berlintramp

@Eileen look out for June 18th: Jackson Brodie rides again!

Except there is one time - was it the first time it was played after Clarence's death? I don't remember and have no time to look it up - where she really botched the intro.

If I am correct, Bruce is the only reason you know each other. Of course this belongs in the Circuit!

After my team (Dortmund) got trounced last night, I have "No Surrender" on repeat

Read it. Yes, it has new material. But don't expect that the old information isn't rehashed, because it is. It has a lot of very nice pics, some of them new to me. The editing isn't consistent, there are repeat sentences in places. Since the book was scheduled to come out sooner than it did, apparently there was some rush work in the end, so there are these minor flaws. I agree the print is small and grey rather than black and so not easy the read. And the tome is heavy! Wears you out. But: Worthwhile book, I don't want you to think you should do without. Especially the information who played what instrument on the more recent albums and how the orchestration was put together is interesting. Nice addition to my Bruce library.

But looking his age, too. Which is ok, when you're about to turn 70. (Just ask me about it, I've been there).

He's always - for years and years - had specs, but only wore them in private and usually took them off pretty quick when there was a camera near. I've also seen a number of videos when he read someting and he pulled out glasses for that.

There are a lot of Bruce songs that resonated with me, but one of the most powerful is Independence Day. When I graduated from High School, I announced my determination to go to the US and study there, and despite all the obstacles I did. Breaking away from home with all its narrow, restrictive circumstances was one of the most liberating events in my life.

I agree 100% with Ann: " she stares off alone into the night with the eyes of one who hates for just being born", that is the honest description of how you sometimes feel, of how realtionships can go, of how ALONE you can feel. Bruce said at that stage of his life he couldn't write very well about women and couldn't do them justice, but I think he showed great instinctive understanding here. I spent several years of my immature youth staring off alone into the night, convinced no one, absolutely no one could understand me.

Wherever did this drift off to? had to search for it.

Hate the original, love, love, love Bruce's version. Called up when in need of comfort, called up out of sheer joy and wellbeing. So many great moments caught here.

Great joy. This came today, the next days will be booked for reading it. Luckily, it didn't take as long as indicated at first when I ordered it, it was scheduled to arrive and then canceled because it hadn't been published in time. They said it might be weeks but it was only a few more days!!!

I'm green with envy how early some of you first saw Bruce. Here are my sad statistics - not that I wasn't an avid fan before all that time, but I never had the chance to see him live before! Club: never Theater: Convention Center Berlin , Devils and Dust tour, June 28, 2005 - It's not a real theater, but about the size of one, and an awful venue it was. Almost killed the show. Arena: Colorline Arena Hamburg, Seeger sessions tour, October 12, 2006 - great show! Stadium: Kölnarena, Magic tour, December 13, 2007 - It's not an open stadium, but just as big.

The reactions here to storytellers is somewhat surprising to me. I thoroughly enjoyed it - still do occasionally when I put the DVD in, and I do think he is really funny in places. At the time, it was the first instance I saw when he explained some of his songs, and it made a lot of sense to me. There are subtitles in German, so I have played it sometimes for the uninitiated who wanted to know what this Springsteen dude was all about. However, one translation mistake always cracks me up: "All the redemption I have to offer is beneath this dirty hood" obviously took the first item in the dictionary and used "Kapuze", which is the hood you put over your head as in a hoody. opens up a whole new interpretation of the song...

Would that we could all develop a life philosophy like this.