Gods and Generals

The best weekend of concerts, ever. Thursday night's Springsteen performance was spectacular. Two and a quarter hours, twenty-four songs, and a raw, bare show that shows Bruce's prowess as a single performer without the trappings and show of a band "concert." Highlights: Racing in the Street, The Rising, Land of Hope and Dreams and the best song of the night, Jesus Was an Only Son from his new album. Bruce began playing the progression to the song, explaining how he wanted to portray the relationship between Jesus and his mom and how he wanted to show a parent's perspective, that you always want to protect your child and make sure he is going to make it through; that in the context of Jesus walking up Calvary Hill and doing "His heavenly father's will" made for a stunning performance. He sang the first verse and interrupted himself by mentioning the choices Jesus made and the reasons why he did so, only doing what he ultimately felt was best even though it meant giving up so much. I thought of my son and his journey so far and the dreams that I have for him. I did all I could to hold back tears though I knew that when I heard sniffling from others behind me that crying would put me in good company.

Saturday I headed down with my great friends Steve, Lefty and Kelly to see the Allman Brothers Band in Santa Barbara. While Bruce is my all-time favorite, the ABB is my favorite band and concert. I discovered them in 1992 during my sophomore year at UCSB. How fitting that I see my favorite band on the eve of my tenth anniversary of graduating in my old stomping grounds. I felt like I had completed something begun a long time ago; a transformation that has brought me halfway across the state of California and now back, was done. Incredible performance, awesome setlist. It didn't hurt at all, either, that I was watching the show from the stage with a VIP pass thanks to Kelly. Hung out after the show with the band's bassist, Oteil Burbridge, who is genuinely a great individual. I've had other experiences meeting with this man before, but Saturday night was a true treat. Now I need a week of work to recover.

Happy Birthday to my friend, Steve Portela!!! Go check out his 'blog, it's on my 'friends' list. Steve has been slaving away at keeping up his journal and it's one of the best on the web. I learn so much from him every day as I check out his site. You'll be stunned at how up-to-date his entries are.