Bruce Springsteen kicked off the new leg of his world tour tonight in Hartford and this guy was there to take it all in. I had seen The Boss in Hartford just a couple years back, but he was performing solo in support of his Devils & Dust album, and it was a more somber and restrained concert. This was my first outing with the entire E Street ensemble on stage and it's easy to see why the band is so effective live. There was tremendous energy and chemistry on display all night. Moreover, I don't think I've ever observed a performer exhibiting such obvious delight as I saw from Springsteen tonight. He clearly made an effort to connect with individuals in the crowd throughout the evening and was smiling and laughing often. The highlight for me was a rousing version of "Born To Run" in the encore set. I remember being a teenager, listening to the top five requests of the night on WPLJ in my room and that song landing the top slot every single night!
