Spinner

Bruce in the USA Honors Springsteen in Brooklyn

Over the last decade, thanks to nods from the Arcade Fire and the Hold Steady, among others, Bruce Springsteen has earned the respect of 20-something Brooklynites, a core section of the audience at cover band Bruce in the USA's show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg Friday night.

In light of the Boss's newfound hipness, Friday's show posed an interesting question: How would New York City's cool kids respond to Bruce in the USA, which bills itself as "the world's #1 tribute to Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band"?

The answer: pretty much the same way their parents respond to the real thing.

As the Las Vegas septet performed, the audience danced, boozed and bleated along. Plaid-shirted dudes with facial hair staked out places near the front, and two girls approximated Springsteen's famous running knee-slides, throwing their bodies fearlessly to the club's floor.

Some fans yelled, "Bruuuuuce," and during the breakdown on 'Badlands,' the second song in a set that would stretch 90 minutes and include both hits and rarities, many of the 100 or so people in attendance threw their heads back and howled the requisite "Woah, woah-woah-woah, woah!" The singing was born of duty, delusion and plain old fun.

If Bruce in the USA generates only about a third of the energy of a real Boss gig, it's more the result of Springsteen's inimitable stage presence than the group's shortcomings. Frontman Matt Ryan, sporting a soul patch, earring, black vest and motorcycle boots, recreated the rocker's stage mannerisms with eerie precision, showing more attention to detail than any of his fellow E Street impostors.

At times evoking Adam Sandler's hulking 'Saturday Night Live' version of Springsteen, Ryan sold the idea that he was enjoying himself -- either because he's a seasoned Vegas showman, or because he really gets off on jutting out his chin, bashing his Telecaster and singing some of the greatest rock songs ever written.

On 'Pink Cadillac' and the Tom Waits cover 'Jersey Girl,' Springsteen sideman Charles Giordano, who joined the E Street Band in 2008, following the death of Danny Federici, sat in on keyboards and accordion, adding a welcome, if unnecessary, dash of authenticity.

While the group specialized in such arena favorites as 'Rosalita,' 'Born to Run' and 'Thunder Road,' it was the relatively obscure 'Trapped,' a tune from Springsteen's 'Tracks' box set, that came closest to bringing the house down. Of course, Brooklyn would scream loudest for a deep cut. Even with a faux Boss onstage, it's a faux pas to cheer for the hits.

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Dan

I'm from Las Vegas and have seen Bruce in the USA several times at several different venues. Every time I have had the pleasure of seeing them live, they have been great. They do an amazing job of conveying a true Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band experience. Their version of "Thunder Road" is even better (in my opinion) than the original. I'm really looking forward to their return to Las Vegas when they will be playing at the new Crown Theater (http://www.thecrownvegas.com)

May 09 2010 at 5:22 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Barbara

Bruce Springsteen's Darkness on the Edge of Town broke new ground for The Boss in 1978. A counterpoint to the operatic elegance of Born to Run, the album was an angry, raw record that burst forth after a three-year hiatus.

Because of its darker tones, some might call Darkness a difficult album, but despite this, it's a cherished gem for many.

Collecting stories and photos from hundreds of fans, The Light in Darkness celebrates this classic record, allowing readers to revisit the excitement of that moment when the needle found the grooves in that first cut and the thundering power of "Badlands" shook across the hi-fi for the very first time. Or the uninitiated, but soon-to-be-converted teenager, brought along by friends and finding salvation at one of the legendary three-plus hour concerts - shows that embodied all the manic fury of a revival meeting.

The book is also for those more recent converts to The Boss who may have stumbled across a dusty bootleg in a used record store - discovering the magic of the Agora or the Winterland shows.

Finally, The Light in Darkness is for those who never gave Bruce's fourth album much consideration; those more partial to the high-polished sounds of Born to Run or the stadium-rousing choruses of Born in the U.S.A. For the skeptics, just read the tales of those who struggle with the dark and trembling frustration of "Something in the Night," the open-road emptiness of "Racing in the Street," and the too-faraway hope of "The Promised Land." A troubling album indeed. But the passion, the connection, the thrill of the fans as they explore this classic record will make a convert of anyone.

March 04 2010 at 10:03 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply