When I was a kid I couldn't stand the music my dad listened to. Every time I got in the car with him it was a repetitive cycle of Bruce Springsteen CDs, tuning the radio to AM for sports or passing the hip-hop channels for music, 30 years older than my age. If you asked me as a ten year old girl I would have told you my Sketchers were made for walking and that's just what I'd do to get out of the car and away from the noise.
Today, as a girl in my early 20's, I'm regretful of the sour thoughts that crowded my judgement as a kid. As I look back on the music I deciphered as powerful and emotional I can't help but laugh. While there will always be a special place in my heart for “Bye, Bye, Bye” and “Oops, I did it again!” I now realize that wasn’t real music.
When I moved away for college I started to miss my dad. My four siblings were still at home and able to bond with him whereas I wasn't. I felt out of the loop so I began to do the things that he does to feel like I hadn't left. I took up his favorite drink as my favorite drink and his favorite music as my favorite music. Bruce Springsteen became a God to me. When I obsessively spoke of the E Street Band at frat houses I realized it stopped being a thing that felt like home and started being a real passion. I began to appreciate real music and it was all thanks to my dad.
As I stood in line for my second Springsteen concert I looked around at all of the people twice my age. My 22 year old friend and I were sandwiched between red lipstick, vintage concert shirts and leather jackets while we rocked fake vintage from Forever 21 and a shade of brown eyeliner as lipstick. I felt like I was placed in the middle of an 80's movie but I couldn’t be happier to be there.
The lights in the venue sunk low as Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band filed onto the stage. The thousands of concert-goers skyrocketed to their feet and an uproar of “Bruuuuce” vibrated the walls. I was in heaven. I was finally in my zone. The age difference didn’t show for a while because now we were all just Springsteen fans gawking and singing along as he danced across the stage.
As the most incredible concert of my life rocked and rolled on for three hours, I began to feel the difference again. I could feel eyes behind and all around me burning through my skin. My seats, my awesome seats, were front and center of the section I was in. I held onto the glass barrier with one hand and pointed at Springsteen as I sang with the other. I continued to bounce around and realized I was the only one doing so. Like Springsteen says “I hid in the clouded wrath of the crowd, but when they said 'sit down', I stood up."
These people were two times my age. They didn’t have the energy I did anymore. My dad, 53, was sitting behind me on his 40th Springsteen concert and that’s just what he was doing; sitting. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Springsteen is no show to sit through, especially with his limited time left. The man, the boss, at 66, is standing, singing and alleviating souls from bodies with his instrumental talents so I continued to stand with him.
The show blew me away. Watching Springsteen in action ruins all other action in the future. There is no one, no band that plays the way those guys do and it’s a gift all ages can appreciate.
