Roundabout last fall, a fearsome foursome united for a road trip to Brooklyn to catch one of the many live performances last season of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.
The trip included, among other notable events, a Bed, Bath and Beyond pilgrimage, another field test for acrophobia, a United Nations moment with Barcelona, some relocated parking garages, and of course, a healthy dose of inappropriate references to concerts of days gone by.
Flash forward to April, 2024, and it was time for the same foursome to return to the Empire State, this time making a stop it its capital, Albany.
So it was that John Piekos, Barry Scanlon and I recruited the original Boss boss, my brother Jimmy, to return with us for another outing of New York Style Springsteen.
After some robust discussions en route about apostolic blessings, chivalry and oversized pocketbooks, and of course, the obligatory deadly pocket knife, we embarked on a sojourn through the streets of Albany looking for someplace to dine.
Despite getting shut out at Stop One by the wait times of the advertised gathering of Spring-nuts, the Bruce enthusiasts who gather pre-show for all of his concerts, we would not be thwarted.
We made the rounds at several of the local watering homes before settling in at Wizard Burgers, home of the impossible to eat without making inappropriate comments impossible burgers.
Case in point: commenting on another patron's burrito size is not considered a universally-embraced ice breaker, no matter how many miles they swim in a triathlon.
After not properly digesting a healthy meal, we were off to check out the local architecture.
When in Albany, you have to visit the Egg, an approximately 50-year-old performing arts center.
As luck would have it, the gentleman we asked to take this album cover pic professed to be especially familiar with some of the political figures who've made their mark in Lowell's political circle.
Photog pro tip: know your audience before you name drop your rolodex and offer your thoughts on said individuals.
From there, it was showtime in the MVP Arena for an unforgettable night that added several tracks that diverted from the previous setlist at Mohegan Sun (see previous blog post.)
For this writer, undoubtedly, the highlight of the night was a haunting version of Racing in the Streets, one of my fave Springsteen cuts, taken from his fourth album, Darkness on the Edge of Town.
As always, the night provided a more than ample amount of opportunities to sing along with the soundtrack of our shared experiences.
As I said - an AMPLE amount of opportunities.
If there's something you need
That you just don't have
Well just don't sit there
Feeling Bad
C'mon now get up, try and understand,
Just raise your hand!
Once more unto the breach, or in this case, center arena for Bruce's 10th Avenue Freezeout.
Super shoutout to Susan Strauss, standing at Springsteen shin-level, smackdab in the center of that throng, basking in the Bruce-ness of it all
Heading into the homestretch, it was time for the two bros who took in their first Bruce show together 44 years ago do some Twisting and Shouting. Or a variation thereof.
And that's a wrap in Albany!
Take a bow, band, and thanks for another packet of great U.S. shows.
The band's off for its European tour now, and this particular four-pack will have to wait until the other end of 2024 to take in another celebration with the E Street Band!
Montreal, anyone?
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