Some of Bruce’s rarest performances are the ones most people never get to hear–Bruce is known for working out new songs or whipping out a never-played-publicly cover during his famously long and meticulous sound checks.
If it’s an outdoor show, depending on acoustics, you might have a good shot at catching something you’ve never heard before. (I caught a wonderful performance of “Hunter of Invisible Game” that way at the Houston High Hopes show; the song has yet to be played in concert in the U.S.) But for arena shows, unless the arena staff screws up and lets the pit crowd in early, you have to be a lot more resourceful.
I was never able to figure out how to get inside the building for the soundcheck, but at the first Wrecking Ball show at the L.A. Sports Arena, my good friend Eddie managed it without even trying.
Turns out all he had to do was pass out from the heat while waiting in line for the pit lottery! One moment we’re chatting with fellow fans, the next moment he’s swaying, and a moment later, he’s on the ground.
He wasn’t ever out cold–he was back on his feet seconds after he hit the ground–but it was enough for concerned onlookers to shout for a medic. Less than a minute later, he was in a wheelchair, and security took the both of us into the building. Turns out the medical office is (or was–the building has since been demolished) on the main concourse overlooking the stage, and as the staff took his vitals and ran some tests, we were able to easily watch Bruce and Tom Morello work out their by-then customary collaboration on “The Ghost of Tom Joad” as well as run through “Death to My Hometown.”
(Brucebase only lists “California Sun” and “Long Walk Home” for the setlist that night, but I can confirm first-hand the additional songs above.)
When the medic asked Eddie if he felt well enough to go back outside, he started to nod until I elbowed him. “I think you need another few minutes before we go back out in that heat,” I advised. So we stayed and watched another run-through, but we didn’t get to see any additional songs.
So now you know: if you want to get inside the building for the soundcheck, just faint. You’re welcome.
The show itself was worth the initial scare: the setlist was great, from the “Badlands” opener with full house lights on…
…to Tom Morello’s several guest appearances…
…to my personal highlight: the tour premiere of my favorite Darknesssong, “Something in the Night.”
…to the encore surprise, “California Sun.”
Because we were late getting into the pit (at least we’d made it in!), we were in the back–but as it turned out, that meant we were dead-center during Bruce’s crowd-surf, my first time for that, and a strange experience to feel your hero passing overhead.
Night two would bring another pre-show surprise, but this time it would be at Bruce’s instigation, not ours.
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