As I watched “Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band,” I felt like I was taking a journey through American music history itself. The iconic image of Bruce standing on stage, guitar in tow, is as timeless as the Statue of Liberty or the Great Gatsby’s green light.
When Bruce Springsteen stands onstage, staring out at the crowd, or with his head bowed, and cocks his guitar behind him, that pose is now as iconic as that of the young Abraham Lincoln holding an ax over his shoulder. It’s a mythic image of American nobility. In “Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band,” we follow Springsteen, in his first concerts since the pandemic, as he reconnects with his fabled band and they rehearse for six days and go out on a tour that will take them from the U.S. to Europe, from 2023 to 2024.
As a die-hard music fan, I found myself captivated by the mix of vintage footage showcasing Bruce’s electrifying performances from the ’70s and early ’80s. After being accustomed to the mature, composed Bruce we see today, it was almost startling to witness his energetic, unrestrained stage presence in these clips. He danced with an exuberance that was wild and extravagant, a style that made him stand out. The documentary reveals an interesting fact: Bruce enlisted his pal Steven Van Zandt as the band’s guitarist primarily to free himself from the constraints of holding a guitar, such was his passion for dancing during those days. In essence, Bruce, at the height of his fame, was more a dancer than a musician on stage.
Bruce no longer exhibits that same movement style. However, at 74 years old, he embodies a vigor earned through hardship, and his earlier surly beauty has transformed into a more statuesque ruggedness. He now bears a resemblance to both Robert De Niro and Ben Affleck; from certain perspectives, his face seems similar to what you’d find on the edge of a silver dollar. Despite this, he remains as determinedly alive as ever.
As Springsteen and the E Street Band, who have been musical companions for over five decades, enter their golden years, the significance of their performances has shifted. They continue to produce an incredible sound, one that remains sharp, tight, energetic, and full of life. There’s nothing about the E Street Band that suggests weariness, wobbliness, or slowness; their music transcends age. However, the man leading them, Bruce Springsteen, has always had a deep-seated desire to express his personal story, and this means that he sings in a way that is both timeless yet mindful of time. In certain instances, his lyrics touch upon the depths of despair, addressing the shadows on the brink of mortality.
In the realm of music, I found myself captivated by “Road Diary.” It encapsulates the very essence of Springsteen’s artistic spirit, a force that resonates deeply. While he introduces several new tunes, it’s his enduring performance of the old ones that truly astounds me.
Listening to that electrifying guitar solo, seeing Bruce’s intense expression while playing it, it resonates as something else: a style that has shifted from the spotlight. However, the solo seems to convey a message that as long as Springsteen can turn a guitar into something that sounds like this, rock ‘n’ roll endures. This is music that surges beyond mere nostalgia.
The movie titled “Road Diary” opens with Bruce reuniting his band, and let me tell you, there’s an evident camaraderie among them (which is perfectly fine). There seems to be a bit too much emphasis on their efforts to refine their sound, bringing it back up to speed. Granted, they haven’t played together for six years. The director, Thom Zimny, who previously collaborated with Bruce on the 2019 documentary “Western Stars”, interviews each member individually. When they discuss how slow-paced the songs initially were, we think, “Don’t worry about it, you’ll pick up the pace.” In fact, there are rock tours that last for three decades without the band playing together. Despite the initial ‘rough’ rehearsals, The E Street Band sounds like a finely tuned, sparkling machine, and they know these songs inside out. And Bruce, if anything, has become more refined and organized. He arranges a set list of 25 songs that collectively tell a story – about the past and the present, youth and age – this narrative is as deliberate in its intention as a novel.
In the documentary “Road Diary,” there’s an abundance of heartfelt praise that’s quite noticeable. Bruce Springsteen expresses his deep admiration for the band, praising their talent and the contributions of individual members such as the jazz/funk horn section, the soul choir, and percussionist Anthony Almonte. Similarly, they all express their love for Bruce, marveling at the fact that they’ve been able to work together for 50 years. I have no reason to question these sentiments, but the film spends a significant amount of time reiterating them, which felt repetitive at times. Despite Springsteen’s undeniable resonance and elegance, this documentary occasionally borders on feeling like an overly positive advertisement, rather than a genuine portrayal of his artistry.
But you can forgive that. These guys (and girls, notably Springsteen’s wife of 33 years, Patty Scialfa, who reveals in the movie her diagnosis of early-stage multiple myeloma), have earned the right to salute their longevity and the bliss they bring out in each other. Their acknowledgment of the loss of band members Danny Federici and the great Clarence Clemons (who was replaced by his nephew, Jake Clemons, who does a good job but summons maybe half the sound that Clarence did) are stirring and sobering. (Onstage during the tour, Bruce sings the Commodores’ “Night Shift” as a tribute to them. It becomes one of the concert’s showstoppers.)
The way they repeatedly rehearsed for hours, fine-tuning every corner of an arena under Bruce’s meticulous instruction during his younger years, speaks volumes about him. Similarly, tales from their initial touring days or experiences of witnessing Sam and Dave in a club at the start of the ’60s reveal a lot. What’s clear is that the soulful essence of the E Street Band’s sound is deeply rooted. Towards the end, Bruce himself shares his intention to keep performing live “until the tires give out.” As you watch “Road Diary,” one can only wish that moment never comes.
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2024-09-10 06:16