It’s the early 2000′s in Calcutta, India and I am representing my school in an inter-school quiz competition. “Bruce Springsteen,” I hit the buzzer and blurt out. I had seen that cassette in my father’s collection pile. Red, white, and blue. And a very pretty gemstone-encrusted belt.Bruce playing in the periphery of my teenage soundtrack. I didn’t quite reach the “plough-through-every-album” phase until I watched Gurinder Chadha’sin 2019.
I’ve been told that every Bruce show is both a socio-cultural experience and a cultural education. And dare I say, I am ready. In case, you too are joining in on this pilgrimage late like me, don’t fret. I am told the Church of E Street is ever-welcoming.At least 10 people suggested watchingon Netflix before my first Springsteen concertIt did help me appreciate Springsteen’s relationship with Clarence Clemons more. The Boss made himself so vulnerable, and helped me understand the human behind the celebrity.is on my reading list, and is said to complement the show perfectly.
“The ‘woah oh oh oh’s are important,” I am told. “Sing them mostly when it’s in your heart BUT see what people do on the first chorus and just repeat that on the second” is the advice I am going with.This is a no-brainer but it’s nice to be reminded. “I fainted during my first Springsteen concert,” is not a sentence I’d ever want to write. I am told you are allowed to carry one sealed bottle of water,This is contradictory to the last advice, but we’ve all walked this line before.