First and foremost, it was Ev's girlfriend, Isabella's, first show. That in itself was worth the price of admission. Maybe it was the 7 years since we have seen Bruce with the E Street Band together (though we did see Bruce at Light of Day a couple years back). Or maybe, like my father-in-law used to say..."everything tastes great when you are hungry". Maybe we were all just hungry, hungry to feel "alive" again? Whatever it was, last night nobody sat down. Everyone stood and sang every song (even the new ones). Everyone was smiling, dancing and singing. After a tough few years living in an upside-down world...it was exactly what I had hoped it'd be...and then some!

 

5 gems for me were Kitty's Back, E Street Shuffle, Backstreets, Last Man Standing and an incredible version of Johnny 99! The horn section with the great Eddie Manion, the background singers, the percussionist, Anthony Almonte, Jake's riveting sax solos, Nils killing Because The Night, Stevie and Jake playing the 3 Stooges with Bruce....just masterful!

 

But for me, the biggest tear-jerker moment of the night was looking to my left and seeing Evan and Izzy dancing, singing, smiling screaming...I was 18 again. I saw the reflection of a much, much younger version of myself and I was just so happy that I was able to see the same joy and spiritualness (if that's a word) that Bruce's show brought to my life...emulating from 2 young hearts who "get it"!!

 

As Bruce faces his mortality, as he speaks about more yesterdays than we have tomorrows, I found myself wondering, for the first time, how many more "Prove It All Nights" I'll see. How many more "Born To Runs" with the lights on are left for the Rotella boys. For all of us.

For now, I'll just revel in the afterglow of another amazing evening with friends, family, and the legendary Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

 

"I don't even know why, I don't know why I made this call

Or if any of this matters anymore after all.

But the stars are burnin' bright like some mystery uncovered

I'll keep movin' through the dark with you in my heart

My blood brothers!!"

 

Thanks Bruce