The Boss in the Burgh: Live report

Springsteen returns on a mission to save democracy

The Boss is back in Pittsburgh, faster than expected, on The Land of Hope and Dreams, and we’re going moment by moment here.

Ok, 1-2-3-4!

7 p.m.: Fans lined up outside PPG Paints Arena, looking like a regular concert crowd, not a No Kings Rally. On Centre Ave, though, there is an unofficial guy with a merch table selling No Kings and Resist T’s. No line there.

7:38: Lights down, and Bruce comes out as he has in recent years, looking like he’s going to review your stock portfolio. Wish he went with the military chic like the 2014 tour with Tom Morello.

Launches into a prayer for the troops and a fierce attack on current president to what sounded like unanimous applause. MAGA fans stayed home to watch Jesse Waters. Goes right into “War” with fire engine red light. The Boss’ vocals are strong at 76!

7:45: “Born in the USA” into “Death to My Hometown.” E Street Band sounding mean as ever, plus Morello! The Rage guitarist takes his first vocal in a duet on The Clash’s “Clampdown.” First time heard here since ‘14. Intense. Doing justice to the greatest punk band.

Text from my daughter: “I feel very moved already 🥺”

8:05: Darkness on the Edge of Town is majestic.

8:10: Speech on the bravery of Minneapolis protesters and the Gestapo tactics of ICE to leave 2 die on the street. Going into ominous version of “Streets of Minneapolis.” Sounds way better than recorded one. Singing most of it with solo guitar. Band comes in and the song is much more developed. F word thrown in there, and crowd chant of ICE OUT NOW. Ends with pics of Alex Pretti and Renee Good with lights up and standing ovation.

8:18: A segue into “Promised Land,” which is hitting like a response to the tragic Minneapolis incidents. First Jake Clemons solo is bold, into Bruce harmonica — always a thrilling E Street moment. The female backup singers are a BIG part of this.

8:25: We have a break from the politics and American dream themes for “Two Hearts,” with Little Steven sharing mic. Feel-good vibes around, carrying into “Hungry Heart,” with crowd doing its job on the first verse and chorus while Bruce shouts “C’mon!” He’s doing the song now to the people behind the stage. So far, he hasn’t done tried daredevil moves. Ends with chant of “BRUUUCE!”

8:33: Right back into the heavy drama with “Youngstown,” Bruce’s face bathed in spooky red light — fiery furnaces of hell! Iron Maiden would have pyro here. Big cheer when he utters “Monongahela Valley.” Bruce holding the note on YoungsTOWWWWN is impressive. Time for Nils to shred, expressing all the anguish of the song. Absolutely killer.

Into “Murder Incorporated,” a song I remember first popping around that Houserockers tour that hit Nick’s Fat City, ‘96. Surprised the song has been a keeper. Not really a crowd favorite, per se, but grinding Steven solo on his sparkling purple guitar, with Bruce joining him for cool sync up.

8:44: Here comes “American Skin (41 Shots),” the song that divided some of his audience and turned a good many cops against him in 2001. Morello sat a few out and now he’s back to take a clean, emotional solo. Bruce chants “You can get killed just for livin’ in” like a chilling mantra. Morello picks up on that sadness and seals it with another solo, this one ghostly and mournful, then building into a fury with the chant of “41 shots!”

Text from my son Sawyer (who took these photos): “Second solo was great too, everyone joined him one at a time. He really loves playing at the top of the neck, kinda harsh but it also stands out.”

8:55: “Long Walk Home” is introduced as “a prayer for our country.” Big cheer for line “there’s a flag flying over the courthouse.” American flag prominent on center screen, the phenomenal backup singers taking this one to church. Gorgeous! And inspiring.

9:01: Bruce alone on acoustic guitar for “House of a Thousand Guitars,” singing “we have a criminal clown on the throne.” Strange song. Not sure why it’s in the set. Remember reading about it but forget what it’s about. It’s falling a little flat.

9:05: Speech time. Troubling times. Illegal war. Gutted voting rights act. Immigrants being held improperly. Corrupt Justice Dept. is prosecuting perceived enemies: “Don’t go to the beach and play with the seashells.” USAID cut, NATO threatened.

This is a full-on Springsteen State of the Union. Calls Trump a snowflake. Going on for over 6 minutes. Urges crowd to “FIGHT!” for what they believe in, stirring them up, rally mode. This is a bit much, actually.

It’s a big intro to “My City of Ruins,” stately protest ballad with massive gospel finish.

9:17: We desperately need some rock ‘n’ roll. “Because the Night” fills the bill, and it gives some love to Professor Roy Bittan, who hasn’t been a huge part of the show. Back to Nils to bring this one home! He never disappoints. Spinning and pointing while he thrashes through the solo. Awesome moment.

9:24: Staying uptempo (good!) for “Wrecking Ball.” Crowd boos mention of the Giants and Bruce laughs. Full E Street Band wall of sound unleashed! Crowd rewards him with a BRUUUUCE!

9:30: Peeked at set list. This is about to get LIT. Powerful version of “The Rising.” Is there any other? Bruce and the backup singers raising the roof right now. Does the dome open? Oh wait.

Where this is headed everybody knows. The moment we’ve been waiting for: “The Ghost of Tom Joad.” A solemn accordion, Bruce in green light for first verse, then Morello with drums for second, and then the guitar duel is on! Total fire. Shouted last chorus and Morello goes absolutely ballistic on what is rightly considered one of the greatest solos of all time. It’s so good people are actually laughing with joy.

9:44: We’re bringing it home with “Badlands,” a true house rocker. The Boss is handling the guitar fire on this one with that NASTY tone. Crowd doing the WOO-OOH-OOH-OOH” chant with vigor.

Text from son: “There’s really no crowd like a Springsteen crowd.”

Truth.

9:51: Main set closing with tour title track: “Land of Hope and Dreams.” The Mighty Max Weinberg and whole band thundering

10:00: Encore begins with Immigrant Rights speech and call action to support nonprofit that serves them. They’re in the hallway. Into the Celtic folk-rock of “American Land” and then lights-up, volume-up for “Born to Run” and “Dancing in the Dark.” Tradition! Big happy dance club now. Bruce’s pipes are strained but he keeps going. Whole band has to be tired, right?

But they’re the heart-stoppin’, pants-droppin’ E Street Band, so they rock till the end. “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out”’ is balls-out, as always.

10:23: “The hardest part for me has been feeling this distance between you and your neighbor, you and your fellow citizen,” he says. He calls for unity (is he doing unity?) introducing the closing Dylan-Guthrie combo of “Chimes of Freedom” and “This Land is Your Land.”

I’ve been in a politics-free zone for a while, tuning out the madness and focusing only on music. This was a heavy shot of both.

Final words come from my son: “We need a Democrat to win next time so Bruce will come do ‘Thunder Road’ again.”