Somebody asked me how many Bruce Springsteen concerts I have been to, and I really couldn’t answer with any certainty. My friend Dick answered “50 or 60” for himself, but I know I haven’t been to that many. Maybe 15-20. And if this was the last time I got to see Bruce perform, I’d die a happy Springsteen fan.

For some reason, Bruce and the band have some type of special connection to Sweden. Not sure if it’s because of his liberal politics and humanitarianism, the images of summer fun that come through many of his songs, or because Clarence “Big Man” Clemons’ first wife was from Goteborg, but something brings out the best in the band when they are there. The most famous of Goteborg shows happened in 1985, when the crowd got into it so much that stress fractures formed by the crowd stomping and dancing forced the reconstruction of Ullevi stadium. Always a great show, always a great crowd, happy Swedes moving to every word and sax solo. And that was certainly true on this chilly 27 June evening.

Bruce surely doesn’t play with the same gut wrenching, unadulterated passion or near anger that we remember — just go on YouTube and pick out anything from the late 70’s early 80’s for comparison. Now its more like he’s having fun out there with his family and friends, playing what he likes and enjoying the gig. Hard to blame him, he’s played these songs for so many years, so many 3-4 hour concerts, its unreasonable to expect him to keep that passionate edge into his 60’s. And his voice no longer reaches those beautiful deep baritones that you could hear on Thunder Road or Backstreets.  But every now and then you get that sincere, authentic sharing of thoughts and feelings that raises your awareness of where you are, where you’ve been, and a little of what it all really means. And you stand up a little straighter, nod your head in agreement, and dance along with 80,000 of your closest Swedish friends.

I’m still holding out for one last show at Red Rocks, maybe with a pared down band and the rock/gospel/soul feeling that he has shown glimpses of.  But if it doesn’t happen, I’ll still have the last words from this last show ringing in my ears.

  “if you can’t make it, stay hard, stay hungry, stay alive! And meet me in the dreams of this hard land…”