Classic Bruce
Things we loved
- A valiant open-air tribute to The Boss
- Many high points as rock band and orchestra combined to celebrate Springsteen's glory days
Who could have guessed that my hometown had a contingent of musicians and singers so fascinated by the words and music of Bruce Springsteen that they’d create an open-air tribute to the man attracting hundreds of fans to sing along and dance in the dark?
David Minnear did. David, along with jazz violinist and Musical Director Julian Ferraretto and Acoustic Juice’s Rohan Powell, has produced Classic Bruce, a memorable show in which a rock band is accompanied by a 15-piece orchestra and vice versa.
Interestingly, the beauty of these various elements takes a little while to unfold. Opening with Born In The USA, we get an entree that is a little timid and expected; it’s as if the performers and the audience are eyeing each other off, sizing each other up, and tentatively showing a little faith to inch further forward and create some magic in the night.
With strings adding to the richness during the second song of the night, we start to sense there is fire to come, and when Ferraretto unleashes his violin during Down To The River, we know we’re going to get what we came for; a rich night of Springsteen music that is edgy but not dull.
Throughout the night there are many highlights from the luscious sax solo in Jungleland to Melissa McCaig taking the lead on Streets Of Philadelphia, as singing duties were shared across the stage.
Another highlight was The Ghost of Tom Joad, in which we got the most sublime showcase of orchestra and band complementing each other and offering the bounty of Springsteen’s compositions to the Fringe gods.
The tyranny of time means age will take its toll on the man, Bruce Springsteen, but shows like Classic Bruce will ensure his glory days won’t pass us by any time soon.