchester show on 2nd May 1999 though and bought ‘Tracks’ to prepare for this.  I still didn’t realise at this point that we needed to know all the old stuff as well as the latest release to understand everything that was going on during a live gig.  As it happens he only played ’Where The Bands Are’ from ‘Tracks’ - one of my all time faves but I didn’t appreciate at the time how lucky I was to hear it.

Bought ‘Tracks‘ from MVC in Leeds in the days when we had the choice of any number of chain stores from which to buy our music.  I think it was one of the first times I tramped (word used deliberately!) from store to store trying to find the best deal.  This company went under quite some while ago and over the last few years Leeds has lost all but HMV and some good independent record stores.

I had my first taste of the Springsteen fan’s compulsion to talk about Bruce at any opportunity when I was buying ‘Tracks’.  Chap that served me just had to tell me he had seen Bruce live and how great he was.  Met loads of fans since and we just can’t help ourselves can we?

Bruce did two nights at Manchester. I know we went on the second night because I was reading the Manchester Evening News’ review of the first night over the shoulder of the chap sat in from of me. Bought the obligatory T Shirt - at the time I favoured the grunge look and it was extra large.  I have since altered it to a more fitted shape.

Listening to the boot of the show now I think we must have wondered what on earth was going on half the time.  He opened with ’Badlands’- obviously being only our second show we had no idea when to sing along.  Every time Clarence played the whole audience erupted - we had found our black man with the saxophone.  We would have missed the Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh’s in ’Out In The Street’ and must have been absolutely lost during ‘Hungry Heart’ and ‘Born to Run’!!  I would have had an amazing night had I been going now.  The set list is fantastic.



I remember recognising ‘Mansion on the Hill’ at the time as it has always been one of Mike’s favourites. Other than that - nothing.  I didn’t know that, ten years later, I would regret not savouring every minute.

So that was 1999. On to the new millennium.

Set List - MEN 2nd May 1999
Badlands
Two Hearts
Darlington County
Atlantic City
Rendezvous
Mansion On The Hill
The River
Youngstown
Murder Incorporated
Prove It All Night
Out In The Street
Tenth Avenue Freeze Out
Where The Bands Are
Working On The Highway
The Ghost Of Tom Joad
The Promised Land
Jungleland
Light Of Day
Hungry Heart
Bobby Jean
Born To Run
Thunder Road
If I Should Fall Behind
Land Of Hope And Dreams