"Nobody crowds you,
Nobody goes it alone."
-- Bruce Springsteen, Long Walk Home
As the sun began its descent, we approached the place of worship on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. The sight was striking: the building's grass-covered roof stood out against the landscape of steel, glass, and concrete. It offered a rare sense of calm amid the daily chaos of the nation's largest city.
Over the past few days, I had been on the brink of being overwhelmed by the crush of humanity as I drove through the city's streets and negotiated its crowded sidewalks. While the crowd in the courtyard of the Barclays Center was energetic and eager to get inside, they did so with a calm that mirrored the building they were entering. Several of our fellow congregants noticed my wife's motorized scooter and paused to give her room to maneuver.
While I searched for dinner, my wife quickly struck up a conversation with the person seated next to us. While this was our first Bruce Springsteen show, he had been to 78 others. Two days later, he would be at the show at Madison Square Garden.
"This is a prayer for my country--
-- Springsteen
If Ghost's shows can be compared to worship services, they would follow in the tradition of the Catholic Church. The atmosphere is majestic, driven by digital projections, high-tech lighting rigs, and pyro. The central character, Tobias Forge, often assumes the identity of a fictional pope.
The spiritual personality assumed by Bruce Springsteen is cut from a different cloth. He comes off more like a street preacher testifying from the stage. His powerful backing vocalists and the energy of the performance add a gospel"'church intensity. Can I get an amen?
As the lights dimmed, the crowd promptly erupted in a chorus of "Bruce!" as Springsteen stepped to the front of the stage, bathed in the glow of a simple spotlight. Dressed in a dress shirt, tie, and vest, he was ready to preach.
"Regardless of its faults, (America) is a great country with a great people."
-- Springsteen
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