Steensboro Boss Time!

Boss Squad 2009:

(Rob:) A recap of our quick trip to Greensboro, North Carolina last weekend for a Saturday night Springsteen show! Saturday shows are awesome because a person can get there and back without having to take vacation time from work. This was Bruce's only Saturday show of the tour so far, and the moons aligned to allow us to jet out Saturday morning along with Abs of Steel and Beth to meet Zanny in NASCAR country for some legendary Boss Time! (Thanks to Grampi and Gramma H for watching Sam for the weekend and making it all happen!)

We stayed at this really cool and unique place called the Proximity Hotel. Highly recommended if you happen to find yourself in Greensboro. Here are Tessa and Abner on one of the spiral staircases:

I like this close-up of them:

More of the girls:

Goofin' in the room:

Checking out the courtyard before the show:

We went to the Greensboro Coliseum a little early in order to participate in the "Pit Lottery". Before every show, there's a random drawing of GA ticket holders who show up a couple of hours before the doors open to choose the lucky few who get to be right up close to the stage during the concert. We were among 1200 people hoping to be in the group of 450 who were to be granted access to the Promised Land. As it turned out, we were in the first 35 people to get in! That allowed us to be close enough to touch the stage, as Susan demonstrates here:

We made a new friend at the show: Dana drove all by herself five hours from South Carolina to try her luck at the pit lottery and we took her in as one of us, because she truly is one of us! I haven't met anyone who feels an emotional connection to this music quite the way I do, but I think she might even take it to another level! 

Our concert experience is always affected so much (positively and negatively) by the people we're with, how enthusiastic and "into" the performance they are. Bruce shows are one of those "you get what you give" propositions- if the audience is lukewarm, the show just won't reach that amazing level of energy that we crave. 

Well, this crowd was one of the best I've seen, and no one was working harder than our Charleston firecracker, Dana!

Her she is with Abbey (and Susan, sort of) outside the venue:

And inside with the rest of the beautiful ladies I was blessed to spend the weekend with:

Bruce and the E Street Band:

Bruce came down to our corner of the stage several times:

That's Tessa's braceleted arm reaching up to him in the picture below- she got another handshake! 

We all had some contact with him; during "Promised Land" he leaned out into the audience and we held him up- Tessa said she was just a little worried about getting smushed! I slapped hands with him at one point: very slimy with sweat (and yes- I've washed several times since then!)

Here's Dana shaking like a huge fan who just shook hands with Bruce Springsteen!

Badlands!

Here he's collecting request signs from the audience. He played the one on the small sign in his hand: "Seventh Son"- an old Johnny Rivers song that I love! He also did "Hang On, Sloopy" which blew the roof off the joint!

Bruce pointing out the kid who made the sign:

You can think of your own urology joke for this impressive pic (a no-prize goes to the best one!)

I like the fist pump on this shot:

A couple more ('cuz I can't stop!):

At the end, Little Steven pulled this sign up out of the audience to punctuate an amazing and memorable night:

The Haines Girls after the show:

I've been to a zillion concerts with Beth, and before Saturday I would have said that nobody, nobody was better at coaxing a setlist souvenir away from a roadie after a show than she is. I think Abbey has taken over that crown, however, because she (along with some help from Tessa) was able to score this setlist!:

Awesome memento from an awesome night! 

Can't wait until Monday in St Paul!

Thanks again, Gramma and Grampi!

Comments

[Grandma Delores]

Just like being there for the concert! Glad we could come down and be a part of Grandparents Day again and help you have the great time in Greensboro. We stopped at the antique mall in De Moines on the way home and walked the entire place. All my tulips opened up while we were gone. Very pretty. Should be a good weekend coming up. Grandma Delores

[Dana]

This is so fantabulous! I particularly love my scrunched face o' glee in EVERY SHOT! I miss this night!

[Abbey]

that was one of the BEST nights of my life!!!! absolutely phenomenal. Still happy from Saturday in Steensboro. I also still can't hardly believe it happened. guess what I'm listening to right now? My Lucky Day!!!! loving it. you got some great pictures. thanks for posting.
Abbey
p.s. Dana, so glad you were # 1141 and we were 1115ish! and that you made it to SC safely. I was so glad to see that you had commented.

[Abbey]

yay! that comment worked! the one i had tried before it would not be allowed for some reason. okay, just had to say that so everyone knew that i tried to comment before 8:39, but i had some technical difficulties. of course, being me, the oh-so-computer-savvy Haines girl, i would come up against something trying to block me from contacting the world. yeah... later
Abbey
p.s. "My Oklahama Home is blowed
away" that's what i'm listening to now. =D

[Beth]

I just scrolled through this blog posting and all the accompanying pics...WOW! Mere words cannot truly describe the vibe of this show. Yes, the stars were aligned just right. Abbey and I feel blessed to have had this experience with our best friends... the hot shot trip to Greensboro, NC was an all-around blast in and of itself, and then to top it off-- an ABSOLUTELY AMAZING show courtesy of the Boss and his E Street Band!!!!!!! Plus, I believe that we made a forever friend in Dana.

"We made a promise we swore we'd always remember..."

[Dana]

Y'all make me sappy! I miss you guys! I'm willing post-Europe weekend dates in the Midwest and / or South! Have I mentioned I live 10 minutes from the BEACH? Sending out those lucky vibes we all orbed on Saturday!

[Kirt Markle]

Rob, you lucky devil! Dr. Goodguy surrounded by his legion of adorable womenfolk.

Oh, and the urology pic needs no commentary. It speaks for itself...

[Susan]

I can't resist, mostly because no one else has put anything up and you all know me. . .

"You can look but you better not touch. . ."

Who's the BIG Man?

Beth

[TLNGKS]

Mr I ain't a boy, no I'm a MAN

TCH

[TLNGKS]

Sip a beer and 13...inches of barrel drop to the floor....

TCH

[DW]

Great pictures! I'm ripping off the Steensboro pic, btw... And congrats on getting the setlist! I'm jealous.

[Beth]

Susan, you are such a BAD GIRL signing my name to your post! (I love it- when you're a bad girl). B

[Abbey]

Dana! so jealous of your beach access! hope we can come sometime. that would be amazing. Mom is jealous, too, and agrees that we should come. warming up in KC now, and i love the hot weather! can't wait until summer... that's kinda irrelevant to this post. I still can't believe I have the setlist, (haha) and am taking every moment I can to look at it. and listen to Bruce! when i woke up this morning, from downstairs, I could hear Thunder Road blasting, thanks, mom. =) so guess what I've been singing all day long? i certainly have no complaints!
Abbey
"Roll down the window
And let the wind blow back your hair.
Well the night's busting open
These two lanes will take us anywhere."

[susan smith]

Seems like Bad Scooter might have found his groove. . . .

Beth

[Abbey]

I'm eating honey roasted peanuts that are from the plane home from NC and somehow found their way to my house. they're yummy. a nice midnight snack...

[Abbey]

Are we going to get a post about the ridiculously boring and long drive to Minnesota? I'm just curious because nobody else comments and I need another post. plz. =)
Abs

[Grace]

Happy Mother's Day! I can't wait to hear what fun you had in Minnesota Tessa!

[Abbey]

thx for commenting Grace. I can't wait to hear about what fun you're having in Minnesota either. hint hint. =) yeah. really need something to do. guess what I'm doing? listening to Bruce and reading It Ain't No Sin to Be Glad You're Alive. love it! talks about Steve's horn ideas for BtoR. that made me laugh and think about the video.
alright, I'll just continue waiting for another post.
Abbey
"Tearing up the highway like a big ol' dinosaur!"

[Grace]

Hi, Grace again posting for Abbey. She says hi and she wants to hear about Minnesota *hint hint* She isn't commeting for herself because she got her computer privileges taken away, but that's okay because I'm commenting for her. School, was school and you have homework to do (of course) and we also had the May Crowning today. And guess what? ONE MORE WEEK TIL YOUR BIRTHDAY! Anyway, see you Wednesday! (Collect as many funny stories as possible please!)

[Kathleen Blanck]

I'm jealous, and you guys suck. :p oMG I just had a great idea! I'm coming with you guys next time. Dana sounds cool. Ttyl!

[Abbey]

i thought you said you weren't a huge fan of Bruce, Kathleen... ???

yeah. i got my computer privileges back. in case anybody's wondering what Abbey could have possibly done to get them taken away, it's because I didn't take my vitamin. if any of you know my dad, then you know who came up with the idea. =) it's ok now. I guess you could say that I'll be taking my vitamins more regularly.... well... talk to y'all later.
Abbey

[Dana]

And here I thought Abbey said, "holy crap!" OK, I find it hard to believe that St Paul was not worthy of a blog post. And thanks to Rob, I am now known in some circles as a "Charleston Firecracker!" I think "DYNAMO" might be better... since I did prove that status all night. Stop me!

[Abbey]

No, I didn't say "holy crap." i might have been thinking it when I learned of my lost privileges, though. well, I actually thought he was kidding at first, because it's my VITAMIN!!! but then i figured out that he was serious. yeah.... You guys need to post now!!! please! the world depends on it! well, not really. but quite a few people do. ahem. that might include me. I'm sitting right next to Tessa, but she hasn't given a whole lot of details about the trip. Dana, nice Bruce references. =D okay, guess I gotta go now. I'll check for another post soon... I really really hope I'll see one!
Abbey

[Kathleen Blanck]

I posted! I saw Dana on that one video chat thingy. It was cool

[Abbey]

I know! it was so awesome to see you, Dana on the Skype!!!
Abbey