Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band May 2 at the BankAtlantic Center
So what did a Bruce Springsteen concert look and sound like in 2008, some 33 years after the release of "Born To Run?" Aside from a few more lines in Springsteen's face, saxophonist Clarence Clemons' decreased mobility and the absence of late keyboardist Danny Federici, the E Street Band of 2008 sounded as vital as its 1970s and '80s incarnations. Taking requests from the audience—which easily could have been mistaken for the congregation of the world's coolest, car-loving preacher—The Boss covered nearly every stage of his career, from verbose early work such as "Growin' Up" to the iconic "Born To Run" and "Thunder Road" and the E Street Band's 2002 comeback album, "The Rising." Springsteen even pulled out a song from his archives, "I Wanna Be With You," and turned the BankAtlantic Center into a giant front porch during the Pete Seeger-esque "American Land." That material from his 2007 album, "Magic," so seamlessly fit within a set rich with classics proves that not only is Springsteen still relevant, but there likely will never come a time when he isn't. (Jake Cline)
