"I was raised out of steel here in the swamps of Jersey, some misty years ago. Through the mud and the beers, through the blood and the cheers, I’ve seen champions come and go. So if you got the guts mister, ff you got the balls, if you think it’s your time, then step to the line, and bring on your wrecking ball. Bring on your wrecking ball, bring on your wrecking ball, let me see what you got, take your best shot, bring on your wrecking ball. Bring on your wrecking ball. Bring on your wrecking ball. Take your best shot, let me see what you got, bring on your wrecking ball.
My home is here in the Meadowlands, where mosquitoes grow as big as airplanes. Here where the blood is spilled, the arena is filled, and Giants play the games. So come on raise your glasses, and let me hear your voices call. Tonight all the dead are here, so bring on your wrecking ball, bring on your wrecking ball, bring on your wrecking ball. Yeah, take your best shot, let me see what you got, bring on your wrecking ball. Bring on your wrecking ball, bring on your wrecking ball, you take your best shot, let me see what you've got, bring on your wrecking ball (One, two, one two three four!).
Now we know that come tomorrow, none of this will be here. So hold tight to you anger, hold tight to your anger, hold tight to your anger, and don't fall to your fear.
When all this steel in these stories, been drift away to rust. And all our youth and beauty, been given to dust. The game has been decided, and we're burning down the clock. And all our little victories and glories have turned into parking lots.
When your best hopes and desires are scattered to the wind. And hard times come and hard times go, and hard times come and hard times go, and hard times come and hard times go, and hard times come and hard times go, and hard times come and hard times go, just to come again bring on your Wrecking Ball. Let me hear your voices call. Take your best shot, let me see what you've got, bring on your wrecking ball. Bring on your Wrecking Ball, Bring on your Wrecking Ball, Bring on your Wrecking Ball. Take your best shot, let me see what you've got, bring on your wrecking ball. Bring on your Wrecking Ball." ~bruce springsteen

That may be the first song ever written from the point of view of a stadium. Maybe. I kind of love it.

Somehow, out of sheer luck, I was able to go to the final three concerts at Giants Stadium. Bruce Springsteen played five shows there to close it down, and I went to the last three, all within a week. And I paid a total of $25. I still can't believe my luck, and I'm so glad I was there to see him shut the place down.

I already wrote about my night 1 (scroll down if you missed it), so here I'll write about the last two concerts.

On Thursday morning, my friend Bill offered me a free ticket to Friday's show that he couldn't use. So of course I accepted. When I met him on Thursday afternoon to pick up the ticket, the friend whom he was taking to Thursday's show called him and canceled, so he had an extra ticket. I hadn't been home from school yet, I was wearing my teacher clothes (including a nice skirt) and had my big teacher bag and lunchbox, but I didn't care. I hopped in his car and we headed out to Giants Stadium. Luckily I could store my stuff in his car during the show (although I still had to wear my teacher clothes). We had GA tickets that night, and we got a fabulous spot in the pit. I couldn't believe we got into the pit. We stood along the back rail, and no one stood directly in front of us (it was much less crowded in the pit than at the U2 concert). When Bruce came into the crowd for "Hungry Heart," he stopped to sing a mere few feet away from me. I could not believe how close I was to him. Seeing him crowdsurf from the back of the pit to the stage from the floor was amazing. Of course I didn't have my camera, though, because of the impromptu situation. But Bill took pictures, so when I get those I'll share.

Thursday's show was unbelievable. One of the best concerts I've ever been to. It was a Born to Run show, so he played through the entire album. That's my favorite album of his. The energy in the pit was insane, especially during "Born to Run" and "Badlands;" you couldn't not go crazy. It was pretty freakin' awesome. I was exhausted, but I found myself jumping up and down constantly, waving my hands in the air, raising my fist...the energy in there made you forget everything else. "Badlands" and "Backstreets" were highlights for me. I can't describe it; you just had to be there, in the pit, feeling that energy.
Thursday, 10/8/09 Setlist
Wrecking Ball (with Curt Ramm)
Out in the Street
Outlaw Pete
Hungry Heart
Working on a Dream
Thunder Road
Tenth Avenue Freeze-out (with Jake Clemons, Ed Manion, Curt Ramm)
Night
Backstreets
Born to Run
She's the One
Meeting Across the River (with Curt Ramm)
Jungleland
Waitin' on a Sunny Day
Raise Your Hand (instrumental)
It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City
My Love Will Not Let You Down
Because the Night
Human Touch
Lonesome Day
The Rising
Badlands
No Surrender
* * *
4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)
Bobby Jean
American Land (with Curt Ramm)
Dancing in the Dark
Rosalita
Twist and Shout

Thursday was so fabulous (just look at that setlist!) that I knew it would be difficult to top. Because Friday was the last concert ever at Giants Stadium, there were lots of rumors about special stuff that would happen (lots of special guests were discussed). In the end, though, it wasn't really anything special. It was a Born in the U.S.A. night, and the setlist was pretty similar to the other Born in the U.S.A. night I went to. One notable addition was the Rolling Stones song "Last Time." The last song ever played at Giants Stadium was "Jersey Girl," one of my favorites. No one thought it was over after that song, though. The lights stayed off for awhile, leading us to believe that the band would come back on, but they didn't. The crowd stood there for a few minutes waiting. I thought they would come back out and do "Thunder Road" or "Rosalita" or something upbeat, but they didn't. It was still a great night, though, and I can't believe I was there for the last three shows.
Friday, 10/9/09 Setlist
Wrecking Ball (with Curt Ramm)
Badlands
Spirit in the Night
Outlaw Pete
Hungry Heart
Working on a Dream
Born in the U.S.A.
Cover Me
Darlington County
Working on the Highway
Downbound Train
I'm on Fire
No Surrender
Bobby Jean
I'm Goin' Down
Glory Days
Dancing in the Dark
My Hometown
Tougher Than the Rest
The Promised Land
Last to Die (with Curt Ramm)
Long Walk Home
The Rising
Born to Run (with Jay Weinberg)
* * *
Raise Your Hand
The Last Time
Waitin' on a Sunny Day
Seven Nights to Rock
Kitty's Back (with Curt Ramm)
American Land
Jersey Girl

The New York Times has a nice review of the final show on the front page of their website; here it is.

I was surprised at how many kids I saw at all of the concerts, kids even younger than five years old. There were a lot of kids in the pit; they must have lined up early. I remember being surprised seeing them at U2 as well. And the kids always get special treatment. Every night Bruce had a kid sing "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" with him. At most concerts, U2 brings a kid from the audience onstage. How amazing would that be, to be onstage with Bruce Springsteen or U2 and sing along?? I wish my parents had taken me to concerts when I was younger.

Here are some photos from Friday:











And a couple of videos:
Badlands:

Jersey Girl (last song ever performed at Giants Stadium):


I went to two Broadway shows today (Saturday), HAIR and Hamlet. Funnily enough, they're the two shows from Shakespeare in the Park last year (though a different production of Hamlet). I'll probably write more later about them, but for now I'll just say I was so lucky to be able to stare at some gorgeous guys for most of the day. Will Swenson in HAIR (oh, how I love him) and Jude Law in Hamlet. Not bad, right?