Monday, April 28, 2008

I Can Die Happy

My life is now complete. Barb & I saw Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band live last night at Bobcats Arena in Charlotte.

I've seen a number of concerts in my life (beginning with the Beatles in 1965) but never one as great as this one. He started at 7:30 and went through to about 11 or later (I don't wear a watch) without a break! Not only was there no intermission, but most of his songs went straight into the next one with only a "1-2-3-4" screamed by Springsteen.

He sang shit from his first album all the way through his latest.

And the Band - oh my God - the E Street Band. Clarence wailed on sax; Little Steven and Nils rocked on guitars; the female he has touring in place of his wife Patty played a magnificent electric violin; the keyboard player and the pianist who sat in because Danny Federici died last week were phenomenal and Max Weinberg must have lost 15 pounds pounding those damned drums.

Federici had been with the band since the beginning. He just passed away about 7 days before the concert and they started the show with a song Springsteen had written about him. The stage was completely dark and photos of Federici ranging from the earliest days through his final ones with the band flashed on the big screens.

I knew this would be a great show, but it surpassed anything I could have imagined.

WOW!

Later,

obi

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Words to Live By

Too often we lose sight of life’s simple pleasures.
Remember, when someone annoys you –
It takes 42 muscles in your face to frown.

But it only takes 4 muscles to extend your arm and
bitch-slap the motherfucker upside the head.


from "Mr. Paradise" by Elmore Leonard

Later,

obi