Springsteen rocks Chapel Hill

By Bruce Pier
Staff Writer

As I sat 20 rows back from center stage, I could hardly believe that I was in person to see one of the great live shows of all time.

There are few shows that draw in people time after time again. Bruce Springsteen gives one of those types of shows. Sunday, Sept. 14 at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Kenan Stadium was no different.

For three hours, Springsteen rocked the crowd of teenagers and grandmothers with hits spanning his career of 30 years.

The show began with a haunting version of “I Walk the Line,” a tribute to the late “Man in Black,” Johnny Cash. Much like Cash does to any song he sings, Springsteen managed to turn that country classic into a song of his own.

Immediately following “I Walk the Line,” the E Street Band began the music for “The Rising,” the title-track from a record that has come to represent the united spirit our country has taken on since September 11, 2001.

“The Boss” and his self-proclaimed band of “Viagra-taking love-makers” gave the crowd at Chapel Hill every indulgence as he dove deep into his bag of songs to pull out classics like “Born to Run” and “Darkness on the Edge of Town.”

The evening had the feel of a religious experience at times, especially during “My City of Ruins” and “Into the Fire,” both songs off “The Rising” LP.

This show was full of fun, emotion, and pure rock and roll. There are great performers out there, but there can only be one “Boss.”