Editor's Note
Editor’s Note: My Where the Band Was series started out as a way to share my own personal stories from the Springsteen shows I’ve seen, but now that we’re more than a full year in and in between tours, my stories have pretty much all been told.
That’s why I’ve opened the series to other fans with stories to tell, and today’s entry is a special one. When I originally published my Kingdom of Days entry for June 28th a year ago, I made mention that much of the footage for Bruce’s “Dancing in Dark” video was shot on this date in 1984 with actress Courtney Cox and 200 extras. When lifelong Springsteen fan Sandi Pederson read that, she wrote to me and set me straight: Courtney Cox was no actress at the time–she was a model, one of three used for the video shoot. And in addition to the two hundred extras (which Sandi insists is too low an estimate), there were five local, lucky fans. Sandi should know: she was one of those fans, making her one of only five members of E Street Nation to be in that now iconic video.
I had to know more, and Sandi was generous enough to share her memories and photos from that day with me. And now, a year later, she’s gracious enough to share them with you, too. Here’s Sandi’s first-hand account of what it was like to film “Dancing in the Dark” with Bruce Springsteen on June 28-29, 1984.
It’s Thursday, June 28, 1984, and it’s one of the greatest days of my life.
I’m at the St. Paul Civic Center, and Bruce Springsteen is on-stage performing his latest single, “Dancing in the Dark.”
I’m where every fan dreams of being: front and center. With me are Donna, Dave, Ken, and another fan whose name I can’t recall. Oh, and three models, including Courtney Cox.
And that’s it. Other than the extras behind the stage (there had to be a lot more than 200), director Brian De Palma and his crew, the Civic Center is empty.
It’s going to be a long but amazing day–the first of many that summer.
One day, everyone will know Courtney Cox’s name, but today she’s just a model from New York. one of three hired for the video. None of them are fans–in fact, they complain all day long about the length of the shoot and about how they can’t stand Bruce’s music.
Even Courtney, the “lucky fan” Bruce invites on stage, is bored and impatient. She’s vocal with her complaints, and her attitude turns worse when De Palma instructs the models to watch and act more like us fans. Plus she can’t dance!
The models may have be uppity, but we fans are grateful to be there. Bruce recognizes that, and at the end of a long day of shooting, he thanks us by putting on an impromptu concert just for us! Bruce and the band play for an hour, closing with “Detroit Medley” — it’s a show that almost no one sees, but I do!
And I have the photo to prove it. See? That’s me on the left, and Bruce is wearing the same shirt he wears in the video.
It’s Friday, June 29, and tonight is the opening show of the Born in the U.S.A. Tour. Once again, I’m front and center (for the moment, at least), and I’m wearing the same clothes that I had on yesterday. All five of us from yesterday are, in fact, because tonight we’re finishing the video in front of a sold-out arena in an actual concert!
Now it’s clear why there were so many extras behind the stage yesterday–it’s so the editors can weave that footage in with the performance footage from tonight.
We spent most of the first set in our seats (and will spend most of the second set at the soundboard), but toward the end of the set we made our way into the same positions we held last night, and Bruce closes the set with “Dancing in the Dark” while the cameras film.
When the band comes back for the second set, they start with one more run-through of “Dancing in the Dark,” just to make sure they have enough footage.
You’ll see the final video, of course. Everyone will! It will become Bruce’s greatest hit, and one of the most memorable videos of the 1980s.
You have to look close because the camera focused on the models, but you can see me as clear as day at the 3:16 mark!
It’s Monday, July 2nd, and I’m seeing Bruce Springsteen again for the fourth time in six days.
It turns out that you don’t have to be a model to dance on stage with Bruce, because last night he pulled Donna’s younger sister on stage to dance with him! (Bruce gave her roses, too.)
Tonight I have front row seats, and during intermission one of my friends asks me, “Now that you’ve met him, what will you dream about next?”
“I guess dancing with him?” I reply.
But I don’t seriously expect it to happen, especially when he sings most of the song to me at the beginning of the second set. Bruce never dances with the girl he sings to, and my heart sinks as he makes his way down to the other end of the stage.
But suddenly he’s coming back.
And then he’s in front of me.
And he holds out his hand, looks at me, and says those magic words:
“Heeeeeyyyyy there, baby!”
And then I’m on stage. I have no idea how I got here, but here I am, dancing with Bruce!
As the song ends, he leans in and says, “Okay, here we go!”
Before I can figure out what he’s talking about, he falls backward onto the stage and pulls me down on top of him. As I gaze into his eyes, he says, “Kiss me, baby!”
And I do!
After the show, I get to go backstage and Bruce signs his autograph for me. I see Max, too, and he remembers me from his book signing a couple of days before. (He drew a drumkit on everyone’s book when he signed it, but I told him I was special and needed him to also draw himself. So my book has a a stick figure Max behind his drumkit!) Max tells me, “Great dancing out there kiddo!”
These have been four amazing nights, but there are lots more to come. The summer of ’84 will turn out to be my Glory Days.
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Thank you so much for sharing this! It’s so beautiful, thrilling, and FUN! Bruce is my Boss too and I live in the twin cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul), MN and have seen The E Street Band here 5…times?!! These included shows with my parents who introduced me to Bruce, friends on the floor where I magically was on the shoulders of a stranger and Bruce pointed to me; and 3rd row in the pit (completely amazing, within sweat distance). Along with Jazzfest in 2012 (AMAZING – serendipitous VIP passes got us within 100 yards) and Bruce on Broadway in 2017 with my mom. All to say, thank you, Bruce moments are nothing short of magical and meaningful. cheers! Renee
Oooohhhh, I am SO envious of your Jazz Fest experience, Renee! That festival remains on my bucket list.
I loved Sandi’s story about dancing with Bruce in St. Paul; she should have danced in the video instead of the lifeless Courteney Cox with her attitude of a prima donna. It was reported that after dancing with Sandi, Bruce said: Finally, someone can actually dance like she cares!” Bruce knows the difference between a real fan and a bad a actress.
I am a little disappointed that Bruce didn’t play the song “Sandy” as a dedication to Sandi given her response as a fan and the beginning of summer. We will pretend that “Sherry Darling” was actually “Sandi Darling” in a brilliant disguise. Of course, Bruce was far away from the beach in Asbury Park with the opening night of the tour in St. Paul, Minnesota. Although I resided in St. Paul for seven months during 1998, I haven’t been there since February 29, 2016 for Bruce’s concert on Leap Year evening.
Great read 🙂
Thanks for sharing. What a lovely and unique story!
Kiss me baby😳🥰
Just discovered this blog and loved Sandi’s story! We are recent Twin Cities arrivals (1999) and hope to meet Sandi some day, like in the pit at an Xcel Energy Center Bruce/ESB band show!
Fantastic story. Thanks for sharing!