My Bruce Journey - Part 50

'And babe I tried to make the latest scene.  Hitting cool just like Jimmy Iovine'


So running a bit late this week but Bruce is my excuse - who else?

I could get the Carousel Webcast and watch it on Quicktime but I needed - yes needed - to have a DVD.  It may be old fashioned of me but just to have it floating around there in the ether doesn’t seem very safe or permanent.  I wanted to hold something physical and put it on the shelf with my other Bruce stuff.

Anyway I am semi - literate on the computer.  I can do things but often don’t know how I’ve done it or why it has worked. That’s OK when it does work but if anything goes wrong I don’t know why.  If I don’t know why it’s gone wrong I don’t know how to put it right.

I started trying to burn a DVD on Friday morning instead of writing this post and I was finally successful Saturday night - phew!

Watched the gig now both from the stream sat in front of my lap top at the kitchen table and on the TV snuggled up in a cuddly throw on the sofa - I know which I prefer on a cold December night.

I see David Lindley was guesting - playing the fiddle.  Mike and I saw this guy earlier in the year when he was touring with Jackson Browne.  David is a virtuoso musician but I’m not sure if virtuosity is my thing.  I’m a fan of the simple little pop song and, to paraphrase Little Steven, Bruce can write a stonking little pop song. The two up beat numbers in the set show this off to perfection together with the rapport Bruce has with the audience.  Didn’t you just love the chuckle when the audience fluffed the Jimmy Iovine line?  Who thinks ‘Aint Good Enough…‘ is going to be the new ‘Sunny Day’?

Don‘t get me wrong I love the story songs too. ‘Racing In The Street’ and ’The Promise’ show off Bruce’s ability to compose a song that can make you cry although, if I’m honest, I prefer the other version of ’Racing‘.  I don’t dislike this version - just like the other one better.  'Blue Christmas’ is fab.  Reminiscent of Seeger in the way the horns come in do you think?

Anyway I’ve made a copy of the DVD for my brother.  He’s yet to be convinced - maybe because he has never had the chance to see Bruce live.  Expecting a non-fan to sit through a full set is a bit much.  Three hours pass by in the blink of an eye when you are actually there but, even I struggle to sit through a full concert at home, when there are a dozen other things vying for my attention.

This half hour set represents typical Bruce - a couple of fun songs, two songs to tug at your heart and a great cover version.  Short enough for Ian to sit through.   I hope he will enjoy.

Have to apologise to sister-in-law Irene, though. She’s a big big big Elvis fan.  Don’t know what she will make of ‘Blue Christmas’ !!

So in some ways 2010 has been a quiet Bruce year … but for us we’ve made more new Bruce friends and loved keeping in touch with the tramps we met last year.  The Gaslight Anthem kept us on tour.

I started blogging and, with lots of encouragement from you all, managed to keep going for a year - don’t think I will be able to give it up now - it’s become part of my weekly routine.

As it’s Christmas next weekend I will take a break.  I might not have time to write and I’m sure you won’t have time to read.  The following week might be the time to wonder about 2011.

So have a very happy Christmas period and all the best for 2011.  Hope to see many of you then.

Finally a message from our man as, after all is said and done, he is the reason why we are here.