How big a star is Bruce Springsteen where you live?

Cafe Society
1

I’ve never been what you’d call a “fan” of Bruce Springsteen. I like him okay, I think he’s a very talented songwriter and performer, but I’m not devoted to him in any way, nor do I identify all that closely with his fan base. However, when a friend sent me this link to draftbruce.com yesterday, I thought it was at least sorta big news.

So I posted a thread about it in MPSIMS, and was rather surprised that it got a total of zero replies in twenty-four hours. A grassroots movement to bring a venerated rockstar to the stage in an effort to affect positive change! Or, a cynical publicity stunt by the eeevil liberal entertainment industry to distract the masses from an important political event by exploiting their short attention span and tendency to be influenced by celebrities! At the very least, it was good for an argument between the liberals and conservatives on the board. And yet none of the forty-plus people who viewed the thread thought it important enough to respond.

Anyway, I was lamenting last night to another Doper about what bastards you all are for not replying to my thread, when she suggested I not take it personally, for she herself was rather confused by my OP. She apparently thinks of Bruce Springsteen as some kind of eighties nostalgia figure, and so thought the link might be some kind of joke.

Now, I was rather taken aback by this, because although I’m not a big fan, I still think of The Boss as kind of a big star. Of course, I do live in New Jersey. Let me explain what that means with regard to Bruce Springsteen:

For those of you that are unaware - as was my incredulous Doper friend - Bruce Springsteen occasionally still gives concerts. He even takes them on tours around the country. Around here, the mere rumour of a new Springsteen tour instantly becomes the talk of the town. Tickets, some of which go for three-digit numbers of dollars, become available a month in advance and sell out in an hour. Radio stations announce that they’re giving away tickets to the 104th caller, and four minutes later someone’s shrieking into the phone “I can’t believe I’m going to see Bruce! I finally have a story I can tell my future grandchildren!” People miss weddings, funerals, births of firstborn sons, court dates… and get away with it. “It is the finding of this court that the defendant had Springsteen tickets. Case dismissed.”

Of course I harbor no illusions that Bruce Springsteen is that big everywhere. I know there’s a “Local Boy Makes Big Time” appeal that doesn’t apply elsewhere. But does the rest of the country really think he’s a washed-up has-been?

2

I know that at least in my house, he’s the most important star who ever graced stardom, but I can be funny that way.

Anyway, I think that people who love him love him, and people who don’t think of him just like any other star of the 70s/80s; not really a has-been, but not cutting-edge news either.

As much as I am a huge fan of him, I don’t think that most of his writing these days has the relevancy or power that a lot of his older stuff has. But, his live shows have all the relevancy and energy that one could ask for. He and his band are still as alive as anything new out there, if not more alive and energetic than some.

The one Springsteen show I’ve been to (the 2000 tour) was the greatest live performance I’ve ever seen.

3

Well, since I’m also from New Jersey, I don’t think my opinion matters much … but I will say, I saw the Tunnel of Love tour when I was twelve (thanks to free tickets somebody gave my Dad), and while I’m not an uberfan, I think it’s definitely worth missing a court date. :slight_smile:

But for people who still don’t understand how big he is in the Garden State … a woman I used to work with was such a big fan, she invited him to her wedding. I don’t think he showed, but I believe he did send a card.

4

I can’t speak for where I live (El Paso), but a few of my friends would travel over 500 miles to see his show if he comes by Phoenix or Dallas. These same people might only have one or two albums of his (“Born to Run”/“Born in the USA”). I only have “USA” myself…

Anyway, his live concerts tend to generate much more excitement than his recent albums. But I don’t think he is seen as washed up, or trading solely on past glory as the Eagles of Fleetwood Mac are. There is a good mix of people at his shows…maybe not any screaming teenagers, but 20-50 year olds. Guys may take their dad to a show. Bruce and the E Street Band the closest thing to being America’s bar band.

5

The last time Springsteen toured to the Detroit area, I didn’t hear about it until it had already happened. :frowning: I would have liked to go, too.

6

Northeast PA checking in- I’d say he’s still pretty god-like here. I doubt anyone’s getting out of a court date to see him, :wink: but many would still kill for a concert ticket in these parts.

7

I didnt’ respond to your thread because I had a hard time putting my thoughts together about the idea of the concert.

One the one hand I’d want to go to the concert. (I live in Brooklyn and I saw him last summer) But I also intend to stand as close to MSG and yell naughty things at the POTUS so I’m torn about the idea. It’s not like the tv will not show the convention and show the concert instead. I think the concert should be the day after the convention.

8

I grew up in Pittsburgh. He owns that town as well.

Along with Steve Miller, for some strange reason.

9

He was very big in Australia before his death.

Seriously, he sold out the 35,000 seat Sydney Cricket Ground last year but with somew difficulty. Beck was playing the same night about 500 yards away though.

10

I think it is a generational thing mainly, & am not calling anyone old. :wink:

In MD I have to say there has definitely been* some * cooling overall on the Bruce career. Definitely not what it was 10, 20 years ago. He would still sell out a big venue tho, maybe even need to add a night – but the Radio won’t play much that he has done since Born, unless you count one off’s like Philadelphia, Secret Garden et al., and the crowd that does come isn’t going to have a median age south of 32ish.

“Washed up has-been” tho? no freakin way. I would equate him a bit, to Paul McCartney now in terms of ‘career heat’. Always a star, always sells out. Astounding/Amazing for a +25 years old act in RocknRoll but in general much, much more relevant (and more a BIG" star") to the folks over (circa)35 than those under.

11

Who?

Okay… I know who he is, I just don’t care very much. There are many other bands that I’d rather see. I don’t think he rates that highly on my friends’ charts either.

12

I live in central Iowa and saw him in Ames about 10 years ago. My daughter (age 37) is a huge fan, and she sees him whenever he gets within 500 miles. The last time was Fargo, a couple of years ago. I think that’s about 500 miles. They drove up and back, didn’t stay over. That’s dedication.

I think she’s seen him live four times, and she has all of his records, most of them on vinyl, including lots of imports.

He does a hell of a show, which can be appreciated even from the cheap seats. When they had an intermission in Ames, after about 2 hours, I thought it was over. Tracy said “Hell no, he’s just getting warmed up”, and he played for another hour and a half. Awesome talent. And energy. :slight_smile:

13

Based on this:

And the fact that his last album, The Rising, went triple platinum, yeah, I’d say he’s still a big star pretty much everywhere. :wink:

14

How big a star is Bruce Springsteen where you live?
Around here (Boston) he’s 5 feet 10 inches. Does his height vary at different locations?

But all seriousness aside, Kings_Gambit beat me to the ‘posting punch’ so to speak by mentioning Springsteen’s Boston appearance at Fenway Park. As that article said, those were 2 rare gigs for that ballpark. I don’t think Fenway Park ever hosted any other rock act. The fact that he practically booked the place just by asking speaks volumes of his rock and roll clout.

15

In New York City, no one I know of gives much of a shit about him, as with many mysterious things from that strange state across the river.

Speaking personally, I was around in the Seventies, and I never gave much of a shit about him back then either.

16

Round here Bruce Springsteen could walk onto a live news broadcast and bite the newsreader on the face, and the headline would be “American bloke bites famous bloke”.

Actually he’s probably quite famous. I imagine he’d sell out more or less anything we’ve got (even the 17-seater!) But he could certainly walk down the street unrecognised here. Mind you, so could Elvis. This is a weird town.

17

So we have Bruce fans checking in from lots of places, that’s good. KingsGambit1, where is that quote from? If those numbers aren’t conclusive evidence that Bruce Springsteen is still a superstar, I don’t know what is.

Zebra, I can see how a concert the same day as the convention might cause a scheduling conflict for protesters who are also Springsteen fans. I hadn’t thought of that.

18

Let’s grant that Bruce Springsteen is a superstar. Why is the petition that you link to even remotely interesting? How would scheduling a concert at the same time as the Republican convention affect the vote? How do you know that the person who posted the webpage can even reserve Giant Stadium for this concert? How do you know that Springsteen would even consider doing this concert? So Springsteen is a great musician and this is an important election - how are those two things connected?

19

I’m not sure how big a star he is here in Oregon, but in general, I thought that The Rising was more or less a comeback for him and he was really popular again.

20

I think the idea would be that, if they got enough support and the concert turned out to be a big enough event, it would compete for media attention with the big political convention happening across the bridge. Remember, it’s not intended to be a Springsteen show, this promoter is hoping that a bunch of other influential artists will join him, which will increase the hype to <blank>-Aid proportions. As for why it’s interesting, maybe it isn’t. I thought it was interesting because it was another in a series of creative ways that people are using new media to influence politics. And if it works the way this promoter wants it to, it’s bound to be controversial.