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Report: Springsteen to Close Convention After Obama Speech

By Jeralyn, Section Democratic National Convention 2008
Posted on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 06:37:00 AM EST
Tags: Democratic National Convention (all tags)
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My sources tell me that Bruce Springsteen will close the Democratic Convention with an acoustic performance after Sen. Barack Obama finishes speaking Thursday night at Invesco Field. The Washington Post speculated about this yesterday

and the Las Vegas Review Journal reports it as fact.

The LVRJ says Bon Jovi is in negotiations to be the warmup act for Obama.

My earlier post on possible musical acts for Thursday night is here.

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    Report: Springsteen to Close Convention After Obama Speech | 28 comments (28 topical)

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    Heh, so Obama's not afraid the Boss (5.00 / 0) (#3)
    by nycstray on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 01:59:50 AM EST
    or Bon Jovi will upstage him?! I won't type my thought that follows this thinking . . .  {grin}

    He should be (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by janarchy on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 02:46:58 AM EST
    To be honest, they've both done more positives for the Democratic party over the past 10-15 years than Obama has. Speaking only for myself, of course.

    Then again, I'm sure someone will tell me that no one has done more for rock n roll than Barack Obama!

    Parent

    Obama as warm-up act for Springsteen (none / 0) (#28)
    by ruffian on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 05:20:33 PM EST
    That's how I'm looking at it.

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    As it should be.... (none / 0) (#29)
    by kdog on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 05:24:22 PM EST
    too bad Springsteen ain't running.

    Too wise to want the job...

    Parent

    McKinney 2008 (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by nellre on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 02:04:40 AM EST
    Sometimes disaster is a good thing. Makes us fix that which is broken.
    However, I'm not sure the Democratic party is worth fixing.

    Do you (5.00 / 1) (#25)
    by JThomas on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 11:06:17 AM EST
    have any loved ones in Iraq? Those of us that do, know that disaster is never a good thing.
    It could easily cost us our loved ones lives.
    That is disaster. A McCain intention to bomb Iran will put 150,000 american troops at risk in Iraq. My son says that the shia will rise up if McCain bombs iran and every grunt in country will be dodging bullets.
    You think more war is not disaster?

    Parent
    This will be the best McCain ad ever!!!! (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by Xeno on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 03:28:12 AM EST
    Who wants to bet that McCain's ad team already have a massive take-down of the rock star stadium gig written and ready to air as soon as they can edit in the video? This will backfire on the Obama campaign just as surely as the vaunted Berlin rally did. It will be child's play to portray to voters Obama's ridiculously overblown ego and drama queen antics. If they manage to keep the light touch they showed in previous ads, they will once again pummel Obama's image and make him a figure of fun. Satire is deadly to the self-important.

    Obama's hubris is the gift that keeps on giving -- to the gop.

    If Springsteen fires up the crowd... (5.00 / 1) (#11)
    by EL seattle on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 03:57:11 AM EST
    ... with a set that's made up mostly of songs from the Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger songbooks, he'll do more to restore soul of the Democratic party than most anyone else at that convention.

    That's what I think, anyway.

    Parent

    Too (none / 0) (#15)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 05:26:03 AM EST
    bad your last paragraph now describes the Dem party too.

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    Touchy, touchy (none / 0) (#16)
    by Xeno on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 06:57:37 AM EST
    Thanks for starting my day with a laugh!

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    Wow, speaking of overwrought hyperbole... (none / 0) (#31)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 05:37:27 PM EST
    This must be satire, no?

    Parent
    Rock star... (5.00 / 1) (#14)
    by p lukasiak on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 04:59:04 AM EST
    Is it really a good idea to associate Obama with the words "rock star" at the convention?

    To be honest (5.00 / 1) (#18)
    by TeresaInSnow2 on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 07:52:38 AM EST
    I'm really surprised they didn't get someone for the younger set.

    Bruce is also well-known for his affair with his later wife Patti.  I'm surprised that, given Edwards, the Democrats would choose someone known for affairs.  ...thinking that Republicans may remember this too.....

    I was disappointed to see that Bruce must not be as interested in the working class as he pretends.  If he were, he'd have backed Clinton in the primaries, rather than Obama.  At the end of the day, I suppose everyone in Hollywood is an elitist...sigh.

    Acoustic? At Mile High stadium? (none / 0) (#1)
    by echinopsia on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 01:41:26 AM EST
    Well, the performers might be able to hear it. No one else will.

    The E-Street Band's equipment (none / 0) (#2)
    by Cream City on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 01:53:49 AM EST
    will already be across the country, being set up in my town.  They're playing here the next night, Friday, for the Harley 105th blowout, and then The Boss joins them on Saturday.  That's how I read it.  (In between: Black Crowes, Peter Frampton, Los Lonely Boys, War, ZZ Top, and a couple of dozen other bands for the bikers.  Best time to hit the bars late and see who drops by to jam!)

    I've heard The Boss without the band, on an acoustic solo, and it was great.  It wasn't in a stadium, but with all that is being spent on that glow-in-the-dark stage and such, I imagine that they can spare the bucks to rent decent speakers.

    The Boss could lip-synch, and it would be worth it.  But yeh, the dynamics when it's the full E-Street Band treatment are far better.  That's entertainment.

    Parent

    That's one way to guarantee (none / 0) (#5)
    by Grace on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 02:30:47 AM EST
    a packed house!  Are they planning to feed everyone too?  

    Loaves and fishes. (5.00 / 2) (#6)
    by Cream City on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 02:42:25 AM EST
    But they will be organically grown and/or raised.  And served as finger food, from what we read about the restrictions on silverware.  Ick.  Sticky fingers everywhere.  Those of you there may want to invest in handiwipes.:-)

    Parent
    What about Stevie Wonder? (none / 0) (#9)
    by EL seattle on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 03:20:55 AM EST
    Will he be appearing somewhere there this week?

    - - - - - -

    Having Bruce Springsteen play after Obama will be interesting.  I'd guess that he'll basically be playing to the crowd as it slowly dissipates.  This will be an unusual position for Springsteen to be in, but I expect that he'll be a genius in how he does it.  When he starts, no one will want to leave.  By the time the local cops and road crew and techs tell him to stop (2+ hrs later?), those folks that are still there for his show won't have to fight big crowds as they leave the venue.  

    I bet that with Springsteen in charge, it will be the best-organized managed withdrawl that we'll see this year.

    so much for the vaunted (none / 0) (#13)
    by cpinva on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 04:42:55 AM EST
    message of "change". how many of sen. obama's more youthful supporters do you think will be familiar with "the boss"?

    springsteen has long been a part of the rock establishment, as has bon jovi. although, with biden as veep, it now all makes sense!

    my god, deviously brilliant!

    jeralyn, will walkers be provided at the convention site? lol

    My 17 year old niece.... (5.00 / 2) (#23)
    by kdog on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 09:15:22 AM EST
    15 year old nephew, even my 10 year old niece... all know who Bruce Springsteen is.  Ask 100 18 year olds and 99 will know who he is, if not 100.

    The 10 year old's favorite song is "Johnny 99"....how cool is that?  

    Granted, we are a rock-n-roll family:)

    Parent

    Gotta link it..... (none / 0) (#30)
    by kdog on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 05:31:04 PM EST
    Johnny 99

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    Every last one (none / 0) (#24)
    by CST on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 10:01:36 AM EST
    We grew up on it.

    You gotta be 18 to vote.  It's not THAT young.  Springsteen was still pretty big in the 90s.

    Parent

    Bruce has (none / 0) (#26)
    by JThomas on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 11:10:16 AM EST
    been advocating for change for about 30 years...it just hasn't happened yet. Bruce is connected to the very soul of America and I am proud that he is a determined democrat.

    Parent
    the devils and dust tour (none / 0) (#19)
    by Edgar08 on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 08:22:02 AM EST
    was acoustic and it was depressing.  Well done, but we went to it and the songs were somewhat recognizable but had no impact.  I learned Bruce tried to do things with songs that directors do with movies.  So picture the movie "giant" done as a minimalist stage play and you get a sense of what Bruces solo acoustic shows are like.

    We thought it was like church.  We felt preached too.

    My reaction as well. (none / 0) (#32)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 05:39:00 PM EST
    I miss The Boss.

    Parent
    The Boss...... (none / 0) (#20)
    by sneezy on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 08:29:18 AM EST
    rocks.  Saw him last night, and he was great.  I hadn't seen him in ages, and he's better than ever, IMO.  But not everyone has the same musical tastes.  

    That's the problem I have with music acts at the convention.  It's impossible to please everyone.  Who could play who would appeal to the whole crowd?  I honestly don't know. And with the whole youth emphasis, I think Springsteen is an odd pick.  I only saw about 8 teenagers last night, including the couple we toted along in order to advance their musical education.  

    Boo on Bon Jovi (none / 0) (#21)
    by cannondaddy on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 08:45:00 AM EST
    Bruce as a closer sounds good.

    Hey, a little respect for the Boss. (none / 0) (#22)
    by Redshoes on Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 09:01:45 AM EST
    We should all be so lucky to be as cool as he.

    Report: Springsteen to Close Convention After Obama Speech | 28 comments (28 topical)

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