I suppose if I can count Bruce’s four-song guest appearance at the Laid Back Festival the week before as a show, I can count Bruce’s five songs at the Invictus Games closing ceremonies as one, too.
I was fortunate enough to be be able to tack on side-trip to Toronto on the end of a work trip, and even through Bruce was billed as a headliner, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would he play solo? With a band? Which band? A full set or a few numbers? It was a genuine mystery to me, and since his Broadway debut was only a few days away (and I was planning to be there), I was avoiding any and all on-line speculation to avoid Broadway spoilers.
Bruce ended up taking the stage twice–the first a solo set that was truly solo–just the man and his acoustic guitar. I was expecting something solemn for the evening, given the occasion (a celebration of the athletic achievements and resilience of wounded warriors)–perhaps “No Surrender,” “Blood Brothers,” or “Devils & Dust.”
But Bruce kept it upbeat, opening with “Working on the Highway,” a beautiful, quiet arrangement of “The Promised Land,” and a fun “Dancing in the Dark” that made everyone forget it was being played acoustically. I’ll never forget surveying the arena floor during that final number and watching the athletes from different nations celebrating and, well, dancing in the dark.
But the true highlights for me came during Bruce’s second appearance, during Bryan Adams’ set, when Bruce came back out to take lead vocals and contribute a short but screaming guitar solo on “Cuts Like a Knife” (61 shows in, and I *still* pretty much always get a song I’ve never heard before each time); and a searing “Badlands” to cap the set. Badlands in particular was an inspired choice for an event dedicated to unconquerable fighters, and although the sax solo was noticeably and awkwardly missing, Bryan’s band absolutely nailed the song.
All in all, a nice “bonus’ show, and a good appetite-whetter for Broadway–where I would be in three days time. By that time, amazingly, I’d have seen Bruce three times in in two weeks–and it wasn’t even a touring year!
Bonus: Here’s a clip of Bruce and Bryan working out “Cuts Like a Knife” backstage before the show.
I just started reading this blog. I love Bruce and E Street Band and have been to many shows over the years. On September 29, 30 2002 Bruce & the E Street Band played the Fargodome, Xcel Energy Center in North Dakota, Minnesota respectively. I was in the pit in Fargo, went to the St. Paul show. Two great shows!
Welcome, Mike, and thanks for reading! I’d love to hear any vivid memories of those shows!