Who’s The Boss?
Springsteen and rock ’n’ roll rule in ultracool Cleveland
BY LISA CODIANNE FOWLER
from NEXT! Magazine 8/2009
“ You’ve always got to remember, rock ’n’ roll’s never been about giving up. For me, for a lot of kids, it was a totally positive force ... not optimistic all the time, but positive. It was never, never about surrender.” — Bruce Springsteen
DANCING IN THE DARK
Live music pulsates. The room is packed and dimly lit. Like everyone else, my husband and I are helplessly captive to the beat.
In Cleveland, Ohio, for a conference, we share the floor with dozens of colleagues, all reveling in this unplugged reception at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Museum.
Unexpectedly, the others gradually shrink from the dance floor. Suddenly, the two of us are alone, jitterbugging, hopping, bopping, twirling and dipping. We sense all eyes on us. It’s just, well, eerie.
The medley of high-octane songs seems interminable … my heart rate approaches stroke levels. No matter. Just call me “Proud Mary.” The show, such as it is, must go on. If I’m going down, it will be in a blaze of glory.
Finally, the music ceases. There’s deafening crowd applause (or so it seemed at the time) and an announcement from the stage.
We won the couples’ dance contest!
GLORY DAYS
This was one of many memories made here that we will carry with us as we hobble past our baby boomer prime. We’re huge fans of The Boss, and the new Springsteen exhibit was a serendipitous and unforgettable discovery. Two sprawling floors of Bruceobelia captivated us at every turn.
His guitars — including the Fender Esquire on the cover of “Born to Run” — clothing, furniture, even pages of handwritten lyrics, scratched out and doodled on, delight ardent fans and intrigue even those whose interest is less than obsessive. Videos, including archival footage, demo tapes and listening stations, complete the multimedia display — one that easily entertains and educates for hours.
Don’t miss seeing the 1993 Oscar awarded for Springsteen’s haunting “Streets of Philadelphia.” Also, listen to a ’70s performance in Cambridge, Mass., that prompted music critic Jon Landau, who later became Springsteen’s manager, to write: “I saw rock ’n’ roll’s future and its name is Bruce Springsteen.”
Delve into Springsteen’s music, from such early bands as Child, the Castilles and Steel Mill, through his work with the E Street Band and as a solo artist. The exhibit also includes Springsteen’s 1960 Chevrolet Corvette, which he purchased after the success of “Born to Run.” Titled “From Asbury Park to the Promised Land: The Life and Music of Bruce Springsteen,” it is the first major artifacts-driven exhibit about Springsteen’s career. It will run through spring 2010. (See full text at link below.)
