Written by: Emily Townley, Staff Writer
When one thinks of rockstar personas that bring theatricality to their art, Freddie Mercury or David Bowie (rightfully) come to mind. Freddie Mercury has ridden on the shoulders of both Darth Vader and Superman during his concerts, among other things. David Bowie’s various artistic eras have produced iconic characters such as Ziggy Stardust and The Thin White Duke. Aladdin Sane is one of Bowie’s most recognizable album covers. Songs such as “Starman” or “Life on Mars” are associated with the characters Bowie played. The genre of glam rock allows for the inherent theatricality of rock and roll to take center stage. On the other side of the coin, one has the unconventional choice of Bruce Springsteen to also represent rock and its theatricality.
Springsteen, like all rock stars, is a performer. The Boss does more than just sing songs on a stage: his concerts are three-hour (plus!) long magical experiences. Not only does he put on a show for the audience (inviting people up on stage, jumping on pieces of equipment, interacting with the E-Street band in an entertaining manner), he makes sure his audience understands WHY they are hearing these songs. He more often than not explains the backstories of his songs before or during the performance. They range from the short and sweet, such as his introduction to his live cover of “This Land is Your Land”, to the long and vulnerable like in “The River”. A live performance of “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” from the year 2000, which includes Springsteen introducing the band, breaking into another song, and giving what could be considered a religious sermon, is over 19 minutes long. Bruce Springsteen’s theatricality not only comes from his ability to captivate an audience but also because of his abilities as a storyteller.
If Springsteen is just as much a performer as he is a musician, what “character” (like Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust”) is he supposed to be? Springsteen’s music has been propagated as anthems of the American working class for almost his entire career. This line of thinking isn’t without foundation; many songs from his catalog feature characters who are blue-collar workers, specifically those who want to (and who often can’t) rise above their means to finally achieve the American Dream, such as in the songs “Badlands” and Racing In The Street. Springsteen also presents himself in a way that fits the setting of his songs. His concert attire is, most of the time, a T-shirt and jeans. The cover of his best-selling album Born in the USA features Springsteen in a white t-shirt and jeans, holding a baseball glove while standing in front of the Stars and Stripes. Quintessential Americana. Ronald Reagan is quoted as saying “America's future… rests in the message of hope in the songs of a man so many young Americans admire—New Jersey’s own, Bruce Springsteen”. Reagan, along with other conservative politicians such as Bob Dole and Pat Buchanan, eventually were barred by Springsteen from using the song “Born in the USA” in their campaigns. With its striking drums and loud power chords, the song is often interpreted as a patriotic anthem. In actuality, the song is an angry anti-war song about how veterans were treated after they got back from Vietnam. The irony is lost on those with cognitive dissonance. It must be asked then, how much of this Steinbeck-esque character present in his songs is performative, especially when Springsteen, after all, is a multi-millionaire and made a name for himself singing about the American blue-collar experience?
Springsteen himself sees this contradiction:
“I've never held an honest job in my entire life. I've never done any hard labor. I've never worked nine to five…Standing before you is a man who has become wildly and absurdly successful writing about something of which he has had - absolutely no personal experience.” (Springsteen on Broadway, 2018)
In its essence, this act of the working class hero is performative. For his upcoming 2023 tour, tickets at the Washington DC concert are starting at over 200 dollars. How can he write about and benefit from writing about the working class and yet exclude them from the performance?
One cannot deny, however, Springsteen’s working-class background. His experiences growing up are detailed in many songs, such as in the aforementioned song “The River”, based on what his sister went through after getting married at a young age, or “Used Cars” which is based on a true story from his childhood about buying said used car. Springsteen’s complicated relationship with his father is especially highlighted in his catalog, especially in songs like “My Father’s House” and “Adam Raised a Cain”. While his songs chronicle characters he himself created, such as Joe Roberts in the song “Highway Patrolman”, Springsteen’s catalog is just as much autobiographical as it is fictional. He, therefore, is writing and performing songs for his audience, and creating characters and stories they can relate to, just as he is for himself.
In the case of Bruce Springsteen, the character he plays observes what is around him, and puts it into song. In his concerts, Springsteen bridges the gap between himself as a performer and the Storyteller character he creates. That is what makes Springsteen such a captivating artist. Because he himself is so deeply rooted in the stories and the characters he creates, it is nearly impossible for the audience not to be drawn in as well. And to me, what is most important in the theatre is the relationship cultivated between the performer and the audience.
“...Standing before you is a man who has become wildly and absurdly successful writing about something of which he has had - absolutely no personal experience. I made it all up. That's how good I am.” (Springsteen on Broadway, 2018)
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