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Rating: June 7, 2005, a scorching day... the exterior of the Assago forum is pulsating, the stalls invade the streets. Almost all of us had queued for hours two months before to get the tickets, now there was only to wait for them to let us in...
The forum is full to the brim, on stage just a piano, an organ, and some guitars, essential scenery, intimate and poetic atmosphere. "Buonasera Milano, sono molto contento di essere qui con voi stasera...", these are the first words that the Boss uttered in Italian. Thus begins the long journey of 25 stops that made everyone present live an evening of immense emotions. Bruce sits at the organ, a few linear notes accompany the opening of the concert, "My Beautiful Reward" starts, sweet and intimate with the Boss immediately making it clear that his lion's voice is fully there. The second piece is almost unrecognizable, an insistent harmonica alternates with the deep and amplified voice, while the foot on stage regulates our heartbeat... "Reason to believe" seems like a lament dripping from the Boss's guts, smearing our senses. I'll never forget this visceral blues... At that point Bruce picks up the acoustic guitar and plays the new hit, beautiful and moving, the interpretation of "Devils & Dust" is beautiful, voice and guitar, soul and body.
From hit to hit, this one however is less similar to the original, a breath of harmonica introduces "Lonesome Day", the powerful single The Rising, softens in sound and strips itself of its meaning. "Questa è una canzone for the mamas and the papas..." says Bruce, and he intones "Long Time Coming", more beautiful than on the record, Bruce moves away from the microphone while singing, creating the perfect memory atmosphere for the text... then the harmonica does the rest. He explains in Italian the meaning of "Black Cowboys" and always plucking the guitar strings, he intones it, affirming strongly his storytelling qualities, his voice rises above the sound of the instrument, sticking everyone to their seats. He talks about his father (an old-fashioned guy) and his mother (a romantic Italian) and thus introduces a "love song"... seated at the piano that emits a dramatic and poignant melody, an intro played by someone who is not a pianist but who knows what music is, and then the words of "The River" start. Beautiful, on par with that contained in the New York live, refined piano and deep voice. And still he plays, with class, with heart.
We are glued to our seats, breaths caught by a "river" of emotions, and there goes Bruce's voice, following the piano, like the wind, dramatic and intense... a grand performance, in the applause you can hear the trembling of hands after that wonderful interpretation. Bruce stays at the piano and we immediately recognize the notes of "Tougher than the rest", in fact applause escapes us. What to say, even here, although I adore the Tunnel of Love version, it is difficult to decide which is more beautiful. The Boss truly sings as if it were his first concert, he puts his soul into it and enamors the audience. It's time to dance, Bruce grabs a guitar and shoots "Open all Night" at the audience, riveting, we clap hands to the rhythm, and he seems like the incarnation of a 50s rocker, between Buddy Holly and Johnny Cash. The concert routes us back to the new album, plucked strings, intermittent harmonica, and falsetto voice for "All I'm thinking about", traveling with the Boss's delicate irony, which makes us smile more than once, and almost... with plucking the guitar, makes us dance... We return to Tunnel Of Love, the gently touched acoustic guitar accompanies the masterful singing of the Boss, this "Brilliant Disguise" is beautiful, nostalgic and light as a breath. Bruce teases the guitar again, it's time for "Reno", one of the most beautiful tracks of the latest album, raw and sparse, but powerful like the voice that sings it.
After 12 tracks, he sits back at the organ and "Wreck on the highway" is so beautiful that I try to call my girlfriend to let her listen to that wonder... After the organ, the piano, the notes are the known ones and for this my neighbor and I risk fainting. "Lost in flood", I didn't expect it, it was a beautiful gift, because I have always loved this song and its dramatic flow, Bruce gives his best and fills the air of the Forum with the symbols and images of the piece, all of us... we get lost in the storm. I'm still trembling, the sweet playing of Bruce's guitar before starting with "The Rising" helps me relax, a piece I don’t like much, but at that moment it seemed to me as if my hearing was enjoying it in the most absolute way. Bruce echoes himself, using the microphone like a third vocal cord... Bruce blows into the harmonica, damn... I had never noticed "Lucky Town" was so beautiful, it makes me think that those songs from '92 should have received different treatment...
Once again Bruce speaks in Italian, speaks as a parent, speaks of faith... "Jesus was an only son", which on this site, someone wrote to be rubbish... I think it is one of the best pieces of Devils and Dust, Bruce sings and speaks it, as in a confession, and the piano is a caress under his voice. Three more tracks from the same album follow, the catchy "Leah" that involves the audience and breaks our pained silence. "The Hitter" that serves to calm us again, beautiful, a song that follows much the vein of Tom Joad. Then, "Matamoros Banks", it's time to rush under the stage, after listening to Bruce's introduction in Italian, who dedicates the song to immigrants... Now Bruce is there just a few steps away, more real than ever...
The party is ending and he knows it... so he gives us the last emotions. "Ramrod" is one of the most successful pieces of the concert, it drags us, makes us laugh, moves us while we leap two meters from the Boss, the crazy harmonica repeats a cheerful nursery rhyme and Bruce is having more fun than us... "Land of Hope and dreams" silences the forum once again, Bruce is still giving his best, even after more than 2 hours... and the chorus is sung by everyone... Bruce thanks and then makes our hearts throb more before closing, the fist strikes the guitar, "The Promised Land" is unrecognizable, raw and stripped of everything. It wears another wonderful guise... "Goodnight Milan", with these words the Boss sits at the organ and intones "Dream baby Dream" by Suicide, everyone knows this piece will close the evening and no one makes a sound, the last notes, the last words, pierce into us like blades. Bruce risks exploding, prolongs the piece to infinity singing like a lion... A wonderful goodbye to his audience... As I was heading home, I was tense, it took a good sleep to recover...
That evening there were no "Born To Run", "Thunder road", "Badlands", but Bruce didn't need to enchant us with his 90s pieces, he dragged us on a wonderful journey...
To all those who write stupid statements about Springsteen here, repeating words from other stupid envious people, without even knowing what rock means, which is not just technical skill or heavy sound, but simple passion...
I recommend attending a concert of an artist who at nearly 60 sings like someone who doesn't have a dime, for hours and hours...
Forget fake rockstars, these are concerts...
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