Experiencing the Boss live and in person is akin to a profound religious encounter. Picture Wrigley Field brimming to capacity on a balmy summer evening - an atmosphere charged with a tangible sense of enchantment. As the curtain lifted on the inaugural night of his North American tour, the iconic 73-year-old artist and his veteran comrades from the E Street Band embarked on a musical odyssey.

As the familiar strains of “No Surrender” resonated through the air, a spellbinding moment transpired. Amidst the resounding applause of around 40,000 spectators reaching a crescendo, Springsteen, affectionately known as The Boss, elevated his hand, reviving the anthem with an electrifying surge. This marked just the initial instance of a series of deceptive conclusions, where Springsteen, in playful defiance, rejected the notion that the music should ever cease.

Even after half a century of collaboration with the E Street Band, Springsteen’s uncontainable zest was palpable. His exclamations of “Max!” or “Steve!” served as playful cues to capture the audience’s attention before the impressive performances of Max Weinberg and Steven Van Zandt. The role of Master of Ceremonies subtly assumed by drummer Max Weinberg ensured seamless transitions between songs, setting the rhythm not only with his drumsticks but also through his charismatic body language. Meanwhile, the irrepressible Steven Van Zandt, a charismatic showman, showcased his mastery by skillfully strumming his paisley guitars and delighting the cameras with his animated expressions.

Jake Clemons, who inherited the mantle of touring saxophonist following the passing of his uncle Clarence Clemons, emerged as a darling of the fans. Each of his saxophone solos ignited thunderous cheers from the audience, a testament to his captivating performances.

The concert unfolded over three hours, unfurling a symphony of 26 songs without intermission. Yet, as Springsteen acknowledged during the poignant second encore, the music must ultimately conclude for all of us. With a heartfelt rendition of “I’ll See You in My Dreams,” dedicated to the late co-founder of The Band, Robbie Robertson, Springsteen tenderly sang, “Up around the river bend, For death is not the end, And I’ll see you in my dreams.”

A rare pause ensued when the E Street Band briefly stepped away from the limelight, a pause that may have lingered longer than all of Springsteen’s intermittent rests combined. In the latter half of the performance, Springsteen shared a poignant anecdote about his audition for his first band at the tender age of 15, with his sister’s boyfriend, a boy named George. In the passage of years, George succumbed to lung cancer, leaving Springsteen as the sole survivor from that foundational musical journey. Prefacing the soulful rendition of “Last Man Standing,” Springsteen conveyed to the captivated crowd, “Death’s ultimate gift to the living is an amplified awareness of the boundless potential inherent in the present moment.”

See for yourself, The Boss and the E Street Band are on a road trip:

Setlist:
No Surrender
Ghosts
Prove It All Night
Letter to You
The Promised Land
Out in the Street
Darlington County
Kitty’s Back
Nightshift (Commodores cover)
The E Street Shuffle
Mary’s Place
Johnny 99
Last Man Standing
Backstreets
Because the Night (Patti Smith Group cover)
She’s the One
Wrecking Ball
The Rising
Badlands
Thunder Road

Encore:
Born to Run
Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
Glory Days
Dancing in the Dark
Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out

Second Encore:
I’ll See You in My Dreams

For more Stories From The 78, follow @tombarnas78 on Instagram and @storiesfromthe78 on TikTok.