Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band are likely making their final appearance in our hometown of Columbus, Ohio on Thursday, March 9th. We thought the time was right for a recap of some of our more popular Boss stories assembled through the years on Pencil Storm.
Before we dive into the “greatest hits,” there are a couple of recent developements in Boss world. To get folks hyped for the show, Colin Gawel and Dave Masica recently played a set at Woodlands Tavern alternating between original songs and Bruce tunes. Fun stuff. Click here for that playlist on Spotify.
And if tickets to the concert were a little pricy for your budget, Colin and Brian Phillips will be screening Bruce Springsteen - The Legendary No Nukes Concert at the Gateway Film Center on Friday March 17th. Tickets are just $5. Info at Gatewayfilmcenter.org. (editor’s note/Ricki C.’s two cents: This movie is some of THE FINEST footage of Bruce & the E Street Band I’ve ever seen and I’ve watched a fuckload of footage.)
***Ticket price update. As of 8 am 3/8/23 plenty of seats were available on the secondary market in the $120-$200 range. So despite the initial craziness, the market has reset close to the typical price range. They may go lower if scalpers start losing their nerve. Columbus is not a huge Bruce town like Cleveland or Pittsburgh, so if you are on the fence, keep an eye out for potential bargains the day of the show.
Onto the greatest hits!
Let’s not bury the lead. We’re gonna jump in with the story of when Colin spent some quality one on one time with Bruce. No Shit. My Chance Meeting With Bruce Springsteen (Or, Bruce’s Chance Meeting With Me).
Click here to read Ricki C. seeing Bruce and the E Street Band for the first time in 1976,
Click Here for a Ricki C. review of Bruce in 1978.
Click here to read a Ricki C. Bruce review 38 years after seeing him in 1976.
Click here to read Colin reviewing the “new” E Street Band after the passing of Clarence Clemons.
Click here for Colin reviewing Springsteen on Broadway.
It’s not all sunshine - Ricki C. pans the movie and the record Western Stars.
Going all the way back to 2009 and the old Colingawel.com (which became pencilstorm.com) click here to read Colin and his band The Lonely Bones being chosen to play the opening of the Bruce Springsteen exhibit at the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.
And at the end of every hard-earned blog, people find some reason to believe.
ps. editor’s note/Ricki C.’s two cents; I WILL be attending the Thursday show by Bruce & the E Street Band, despite my earlier protestations about this tour on Pencil Storm. My qualms about the shows were never musical, they were philosophical; Ticketmaster's heavy-handed pricing policies, Bruce's silence on the matter, the fact that show business and rock & roll JUST DON'T MIX.
However, for the sake of one 53-year friendship and one 39-year friendship I will be going to Thursday night's bash; because marketing differences with Bruce & his management are one thing, and dear friendships are quite another.
For anyone considering venturing out to the Gateway Film Center Reelin’ & Rockin’ Series on Friday, March 17th; a little preview…….