The Boss & The Big Monkey: 27 year obsession with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

As you can imagine from the post below, The Big Monkey in my life is HUGE Bruce Springsteen fan.

He has been to over a hundred shows all over the US since in the early 80s, and made it to almost every show in SoCal, Las Vegas, and the Bay Area.

He knows people who know people. And he knows people who go to show after show after show. Like his friend Christine, pictured above on the Magic Tour with her mother, her dad, and Little Steven from the E Street Band.

Like his friend Ron, who wrote in to the OC Register about his favorite Bruce experience.

Having now seen eightysomething shows since 1975, the ’78 Forum show, was one of the most amazing nights of my life. First, I drove to Inglewood on the day tickets went on sale. About 200 people were there. They lined us up in the parking lot and then randomly picked someone near the middle of the line as No. 1. Then they started coming my way. I was No. 6. When tickets went on sale, I got in the front row (Clarence’s side).

The show was unbelievable. You have no idea the power and passion this man exudes until you see him up close. He ran past me quite few times after jumping off the stage and then climbing the side risers. I was in a state of shock. The show left me more exhilarated and drained than I have ever been in my life. For me, “Darkness” was THE tour, and that night was the best show ever.

It gets better. After the show I waited outside with about 15-20 others. Celebrities and others kept coming out of the Forum Club and said “Bruce is gone.” Still, we waited. It must have been about 1:45 or so and Jackson Browne came out. He told us Bruce was still inside. What I learned much later was that Bruce was doing one of his first TV interviews. Sometime after 2 a.m. he came out and said “Hi” to everyone. He sat down on a low, concrete wall and talked to us for about 20 minutes. Someone asked him how come he didn’t play Santa Barbara anymore, and he laughed and said, “They tell me I’m getting to big for that place.” He just sat and chatted with the few of us remaining like it was no big deal.

I had him autograph a couple of things and shook his hand. About 2:30 a.m., he left and so did I. It was the perfect night. I have no recollection of driving back to Orange County. I think the car flew home on auto pilot.

Ron Wells

Corona del Mar

Hooking up with me, having a child together, and remodeling a house together has severely limited the amount of time, money, and energy he expends on his Bruce obsession. But he will of course be at the show tomorrow, low-top sneakers on (a la Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run promo thing).

I have asked the Big Monkey to share some “Bruce” inside info for those readers who may be heading to some of these upcoming “Magic” shows. Unless you’re an afficionado, there is a lot you will miss. The psot that follows will provide you with a “cheat” sheet, which you should study in the ensuing hours before the show.

And be sure to come back here after Monday night’s Anaheim show for the post game post!