Drive All Night

Well it might not have been all night but it was half the day and half the night. Twelve and a half hours; 500 kms; just so I could spend three and a quarter hours with my old friend Bruce. I haven't seen him for 28 years, not since QE2 in 1985. Back then I was a lost 23 year old, looking for something but I didn't know what - or even if it existed. His music touched such a place in my heart and kept me in one piece. It was powerful stuff. We lost touch for a little while during the children years but I never lost the faith. We re-connected over The Seeger Sessions and I became reacquainted with some of the really early music from Darkness on the Edge of Town. It's almost delivered me a new favourite song. Almost, but not quite. There's something about Dancing that grips me and takes me back to that girl in 84/85, wondering what it was all about and where was it all going to end. I guess it ended pretty well really.

So there we were, yesterday, two exhausted ageing rockers heading off to a concert that one was desperate (but almost too tired) to see and the other was barely tolerant of. The packing and moving and the workload (and politics) is taking it's toll on both of us. We chatted in the car about the future and played out some "what if"scenarios. Then we got stuck behind a long wide load that held us up for 40 minutes on the Blackbutt Range. The driver is not usually a patient man but in this instance, he was ok. Too tired to be antsy I think; finally we got moving again. After a quick stop at McD's for some cardboard carbs we arrived at Boondall at 5.40. Plenty of time. Phew. Really easy parking too.

Once inside the gate I headed to the first merchandise stall I saw and had plenty of time to make my choice/s as I stood in line.

We went into the foyer and found two much bigger merchandise stands - and there, staring back at me, was the t-shirt from the '85 tour. The one of the 501 Levi's with the red cap in the right pocket. Oh no! I'd already bought 2 t-shirts - could I indulge in a third? Just then, Meg rang. I told her of my dilemma. "You have to buy it", she said. "You've been searching for one on ebay. I'll buy it for you"! Typical Meg response - Just buy it; Just do it!! I thought about if for a bit while we sat in the corridor waiting for the doors to open. Did I really want one? After all, it was 28 years ago. Another lifetime. Before anything that's now in my life. I decided to figuratively leave the t-shirt where it belonged - back in the days, all those years ago where it's meant to be. That was then, this is now. (When we were packing up Gibbo found a stunning photo of me on our honeymoon - and I'm wearing the famous t-shirt along with a mini denim skirt, football sox from our local rugby club and sandshoes - all while standing within the skeleton of a shark's mouth at a Hervey Bay shark display. Long PERMED hair. Chicken legs. Absolutely stunning. Not. If I find it again in the unpacking I promise to post it. Maybe).

We finally went to our seats around 7. We had to climb a fair way; Gibbo reckons he had a nosebleed we were so high but I didn't think so. We sat for an hour and watched the place fill up and thought our thoughts. We rang Julian and Gibbo made me stand in the middle of the aisle steps in front of 12,000 people so that I could wave so Jules could see us (after I'd taken the phone and told him to turn around 180 degrees because Gibbo told him we were on the opposite side of the (very big) room).

Finally around 8 the place went dark - and then, there he was. Bruce Springsteen. I burst into tears (quietly). I was overcome with emotion and tiredness and anxiety and joy and disbelief that I was in the same room as him. It all seemed a bit unreal. I only cried for the first three songs then just sat quietly, focussed on the stage and screen and sang and clapped and SMILED my way through the next 3 and 1/4 hours. No interval and barely a break between songs. He was beautiful. So beautiful. He crowd surfed and spent lots of time walking around amongst the crowd throughout the night. Totally entertaining...and I have to say my offsider had a look of awe on his face a couple of times when I turned to look at him or tell him something...and he clapped a lot but he didn't sing much.

The highlights (apart from just being there) - the voice, the harmonica and Hungry Heart, Waitin' on a Sunny Day, The Ghost of Tom Joad and Dancing in the Dark. Two new songs I really liked were We Take Care of Our Own and We Are Alive.

The show finished at 11.10; I think we were back in the car by 11.15 after practically sprinting to the carpark and we were on the M1 again by 11.17. Quickest getaway ever. G drove to Blacksoil and I drove from there, fuelled by a chico roll, cherry ripe and a hot chocolate. G slept then we changed over in Tba and he got us home at 2.30am, twelve and a half hours and 500km after we'd left. What a great thing had happened in that time though. The things we do for love.

So thanks Meg for organising the tickets for my Christmas present. Just check with me first, the next time Gibbo says, "Just make it happen Meg"!!

Set list


1. We Take Care of Our Own 
 2. Just Like Fire Would (The Saints cover)  
3. Wrecking Ball
 4. Badlands
  5. Death to My Hometown
  6. Hungry Heart
  7. My City of Ruins
  8 Spirit in the Night
  9. The E Street Shuffle
  10. Jack of All Trades
  11. Murder Incorporated
  12. Johnny 99
  13. Because the Night
  14. She's the One
  15. Shackled and Drawn  
16, Waitin' on a Sunny Day  
17. Apollo Medley  
18. The Rising
  19. The Ghost of Tom Joad
  20. Thunder Road

Encores:
  21. We Are Alive  
22. Born to Run
  23. Glory Days
  24. Dancing in the Dark
  25. Tenth Avenue Freeze-out