lack of posts

due to bein way busy.
or rather, and probably more accurately, seemingly busy.
not sure how those who have kids manage.
after all all i gotta take care of is my own slovenly arse.
but it is all about perception, and at least relatively speaking, it seems the last month or so has just been a bit more complex than i'm used to assimilating into my simple life.

anyway.
albany last night for the springsteen show.
i'll add a couple things, but this from backstreets.com. should give ya an idea as to just how friggin psyched i was.

November 15 / Albany, NY / Times Union Center
Notes: A stunner of a setlist, and a start-to-finish smoking performance to match. First of all, the "Reason to Believe"/"She's the One" sandwich was a double-decker, with both "Darkness on the Edge of Town" and "Candy's Room" in the middle -- cool on paper, and incredibly powerful in performance. But it wasn't the jaw-dropper of the set. For that, we direct your attention forward a few songs, to what Bruce called a "double shot from Wild & Innocent!" It was a passionate "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" into "The E Street Shuffle," both rarities in their own right, and back-to-back like this we're talking hen's teeth. This was a crowd that appreciated what they were getting, too. For "Sandy," it was spotlight on Danny Federici, literally -- Phantom Dan was bathed in light as he stepped out from behind the organ for some beautiful accordion playing. "Sandy" was last played at Giants Stadium in 2003, but for the last E Street Band performance of "E Street Shuffle," you've got to go back to the end of the reunion tour, July 1, 2000. In the encore, Springsteen dedicated "Thunder Road" to Matty Delia, "one of my best friends in the whole world," on his 53rd birthday. And after the spirited crowd held their own, singing out the beginning of the song up to "that's alright with me," Bruce stepped back to the mic and said, "Me too!" No Patti tonight, but we hear she'll be back for Boston.

Setlist:
Radio Nowhere
No Surrender
Lonesome Day
Gypsy Biker
Magic
Reason to Believe
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Candy's Room
She's the One
Livin' in the Future
The Promised Land
I'll Work For Your Love
4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)
E Street Shuffle
Devil's Arcade
The Rising
Last to Die
Long Walk Home
Badlands
* * *
Girls in Their Summer Clothes
Thunder Road
Born to Run
Dancing in the Dark
American Land

thank you sir may i have another.
went with kb.
tix were stunning. on the suzy side, eye level, lower bowl, four rows up. id say probably 12-15 yards from bruce's mike at center stage. and when he'd stroll to our side it was a case of not bein able ta reach out and touch, but just about.
graced with more than the three pack to start the rollickin, suprised filled fun. reason>darkness>candy's room>she's the one!
prior to the show i was hoping for darkness, but gave it little chance. BAM.
after candy's room: was really looking forward to she's the one. nope. candy's room. perhaps a slight let down, but only to be lifted that much higher when the band started into a smokin she's the one!!!!!yea bay-be!

don't even need to say anything about sandy>east street shuffle. truely remarkable. was dreamin about sandy just prior to the show as the stage hands were tuning up a big ol' accordian just below us. but that's crazy talk. "he aint gonna drop sandy." not only does he, but sparks fly on east street??????? didn't even enter into the boy i'd love ta see file prior to the show.

general observations:
bruce sounded just a smidge hoarce but managed to hold his voice in control nonetheless.
band was, at times, fighting w/ bruce for tempo. especially noticable at the beginning of thunder road. seemd they really wanted to push things and he wanted to slow it all down.
that said, its clear that everyone is gettin a wee bit older. bruce was amazing. energy level was huge. shit, i'm just an audient and he had me whopped. mighty max was keepin stride, just beatin the heck out of it (listen for the "double shots" during east street!). little steven was hilarious, and clearly not up for maintaining presence toward the later end of the show. he was spending a ton of time impishly lingering in the shadows with his back to the audience, stealing time and almost laughingly bein a truant. at one point bruce busted him: gives a shout out for him to join him at the mike. he's the boss after all. like someone caught doin somethin he shouldn't little steven shoots, albeit a little off cue cause he was lingerin', to stage front and gets workin. smilin all the while. gary tallant has gotta be the luckiest man in show biz since ringo. clarence was on the opposite side of the stage, so couldn't get a very good read on him. keyboard plaers were workmanlike.

otherwise: efffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff. brought along the d-200 but decided to leave it in the hotel. tix was specific. NO CAMERAS. at the door, though, there was no pat down and cameras were everywhere, snappin flashes goin throughout. efffffffffffffffffffffffffff. given the quality of the seats i could have gotten some startling pix. a huge opportunity missed. ah well.

anyway. stay tuned. heading to lake placid tomorrow for world cup luge racing. and the camera will be in full effect. be prepared for some shots!

i'll post tommorow and try and fill in some of the other details...