On classics such as 'Thunder Road' and 'Racing In The Streets' Springsteen exhibits both the technical subtleties and force required to evoke the emotions conjured by their original versions. Bruce is also overlaying the melodic hooks and lines often found in his songs. His newfound competence at piano vaults Springsteen into the ranks of Neil Young, Bob Dylan and Jackson Browne as an artist, who moving forward, can call on keys as an instrument of choice. This offers Springsteen extreme flexibility and unlimited potential when approaching show set lists and future musical offerings.

If Bruce's recent public performances, including his VH-1 Storytellers special and these two rehearsal shows in Asbury Park on April 21 and 22, 2005 are any indication, then Springsteen is also returning to his role as the animated and friendly storyteller. But, Springsteen strays from the tall-tales and improvisational narratives that, in the past, revealed a guarded glimpse at the man himself, to a much more personal insight into his life with family and friends.

Springsteen said that the songs on Devils and Dust are about relationships. Especially those between mothers and sons and parents and children. Bruce performed 'For You' at both Asbury Shows saying on Friday that this was his first attempt at a love song and told a story that shed some light on growing up with his father. Springsteen said his dad believed all love songs "were government conspiracies to get you to get married and pay taxes."

He got a standing ovation and after 30 years 'For You' still sounds awesome especially with him doing it mournfully on the piano. The still powerful strength in his voice came through notably in this performance.

Springsteen then described his relationship with his own kids saying how when he had his first child, for the first few year's it's like "baby Jesus" has come into the house. The world stops and things change when children enter families.

"Fourteen years later, baby Jesus thinks I'm an idiot," telling his fans how he thinks his kids wished he had a "real" job and how they sometimes wish he could be a normal dad and be "more perfect."

"Everybody says that my kids must think I'm so cool," Springsteen continued. "They don't. I am more a buffoon-like figure to my kids."

"But here's something I'm proud of," Springsteen told the audience after analyzing how far he has come before playing one of the more accessible tunes from the new record, 'Long Time Coming', dedicating it to his mom.

On both nights Springsteen performed a song that conjured up images of the Scopes Trial and the missing link. The playful 'Part Man Part Monkey' served as a vehicle for Springsteen to address the political issues he has recently associated with saying, "It's getting a little spooky out there," in reference to world events and the changing overt- and under-tones in America. He then proceeded to play a real raunchy version on a Red Gretsch with a cowboy western feel to it all while adding a little choreographed dancing to the number.

More piano songs included 'My Hometown' followed by one of his all time anthems, 'Lost in the Flood' — which was a highlight of the shows featuring intense Springsteen vocals. He also played a Thursday night request of 'Real World' during the Friday afternoon rehearsal.

"I like to write about people whose souls are at risk, it's put my soul to ease," Springsteen said describing the next group of songs he would play. "It all goes back to my Catholic school days. Now I go hang out at the convent where the sisters supply me with beer!"

Springsteen then performed an extremely moving, almost gospel-like song from the new album called 'Jesus was an Only Son'. Bruce says its another song about mother/son relationships but it seems much deeper than that and his Catholic upbringing must have had a lot to do with it. It was a real tribute to Jesus.

"Once you're a Catholic, there's no getting out," Bruce said describing how his newfound religion comes from embracing his own past. "That's about all there is to it."

"It's something I haven't written a whole lot before," said Springsteen describing his new song about Jesus and his mother Mary, on the VH1 Storytellers special. "I felt if approached the song from a secular side, that the rest of it would come through."

Jesus was an only son
In the hills of Nazareth
As he lay reading the Psalms of David
At his mother's feet

At times Springsteen seems to be more than just a rocker from the Jersey shore and that he's working on a higher order of either political or religious calling.

On this record he reaches back to his gospel roots and turns into an evangelist on the title track 'Devils and Dust', singing...

Now every woman and every man
They want to take a righteous stand
Find the love that God wills
And the faith that He commands

Springsteen has played the role of national comforter serving as the lead artist for a nation's healing in the post-9/11 "A Tribute to Heroes" telecast. In concert in 2000 he played the role of preacher during the opening to 'Tenth Avenue Freeze Out' urging his supporters to go with him to "the river of life."

"I want to go down to the river tonight! It's a river of life. It's a river of forgiveness. It's a river of faith...a river of hope...a river of resurrection — where everybody gets a second chance!," Springsteen would often shout to his fans in sold-out arenas during the '99/'00 Reunion Tour. "But you can't get there all alone! No, you can't get there by yourself! You got to go there together!"

On the political front, his public support for the losing Kerry/Edwards ticket in 2004 immersed him into the contentious world of partisan politics that caused fractures in his global fan base.

Either way, it does seem that Springsteen is asking his audience to join with him for some greater cause.

On the VH1 special and in a recent interview with NPR's Renee Montagne, Springsteen performed a line by line breakdown and interpretation of 'The Rising' — the title track to 2002's terror-attack-inspired release with the E Street Band.

"The li li's, what do they say?," asked Springsteen about the catchy refrain in the song before providing the answer to Montagne. "They say sing with me. And really what you're saying is to stand with me. Sing with me and stand with me around these things, and something will be better, something will come out of it, you know?"

Springsteen performed three songs from The Rising during the Asbury Park rehearsals. For the title track he was bathed in a backdrop spotlight for a version that was very different acoustically. 'Lonesome Day' was also stripped down and 'Waitin on a Sunny Day' was subdued but did allow for a one chorus, full-house audience sing-a-long of the optimistic lyrics. As with most of the songs performed he consistently changed their original arrangements taking them and his fans to unexpected places.

More songs from the new record included the title track to Devils and Dust and additional character slash relationship songs such as 'Black Cowboys' — about a young black inner city kid whose mom makes him stay in after school and watch Westerns with her on TV to keep him out of trouble. In the end of the song he still strays to his demise. Once again, Bruce storytelling at its finest.

He also talked about how when he was little he always wanted a pony and now over the past 10 years he and his family have been blessed with owning horses. He then continues on about a friend of his son who lost his mother last year at a very young age to a sudden death and that the boy told Bruce's son that his mother comes to him in dreams as a Silver Palomino horse. He then sang the song he wrote for this boy, 'Silver Palomino' – a haunting, moving and beautiful song. Bruce further described it as a love song for a son to his mom.

'The Hitter' is a story about a man who comes back home after years on the road as a boxer and his mom wont let him in because she didn't approve of his life style. But the man stands proud at the locked door saying he made his living the way he knew how. Another classic Bruce story song featuring real emotional struggles.

The last song of the set for both shows was a song featuring the lead-voice from a man who is "speaking from the after-life." Springsteen told the story of an immigrant who was trying to cross the border but died along the way.

He then prayed that he hopes America can do something about the illegal immigration problem we have in America and that it can be handled as humanely as possible. He then sang the song, 'Matamoras Banks' which has to be one of the most vivid and disturbing songs Bruce has ever written. Of course, the main character drowns in the river he is trying to cross.

The new record also features two love songs with girl's names in their title. 'Leah' and 'Maria's Bed' were cute, romantic and upbeat and reminded one reviewer of "older" more-rocking Bruce classics.

Another musical innovation for Springsteen during the live shows was the addition of piped in musical accompaniment consisting of mostly percussion and strings. During Friday's rendition of 'Leah' the too-present tambourine was at times awkward and seemed off time. This was one flaw to the solo show that had some fans wishing for real live musical accompaniment. But, this was a rehearsal so Bruce must be cut some slack. Hopefully, these pre-recorded tracks won't detract from future live shows as the timing and technicalities are worked out.

Bruce ended both rehearsal performances with 'The Promised Land' as the final encore. The song changed from its usual Springsteen show anthem status to a deep, brooding sensual beating on the body of the guitar song. It was hypnotic and sexy and very different and resulted in another round of standing ovations.

Whether or not you believe in evolution or creation, Springsteen's creative output of music and musicianship has consistently delivered his fans to the promised land and maybe there is a reason why.

At one point mid-way through the show on Friday a disobedient fan yelled out, "Bruce, you're a God!"

"Yeah," Springsteen responded, "I keep telling my wife that."

04/22/05 Setlist: [Reason to Believe] [Devils and Dust] [Youngstown] [Lonesome Day] [Long Time Comin'] [Silver Palomino] [For You*] [Real World*] [Part Man, Part Monkey] [Maria's Bed] [Highway Patrolman] [Reno] [Racing in the Street*] [The Rising] [Further On (Up the Road)] [Jesus Was an Only Son*] [Leah] [The Hitter] [Matamoras Banks] [Waitin' on a Sunny Day] [Bobby Jean] [The Promised Land]

04/21/05 Setlist: [Devils and Dust] [Youngstown] [Lonesome Day] [Black Cowboys] [Long Time Comin'] [Silver Palomino] [For You*] [Tougher Than the Rest*] [Part Man, Part Monkey] [Maria's Bed] [Highway Patrolman] [Used Cars] [Further On(Up the Road)] [My Hometown*] [Lost in the Flood*] [The Rising] [Jesus Was an Only Son*] [Leah] [The Hitter] [Matamoras Banks] [This Hard Land] [My Best Was Never Good Enough] [The Promised Land]

VH1 Storytellers Setlist: [Devils & Dust] [Blinded By the Light] [Brilliant Disguise (with Patti Scialfa)] [Jesus Was an Only Son*] [The Rising] [Thunder Road*] (* = piano)

These shows raised proceeds for charities including "Save Tillie"!

Related Links: For more information on Bruce Springsteen and the Devils and Dust CD and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -- Buy Devils and Dust CD | BruceSpringsteen.net

Originally Published: 04/28/2005 on Kweevak.com