Phooey on Springsteen

[Doug]

Re: Phooey on Springsteen

There's a limit on what you can do in 12 minutes. Bruce was fine. Maybe he tried a little too hard, but he still did OK (apart from the ref).

I don't think I would want to see Buffett attempt it. Although Fins, One Particular Harbor, and Margaritaville might fit OK.

On another note, the National Anthem was lip-synced. Here's the producer's own words:

“That’s the right way to do it,” Minor said. “There … [are] too many variables to go live. I would never recommend any artist go live because the slightest glitch would devastate the performance.”


**** that. Sing it live or let somebody else do it.

[grace]

Re: Phooey on Springsteen

On another note, the National Anthem was lip-synced. Here's the producer's own words:

“That’s the right way to do it,” Minor said. “There … [are] too many variables to go live. I would never recommend any artist go live because the slightest glitch would devastate the performance.”


**** that. Sing it live or let somebody else do it.

I say play the tape of Marvin Gay singing the National Anthem. Nothing will ever beat that.

[Peter_sixtyftsixin]

Re: Phooey on Springsteen

I think we should be like the Cardinals and shock the world. How about Indy gets Converge for the halftime show when we host the Super Bowl.

[Bball]

Re: Phooey on Springsteen

I think we should be like the Cardinals and shock the world. How about Indy gets Converge for the halftime show when we host the Super Bowl.

You've just scared me into realizing that the Indy SB could feature Mellencamp. I'm not sure Mellencamp has maintained the gravitas needed for the gig. He'd put on a fine show for fans, but I believe the non-fans and casual viewers would have a field day with complaints about Mellencamp based on what I've seen with the ripping of Springsteen.

[Aw Heck]

Re: Phooey on Springsteen

Bill Simmons liked it...

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/090202&sportCat=nfl

And Bruce ended up nailing the halftime show -- seriously, the guy is two years younger than my dad -- even unleashing one of his patented "slide across the stage" moves and slamming his crotch into a cameraman. That led to Lynette's openly admitting that she enjoyed seeing Bruce's package come flying at her in HD. Is anyone alive out there tonight? Here comes my crotch! Incredible performance. He even did the "spitting all over the microphone" routine with Little Stevie. My Bruce fix was satiated in every respect.

BTW, I'll take aging, past-their-prime rock stars over crappy, disposable pop stars. Is anyone seriously yearning for the days of N Sync and Britney Spears halftime shows?

[Peter_sixtyftsixin]

Re: Phooey on Springsteen

You've just scared me into realizing that the Indy SB could feature Mellencamp. I'm not sure Mellencamp has maintained the gravitas needed for the gig. He'd put on a fine show for fans, but I believe the non-fans and casual viewers would have a field day with complaints about Mellencamp based on what I've seen with the ripping of Springsteen.

I don't understand how I did that since I said they should get Converge to play, but on a similar note...I said Mellencamp would play Indy last night during the halftime show.

[Bball]

Re: Phooey on Springsteen

I don't understand how I did that since I said they should get Converge to play, but on a similar note...I said Mellencamp would play Indy last night during the halftime show.

Because you got me thinking about the Indy SB and who the musical act would be...

[Peck]

Re: Phooey on Springsteen

And for no reason...

[able]

Re: Phooey on Springsteen

You really do not want that translated

(yes it is Dutch)

[Major Cold]

Re: Phooey on Springsteen

paging Rasko...

[ABADays]

Re: Phooey on Springsteen

I switched to the Stupid Human Tricks show on ABC after the first song. My roommate in college loved Springsteen - 25 years ago. I wonder if last night would've cured him - it looked like what you'd see in a "washed up performers" karaoke bar.

Washed up? Isn't he up for an Academy Award for the title song from The Wrestler? I also thought I read where his latest album debuted at #1 but I could be wrong there.

[DisplacedKnick]

Re: Phooey on Springsteen

Washed up? Isn't he up for an Academy Award for the title song from The Wrestler? I also thought I read where his latest album debuted at #1 but I could be wrong there.

Dunno whether he's officially washed up or not but watching him perform gave me the willies - sort of like going to a singles bar and looking at people in their 50's getting their groove on. Pretty much cinched my not getting Elton John/Billy Joel tix (not that I would have anyway).

Might have something to do with having seen him live over 25 years ago. There was a definite creepiness factor at work for me.

[avoidingtheclowns]

Re: Phooey on Springsteen

Washed up? Isn't he up for an Academy Award for the title song from The Wrestler? I also thought I read where his latest album debuted at #1 but I could be wrong there.

he didn't get an oscar nom but he won a golden globe for that song.

[Jay@Section12]

Re: Phooey on Springsteen

I've never really cared for Springsteen, but I thought that was pretty good. I'm going to run out and buy the new album and some concert tickets.......

Coming to Chicago again? We've got tickets, but they are upper level. Appears to be a sellout although there might be some singles available.

+ + + + + + + + + + + +

I wish he'd played Ramrod instead of Glory Days, which is just one of his worst songs in the first place. But they stole the "what time is it?/ Boss Time!!" bit from Ramrod to make it fun. Too bad about the referree but you get the sense that NFL network needs to drop in a few props like that. The "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" stage slide seemed out of place in Freeze-Out, which has always been tightly choreographed anyway.

The thing that disturbed me, when I finally got home and got to re-watch it last night, was how hard it was for him to climb on Roy's piano. He had to climb a riser and it didn't look pretty. It wasn't that long ago ('99, and perhaps 2003) that he'd make that in a clean jump. And Clarence and Nils have had their hips replaced recently.

That's what happens when you bring it night after night after night for 35+ years. They can't/ don't bounce around as much. But they can play as well as they ever have, which doesn't translate well to the halftime show and in comparison to the lip syncers that have been on stage in recent years.

[Jay@Section12]

Re: Phooey on Springsteen

In Blues and jazz, certainly, it is common for an artist to gain prowess as he gets older. BB King at 82 is a living national treasure. But in rock?

Bruce and Neil Young are the only two that continue to crank out new material with regularity and have the, uh, "guts" to play it in concert alongside their classics. Is some of Bruce's/ Neil's new stuff "sub-par"? Yeah, but they've had a handful of regrettable releases in the past and they've overcome it over an outstanding career.

I guess Henley and Frey get honorable mention, they finally put out an album after working on it for almost a decade. And the Stones at least put out a new album before each tour, even though it feels more rushed than what Bruce, Neil, Don, and Glenn are doing.

Otherwise, all of their contemporaries (Joel, Petty, Mellencamp, Buffett, etc.) have been playing nearly the same "greatest hits" show for a decade or more, if they are even trying (Seger, Browne, etc.) They're the ones just cashing in. But classic rock fans love it, they'd rather Bruce re-create the Born in the USA tour than say anything new and revelant. I never expected rock-and-roll to become the equivalent of Linus's security blanket, but it has.