Bruce Springsteen rolled into San Francisco last night, and Chase Center was packed to the rafters for the Land of Hope and Dreams Tour. Tickets? Gone. Thirty minutes before showtime, not a single seat was available. If you were holding out for a last-minute deal, you lost that bet.
At 75 years old, Springsteen continues to do what very few performers on the planet can pull off — fill arenas, play marathon sets, and make a room full of thousands feel like a Jersey Shore bar on a Saturday night. The addition of Tom Morello, Rage Against the Machine's legendary guitarist, injected an extra dose of electricity into an already high-voltage E Street Band. Reports from attendees suggest the energy was absolutely relentless.
Say what you want about the state of live music — overpriced tickets, Ticketmaster's stranglehold, $18 beers — but there's something undeniably great about a sold-out rock show in San Francisco. Chase Center, for all the debates about its impact on the Mission Bay neighborhood, was built for exactly this kind of night. When it works, it works.
Here's the thing we appreciate about Springsteen from a pure market perspective: the man delivers value. Fans know they're getting a three-hour-plus show. No phoning it in, no 75-minute greatest-hits jog. That's the kind of accountability we wish more institutions — public and private — operated with. You pay, you get the product. Revolutionary concept, apparently.
Whether you're a lifelong fan or just someone who respects a relentless work ethic, last night was a reminder that San Francisco still knows how to show up for the real thing. The Boss earned every dollar in that building, and the city was better for it.
Next time, maybe just buy the tickets early.