Long time ago….Way back when!

I would probably love this idea… but I have no idea what you’re asking?!

If you’re asking for Bruce stories, here’s a random one – or rather a series of bizarre coincidences. I took a trip with a friend to Lowell, MA, who bumped into an old schoolmate from New Mexico, which set the tone for the day…

Got to the hotel and Bruce’s music was playing, got to the front desk and was tapped on the shoulder by Sonny, got to the elevator as Bruce was getting out, and went for an impromptu lunch with JV. And that was before getting to the venue and bumping into Bruce in the bathroom…

Show was great too!

Storytime … OK. But let’s keep it out of the bathroom, OK??? 😳

That same Chattanooga show in 2005 happened to be my first! Imagine that — a fan since ’86 but never a live show in almost 20 years! Although I was late to the game, I couldn’t have picked a better one: a nearly-packed, beautifully restored Tivoli Theatre; R.S. standing in; and Bruce complimenting my lengthy list of requests before playing a spectacular and rare “River Runs Low” after the break.

I remember a couple in white dancing a wonderful birthday dance as Bruce inserted a few lines of “Happy Birthday to You” in “Big Stick.” I recall Bruce opening with a stellar duet with R.S. that he described as “musings” on a Ricky and Bruce number (a number that apparently didn’t make the cut on the “R&B” album; at least, I don’t recognize it). As Bruce opened with a solo “Night on the Town,” he remarked after a couple of notes what a “good-sounding” hall it was; I have yet to hear better accoustics and sound.

To me, that concert was the perfect mix of ballads and dance music, of slow and fast … of early material and newer songs. It was just the perfect blend of solo Bruce and Bruce with the Noisemakers. There was plenty of experimenting and improvising; lots of classical thrown in there. I’ll admit: I had kind of jumped off the bandwagon about the time of “Big Swing Face” … I had heard a couple of brief snippets of BSF material and was taken aback at the lack of piano and the direction Bruce was going. So to hear “The Chill” for the first-ever time at this concert, I realized immediately how incorrect my first assumptions were. Now, I’m the world’s biggest promoter of BSF to anyone and everyone I come across.

I ordered a CD recording of that live Chattanooga show and have literally worn-out the white “paint” covering the CD. I’ve played it so many times, I’m in danger of losing some of it to scratches and overuse. I hardly knew DD back then, but he was there; so was Jonathan, who had his camera and posted great pictures. I got to hang around and meet the whole band briefly.

I don’t know; I’m sure that first show will always hold a special place, but I keep hoping another show will surpass it in my mind. Right now, I’m holding out for hearing a couple more rarities that I haven’t come across, such as “Barren Ground,” “Another Day,” “Pastures of Plenty”, or even “Invisible.” Haven’t heard any of those live-and-in-person yet. will keep trying.