So did you stay up? Here are some first impressions on the joyous Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band reunion on last night's SNL.
1) Yes, as "Ghosts" kicked off they sounded a little bit like a band that hadn't played live together in four years, and Bruce's battered vocal cords needed a few minutes to loosen up. But by the midway mark it sounded to this listener like the cobwebs were gone. (Also the SNL sound techs might have caught up.)
2) Have you ever seen this group happier to be playing together? Towards the end of "Ghosts" Bruce actually looked like he might break down laughing he was so happy to be there. Even in the promo they looked like the jolliest group of troubadours on two legs. And who can blame them?
3) That said -- and I know Patti took to Instagram to ensure us nervous fans about all the COVID safety precautions in place -- I still would have felt more comfortable if Stevie and Bruce hadn't shared a mic, just this one time.
4) Poor Jack Daley. I know he was just a sub for Garry -- who, wisely I think, eschewed the trip in from Nashville due to COVID concerns -- but they practically threw a blanket over the guy. Still, I'm sure his family noticed him.
5) "I'll See You In My Dreams" might not have seemed like a natural choice for the second number, until you watched it -- heartfelt and moving, it was a performance tailor-made for a populace feeling anxious, lonely and isolated. Though it's clearly about those we've lost and the ways they stay with us -- itself a sadly relevant topic -- it also feels like a reminder that our current situation is not permanent: "We'll meet and live and love again."
Hopefully we'll be meeting and living and loving along with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at an arena near you sooner rather than later. Until then, last night was a welcome balm for a music-starved soul.
Watch both performances below:
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