Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band in First of Two Nights at PPG Paints Arena (Thurs., 8/15/24)

The first song that I can remember hearing by multi-Grammy-award winner Bruce Springsteen was “Born to Run.” I loved the music and the lyrics! What I especially noticed was what sounded like tiny bells playing throughout the song. Only later did I learn this was the result of a glockenspiel played by the late E Street Band member Danny Federici. Other early favorites were “Backstreets” and “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out.” I then went on to ravenously enjoy every song on Darkness on the Edge of Town, which produced songs like “Prove It All Night,” and The River, which gave us “Out in the Street” and “Hungry Heart.” Springsteen’s most commercially successful record is Born in the U.S.A., which sold more copies than any other of his albums. It is also one of the best selling albums ever, generating the mega-hits: “Dancing in the Dark,” “Glory Days,” “I’m on Fire,” and the title track. All of those songs reached the top ten. The E Street Band is composed of  Garry Tallent, Roy Bittan, Max Weinberg, Steven Van Zandt, Nils Lofgren, and Patti Scialfa (also married to Springsteen). Clarence Clemmons nephew Jake Clemmons plays saxophone.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have had continuing success over the years despite obstacles that included the devastating losses of saxophonist Clarence Clemons and Federici and Springsteen’s vocal troubles of last year which forced him to cancel many tour dates including those scheduled for Pittsburgh last September. However, like great champions, they’ve moved forward and found a new path. When the sum of great musical parts come together in a positive way—as with Springsteen and The E Street Band—magic happens. Only the Strong Survive is Springsteen’s latest album and it covers soul and R&B songs. 7:30 p.m. both August 15 and August 18. PPG Paints Arena, 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. (RH)

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