Oy, How Times Have Changed

We took this picture last night on the iPhone. Sadly it doesn't do it justice so let me get you some background. It was about 45 degrees out and this dude was riding his bike in shorts with boots on. It just seemed very goofy to me so I had Angela take a picture on her iPhone.



Last night was the 2nd of two Hall of Fame shows, this one was Aretha Franklin, Jeff Beck, Metallica and U2 plus a buttload of special guests. The picture above is Metallica with Ozzy.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame turns 25

By Jerry Shriver,, USA TODAY

The event: U2, Metallica, Jeff Beck, Aretha Franklin and a string of sharp guests played Part 2 of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's two-night 25th anniversary concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York.

The attendance: 19,500-plus.

All hail breaks loose: "Hail, hail rock 'n' roll," said the evening's host Tom Hanks, "which sprang from dashboard radios, nickel-a-song jukeboxes and deep-grooved 45s." With that, rock pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis returned to open the show again, this time with Great Balls of Fire. Just like Thursday, he pounded out a faithful version, but unlike that subdued turn, he playfully picked up the piano stool and tossed it down as he left the stage.

HISTORY: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame timeline
THURSDAY CONCERT: Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder and more

What's it to you? If Thursday's show was mostly about rock's sweet soul, folk and country roots, with a hefty dose of New York strut, Friday's acts offered a harder, rebellious edge, leavened by Aretha Franklin's gospel-drenched empowerment anthems and U2's expansive world view.

Queen Aretha: Franklin, a bit unfortunately, was introduced by film clips that showed her in her stage-stomping '60s heyday. This time, she was slowly escorted to center stage and maintained a more majestic presence. Dressed in a bright red gown, black fur-trimmed coat and white pearls, she belted faithful versions of Baby I Love You and Don't Play That Song (in memory of Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun, who signed her to the label). The crowd was flummoxed when she teased to Respect but instead sang a gospel-tinged number (Make Them Hear You) from the musical Ragtime.

Potent pairings: Momentum resumed when Annie Lennox came on to duet on Chain of Fools, then flagged again when Aretha did a showbizzy version of New York, New York— great song but wrong occasion, perhaps. The crowd loved it, though, especially when she said afterward that she was "thinking seriously" about moving here from Detroit. Lenny Kravitz injected needed energy by singing Think in a punchy voice that was clearly influenced by his stage partner. At the end, he escorted her offstage, Aretha sashaying all the way.

Worth the wait: Finally, Respect was cemented with the encore. That once-in-a-lifetime voice filled the Garden, ably supported by nearly 20 backing musicians, including Franklin's son Teddy on guitar, and the crowd gave the diva her due.

Got your back: Jeff Beck had been scheduled to appear as a guest with Eric Clapton but took over the headlining slot when Slowhand was sidelined by gallstone surgery. Beck, a two-time inductee (solo and with The Yardbirds), showed he's one of rock's most proficient, tasteful and appropriately showy guitarists — an axeman's axeman — as he led a quartet in a blistering set of jazz- and blues-tinged instrumentals, highlighted by Drown in My Own Tears.

Just dropped in: Sting came on to lend strong vocals to People Get Ready and nicely played off of Beck's piercing guitar accents. Blues veteran Buddy Guy traded him lick for lick on Let Me Love You. And ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons (he flew in from England, where the band is touring) croaked Rough Boy and cranked out complementary riffs to Beck's lead. The two then exploded into Foxy Lady, a Manhattan bedrock-shaking experience played out under a giant photo of Jimi Hendrix. As the image switched to late-period Beatles, Beck led the quartet in an instrumental eruption on A Day in the Life.

Here is Metallica's setlist:

For Whom The Bell Tolls
One
Turn The Page
Sweet Jane (w/ Lou Reed)
White Light / White Heat (w/ Lou Reed)
Iron Man (w/ Ozzy Osbourne)
Paranoid (w/ Ozzy Osbourne)
You Really Got Me (w/ Ray Davies)
All Day And All Of The Night (w/ Ray Davies)
Stone Cold Crazy
Enter Sandman

Here is a summary of U2's set:

Because the Night
U2.com
30 October 2009

It's not long over in New York, night two of the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Here's some highlights - photos and more on the way.

From Lou Reed joining Metallica for 'Sweet Jane' to 'Stuck in a Moment' when Mick Jagger joined U2, it was a night when some of the greatest musicians jammed with each other in homage to the traditions of rock'n'roll. Annie Lennox with Lenny Kravitz, Jeff Beck with Sting and Buddy Guy, Ozzy Ozbourne rocking out with Metallica and Ray Davies leading on Kinks standard 'You Really Got Me'.

Edge, Larry, Adam and Bono, arriving on stage for a blistering rendition of Vertigo and a soaring Magnificent, were complemented by Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith for the song he wrote with her 'Because The Night'. Legendary E Street keyboardist Roy Bittan was up with Bruce for 'Still Haven't Found' before Black Eyed Peas, fresh from the final 2009 dates of the 360 Tour, got in the groove for a seriously funky Mysterious Ways.

Fergie and U2 were joined by Mick Jagger for 'Gimme Shelter' while Sir Mick took the vocals with Bono for 'Stuck In A Moment'. A beautiful night had to end with a Beautiful Day, when U2 wrapped the proceedings up.

Setlist

1. Vertigo / Rock 'n' Roll High School (snippet)
2. Magnificent
3. Because The Night (with Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith)
4. Because The Night (repeated in full due to missed cues)
5. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (with Bruce Springsteen)
6. Mysterious Ways
7. Where Is The Love? / One (snippet) (with the Black Eyed Peas)
8. Gimme Shelter (with Mick Jagger and Fergie)
9. Stuck In A Moment (with Mick Jagger)
10. Beautiful Day

It seems Like Ages Ago That Life Was Kinda Normal

Did you know you could get Crocodile at Sam's Club? You can at the new one that just opened in China.



This bums me out.

'Slumdog' kids' truancy threatens their trust fund

MUMBAI, India (AP) — A trustee for the child stars of Slumdog Millionaire says the kids' poor school attendance is putting their trust fund at risk.

Trustee Noshir Dadrawala says Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail is only showing up at school 37% of the time and Rubina Ali has only a 27% attendance rate.

He says if the children do not get their attendance above 70%, they will lose their monthly stipend of about $120. They also risk the lump sum payment they are to get at age 18 that is tied to them graduating school.

The filmmakers set up the trust to provide education, housing and a living allowance to the young stars of the Oscar-winning film, who themselves grew up in Mumbai's shantytowns. The fund's amount has not been disclosed.

There will be 10 best picture nominees this year and I think that is way too many.

Will having 10 best-picture nominees diminish Oscar?

By Susan Wloszczyna, USA TODAY

At the ripe old age of 82, Oscar could do with a face-lift now and then.

But Jane Campion, among other voters, has reservations about the latest makeover of Hollywood's most coveted prize.

The New Zealand-born filmmaker, one of only three female directors ever nominated for an Academy Award, can't comprehend why the best-picture list of nominees was expanded from five to 10 slots for the first time since 1943, when Casablanca took home the statuette.

"I've heard it's because of the major studios," says the screenplay winner for 1993's The Piano, whose hopes this year are pinned on her period romance Bright Star. "None of their movies are being chosen."

Campion isn't the only one of the 6,000 or so academy members who was taken aback when the switch was unveiled in June.

"I think it dilutes the exclusivity of it," says Willem Dafoe, a two-time acting nominee. "You know, some years there might not be that many movies that deserve it. I just worry it lowers the bar a little bit."

Or, as Frost/Nixon actor Michael Sheen, who joined the academy in 2007, puts it: "The more films you have, the less special it becomes."

It's all an experiment, assures Tom Sherak, newly appointed president of the 6,000-member Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The decision was made by the 43 members of the board of governors.

The supersizing of the best-picture category was suggested during a postmortem with Bill Condon and Laurence Mark, producers of this year's ceremony, which boosted viewership from the previous year by 13%.

Still, considering the 2008 edition – when No Country for Old Men claimed the best-picture trophy – was the least-watched show ever, the increase was only a mild improvement. Which is why, to continue to draw more eyes, the academy would like Oscar to find room for more popcorn-type films in its diet.

"All the critics' 10-best lists have 10 films," Sherak says, explaining the logic behind the move for the March 7 ceremony. "And there have been 10 nominees in the past. Maybe it would create more interest and allow us to have more fun. Maybe a comedy or a blockbuster would be nominated. The board felt it was an idea that should be tried."

Making it easier for films such as last year's superhero smash The Dark Knight to be recognized doesn't sit well with Campion.

"It's not a popularity contest," she says. "That is box office. We have that. The Oscars should be something else. Whose decision was it? Why didn't we vote on it? Let it be a challenge for these studios rather than just expect to see Batman on the list."

To some, it feels like cheating

"Then 10 small films will be nominated," Sherak says. "The bottom line is, we want to find ways of doing things that people are interested in. We want to do what is good for the show. If it doesn't work, we'll change it."

One voter who enthusiastically supports the five extra finalists is John Lasseter, the big cheese of animation at Pixar and Disney as well as the secretary of the board of governors. Considering the only animated feature to ever make the best-picture cut was 1991's Beauty and the Beast, he's delighted that movies like Pixar's summer hit Up– which earned ecstatic reviews – will have an easier chance of sneaking in.

Last nnight the first of 2 Rock n Roll Hall of fame shows happened in New York. Crosby, Stills and Nash, Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, Stevie Wonder and Bruce Springsteen played last night - tonight it's U2, Metallica, Aretha Franklin and Jeff Beck.

Postcard from the road: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concerts

By Jerry Shriver, USA TODAY

The event: Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Stevie Wonder, Simon & Garfunkel, Crosby, Stills & Nash and numerous guests kicked off a two-night celebration, playing both their own songs and the music that inspired them.

TIMELINE: A quarter-century of rock royalty

Envious insider: "I'm a fan — I don't know what to say to half these guys," said Tom Hanks backstage before the show. His production company is working with HBO, which is filming the concerts to air Nov. 29 as a four-hour special. "I grew up with the hi-fi on in the front room, the (Beatles') White Album on — everything that's going on tonight is the soundtrack of our lives."

Banner night: The acts performed under a wood-framed arch adorned with images of Fats Domino, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, the Everly Brothers, Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Sizzling warm-up: As lights dimmed, video clips played on a curved screen above the stage, showing Rock Hall induction speeches and all-star jams of dozens of stars.

Killer opening: Following a short welcoming speech by Hanks ("When we were down, rock 'n' roll lifted us"), the man some consider rock's true king, Jerry Lee Lewis, lit into Whole Lotta Shaking Going On at a white baby grand. Though his manner was subdued, with none of the trademark hellfire menace, his voice was strong and the fingers pounded the keys adroitly.

Double triple whammy: CSN honored the hall's 25th and Woodstock's 40th with an electrifying version of the festival's theme song. Stephen Stills still has the guitar chops, even when not prodded by rival and sometimes bandmate (and double inductee) Neil Young, who didn't appear. Graham Nash showed off his gorgeous tenor on Marrakech Express while David Crosby let his freak flag (now long and white) fly on Almost Cut My Hair, which tripped and soared for five-plus minutes.

Just dropped in: Bonnie Raitt, the first of the night's stream of guests, got strong vocal support from Crosby and Nash as she and her guitar took the lead on an aching Love Has No Pride. The Allman Brothers got a nice shout-out as the four sang a funk-blues version of Midnight Rider.

A dream-team theme: Raitt was followed by Jackson Browne (The Pretender) and James Taylor (Mexico and Love the One You're With). After a CSN nod to Buffalo Springfield via Stills' Rock & Roll Woman, the whole folkie crew reassembled for a Garden-wide singalong on Teach Your Children.

Hometown heroes: Paul Simon — first by himself, then with Dion (DiMucci), then with Nash and Crosby on a magical Here Comes the Sun, and finally with Little Anthony and the Imperials — was just a sweet tease for the outpouring of love that greeted Art Garfunkel's appearance. The duo ran off a string of hits, including a mesmerizing Sounds of Silence. After trading verses on Bridge Over Troubled Water, they mingled their voices rapturously on the bridge before bringing it home alone on a high note.

Wonder of Motown: Stevie Wonder, celebrating the 20th anniversary of his induction, encountered early microphone problems and switched his planned opener from You Haven't Done Nothin' to a Blowin' In the Wind singalong. Then he launched into an unplanned Uptight (Everything's Alright) to get everyone dancing, followed by an unplanned and joyous I Was Made to Love Her/For Once in My Life. The crowd, unaware of the changes, lapped up whatever he and his turn-on-a-dime band offered.

Teachers and students: After dropping to his knees briefly for a harmonica solo on Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours), Wonder returned to his electric piano and welcomed mentor Smokey Robinson for a smoldering Tracks of My Tears, then disciple John Legend for the sensuous and consciousness-raising Marvin Gaye classic Mercy Mercy Me. Blues great B.B. King, the oldest announced performer at 84, strolled out slowly in a vivid smoking jacket, strapped on his guitar Lucille, then spun a spell with The Thrill Is Gone.

Missing Michael: The late King of Pop got his props from Legend and Stevie, who broke down briefly during Jackson's The Way You Make Me Feel, then recovered to lead the clap-a-thon.

Trading off: Sting walked onstage playing bass guitar during Higher Ground, then traded helium-voiced lead vocals with Stevie on Roxanne, with the two sounding surprisingly alike. 2009 inductee Jeff Beck made a surprise appearance on Superstition and dropped in a scintillating heavy-metal guitar solo to close the powerhouse set.

Here is the summary and setlist from Bruce's set.

October 29 / Madison Square Garden / New York, NY

Notes: At the first of the two Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary Concerts at Madison Square Garden, Bruce and the E Street Band turned in a fantastic performance to cap off an evening that featured performances from Crosby Stills & Nash, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder with numerous guests each.

Bruce, too, had several friends in the house: backed by a full-strength E Street Band plus a horn section including Curt Ramm, Clark Gayton and Eddie Manion, Bruce and his special guests recreated many of his greatest live collaborations from the past decade. Returning to the E Street stage were John Fogerty, Tom Morello and Sam Moore, plus new friend Darlene Love and surprise guest Billy Joel. Bosstime was an hour and 45 minutes, closing a show that didn't end until 1:30 in the morning.

After Bruce opened with "Tenth Avenue Freeze-out," he brought out his mentor Sam Moore, the man from whom Bruce has frequently admitted — including during this show — he's "learned so much about leading a band." "The Original Soul Man" traded verses with Bruce on "Hold On, I'm Coming" and "Soul Man," instantly elevating the show the way they did in Asbury Park in 2003.

After Springsteen and Fogerty repeated two of their prior duets, Bruce took an opportunity to recall playing with one of his heroes at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1988, Roy Orbison. Bruce admitted, "I wouldn't dare try by myself," but with John present they were able to "take a home run swing at Pretty Woman," a highlight of the evening. Darlene Love brought her "one-woman wall of sound" on "A Fine, Fine Boy" and "Da Doo Ron Ron" while Tom Morello turned heads not only with his now-familiar solo on "The Ghost of Tom Joad" but also with his solo and lead vocals on an exciting performance of "London Calling."

With many of the guest artists' songs being performed, Springsteen songs only made up a small portion of the setlist, yet a very strong performance of "Jungleland" mid-set was not only perfect for the event and the location, it made it clear that Bruce was capable of transfixing a crowd with his own material as well.

The encore opened with a humorous introduction, reminding the crowd that prior to the continental drift, "Long Island and New Jersey were joined in one land mass" and "tonight there will be a reunion," as Bruce welcomed "the king of Long Island," Billy Joel, to "the summit at the garden." Joel played piano at center stage, singing three of his own songs as well as a verse of "Born to Run."

The night's festitivies ended as Bruce brought all of the guests back on stage for another exciting take of "Higher and Higher," with each singer, including Darlene Love and Sam Moore, taking a different verse for lead vocals. Bruce was again at his most energetic and loose as the song provided a fitting cap to an evening not to soon be forgotten by lucky showgoers.
- Glenn Radecki reporting

Setlist:

Tenth Avenue Freeze-out
Hold On, I'm Coming (with Sam Moore)
Soul Man (with Sam Moore)
The Ghost of Tom Joad (with Tom Morello)
Fortunate Son (with John Fogerty)
Proud Mary (with John Fogerty)
Pretty Woman (with John Fogerty)
Jungleland
A Fine, Fine Boy (with Darlene Love)
Da Doo Ron Ron (with Darlene Love)
London Calling (with Tom Morello)
Badlands (with Tom Morello)

Encore

You May Be Right (with Billy Joel)
Only the Good Die Young (with Billy Joel)
New York State of Mind (with Billy Joel)
Born to Run (with Billy Joel)
Higher and Higher (with all, plus Jackson Browne and Peter Wolf)

400th Post

Wow, this is my 400th post on blogspot for this blog. No way I have actually had stuff to say 400 times. Kinda crazy considering this is actually the 3rd run at this site, over the past 6 or so years who knows how many posts I've done. I really do need other things to keep me busy. I guess I may have those now since I'm not posting as often anymore.

I had no clue the NBA started last night? I didn't realize until 10 o'clock last night that the Mavs played for real last night. I can't tell you how weird that is for a guy like me to have no clue about the Mavs starting the regular season.



Friday Night Lights began season 4 tonight. We haven't watched it yet but I can't tell you how much I love this show.

'Friday Night Lights' tackles Season 4 changes, and scores

By Robert Bianco, USA TODAY

As every high school football coach knows, it's tough to replace great talent.

That goes double for Coach Eric Taylor, who lost not only his best players but also his team, having been maneuvered out of Dillon High and exiled to hard-luck East Dillon.

But it's also the task faced by TV's best slice-of-life drama, Friday Night Lights, a still-remarkable series that has prolonged — if not quite improved — its life by innovative cost-sharing and cost-cutting.

The sharing part is why this former NBC series will once again premiere on DirecTV, with NBC repeating the run sometime next year. As for the cuts, you won't notice them in terms of production values, because the show's shot-on-location, bare-bones, handheld look has always been integral to its reality-driven storytelling style.

But you will notice them in a cast that, while still centered on the excellent and Emmy-undervalued Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton, has gone through considerable changes in the supporting roles.

Though Zack Gilford (who plays Matt Saracen), Taylor Kitsch (Tim Riggins), Aimee Teegarden (Julie Taylor) and Jesse Plemons (Landry Clarke) remain, Adrianne Palicki's Tyra, Gaius Charles' Smash, Minka Kelly's Lyla and Scott Porter's Jason are either gone for good or reduced to guest status. In their places are some new East Dillon students (including actors Michael Jordan and Jurnee Smollett) who may someday pop, but don't tonight.

Where Have I Been?

That's a pretty good question actually. I've been busy as all get out trying to keep my life from going off the rails completely. We've had car issues, family issues, if it's an issue, you name it we've encountered it lately.

Overall though, things are going well, I could complain, but why? I'm out hitting the pavement the best ways I know how and sooner rather than later I will be employed by a company who needs a good salesman.

The Cowboys are 4-2 and the World Series starts tomorrow, not that I'm too interested in the Phillies or Yankees but baseball is good and the World Series is great, so that's cool.

Keep checking back, as things are normalizing around here I will try to get back to every day posts and believe it or not, I think a podcast may be imminent. I wouldn't hold my breath on that but I've got a couple in mind.

Gotta Love the Overnight Storms in North Texas

I'm really not sure what bugs this donkey in Gaza City most, the fact that they painted him like a Zebra or the fact that he has to give little kids rides.



Is it too early to be panicking if you are a Cowboy fan? I don't think so.

Here’s why panic among Cowboys fans could be premature

By RANDY GALLOWAY
Ft. Worth Star Telegram
rgalloway@star-telegram.com

galloway Here’s a feeble attempt at a sliver of sunshine on a dark and gloomy week in the Chicken Fried Nation, while understanding that dark and gloomy has nothing to do with the local monsoon rains:

Watch for it on Sunday. And then the next Sunday. In fact, mark it down as must-watch for the next four games involving the Broncos of Denver.

Maybe that defense up there is really that good. As good as it looked against the Cowboys, when the performance was pretty much sensational.

The forever tendency around here is to magnify the Cowboys’ failures in a loss — sometimes even in a win — and not properly credit the other side (count me among the guilty).

But the Broncos host New England this week, then go to San Diego, then to Baltimore, and then the Steelers will visit, which is one stout four-game stretch.

We’ll know then. Know for sure about the Denver D.

By then, however, we’ll also know much more about the Cowboys, starting Sunday in Kansas City, and even against the 0-4 Chiefs, does anybody think this is a gimme game? Plus, Atlanta, Seattle and back-to-back road contests at Philly and Green Bay come up in the next month. Ugh.

Back, however, to the sliver of sunshine:

An NFL guy I know says the local panic over the Cowboys is premature, citing a couple of reasons, one being the offense was doing fine until the Denver visit, particularly in displaying a run game when a run game was needed. In other words, this was a loss that doesn’t necessarily mean the roof has caved.

His assessment of the Cowboys’ wide receiver situation was the same as anyone else: Limited overall depth and ability, because of management’s repeated failures to address the position in the draft. But a strong rushing game should help those wideouts, even if that wasn’t the case in Denver.

NFL guy’s main criticism was aimed at the logical targets:

Tony Romo, Jason Garrett and Wade Phillips as a head coach. I think we’ve heard those names before, although I wish he’d also have worked Jerry Jones in there.

Romo, this NFL guy says, is a good quarterback who is regressing (no breaking news on regressing) and the blame goes to Garrett and Phillips. Again, don’t forget Jones, who hired Garrett and Phillips.

Even if that’s letting Romo off the hook, it’s an outsider’s opinion shared by many.

Then again, if you picked up a Sports Illustrated this week, there’s a story on the Broncos-Cowboys game (meaning it’s about the Broncos) that makes you wonder if Denver wasn’t stealing Dallas mail.

Based on this written opinion, the Denver coaches work harder, spotted stuff on film, and used it against the Cowboys, who didn’t know they were being outwitted.

How so?

Because Josh McDaniels, the boy head coach, and his new defensive coordinator, Mike Nolan, game-planned the Cowboys to perfection, particularly Nolan.

Two instances were cited:

The Dodgers pulled one out by the skin of their teeth last night. They had no men on, 2 outs in the 9th and were down 2-1. Then Holliday makes an error in left field and the next thing you know the Dodgers win 3-2 and take a two nothing lead in the series.

Now it's a Dodgers given: They won't be giving up

Bill Plashke
Los Angeles Times

The line drive pounded below Matt Holliday's chest and the dormant Dodgers' heart started pumping.

A chance . . . a chance . . . a chance.

With two out in the ninth inning of a certain loss, the tying run was suddenly on second base and blue blood was again coursing wildly through Chavez Ravine, fans screaming, Dodgers alive.

A chance . . . a chance . . . a chance.

It pumped through Casey Blake's arms as he fought through the best clutch plate appearance of the season: nine pitches, three foul balls, one walk.

"A bundle of nerves, just trying to get ahold of myself," he said.

It pumped through Ronnie Belliard's wrists as he tied the score with a first-pitch single up the middle.

"I just swing at everything I see," he said.

Finally, it pumped through Mark Loretta's mind, the pinch-hitter facing a St. Louis Cardinals closer -- Ryan Franklin -- against whom he was hitless in 15 career at-bats.

Imagine that. You are not only pulled off the bench with the most important game of the season on the line, but you are asked to win it against a guy who has owned you.

"I knew it," said a grinning Loretta. "But I suppressed it."

That's the only thing he held back, as he lined a second-pitch fastball up the middle to score Blake with the winning run in a 3-2 comeback victory that left Dodger Stadium shaking and Dodgers record books stirring.

"I can't describe it," said Manager Joe Torre.

This was about more than just the Dodgers taking a two-games-to-none lead over the Cardinals in the best-of-five National League division series.

This was about cementing a dugout belief that could last long past next week.

"Until that last out, nobody ever gives up," Loretta said.

This was about cementing a Hollywood footprint that will last even longer.

"Man, this is fun," said Matt Kemp.

It's only the fourth walk-off victory in Los Angeles Dodgers postseason history and the first since, well, you know who in 1988.

This is very good news, ABC has ordered full seasons of their Wed night comedies, Modern Family, Cougar Town and the Middle. We've found all 3 to be very funny. The one we don't find funny is Hank, that one was left off the list. In kind of puzzling news, NBC canceled Southland before it's 2nd season premiere.

ABC orders full seasons of three comedies
Fate of Kelsey Grammer's 'Hank' still undetermined

By Nellie Andreeva

Oct 8, 2009, 06:23 PM ET
Hollywood Reporter

ABC on Thursday handed full-season pickups to three of its four new fall comedies, the single-camera half-hours "Modern Family," "Cougar Town" and "The Middle."

"Modern Family," one of the best received new series, and the Courteney Cox starrer "Cougar Town" have been early ratings standouts.

While they dipped in their third airing this week, the two shows continue to be solid anchors of ABC's all-new two-hour Wednesday comedy block in the 9-10 p.m. hour.

"The Middle," which stars Patricia Heaton, has been less impressive at 8:30 p.m., but has built on its "Hank" lead-in in both airings so far.

As for "Hank," the fourth piece of ABC's comedy block, there is no word on its future.

"Hank," starring veteran Kelsey Grammer, is the only multi-camera comedy among the foursome and has fared much worse than the others in critical response and in the ratings.

ABC is yet to make a decision on the fifth new Wednesday series, low-performing dramedy "Eastwick."

Bruce played the 4th of 5 shows at Giants Stadium last night.

October 8 / Giants Stadium / E. Rutherford, NJ

Notes: "Thank the Lord for this beautiful night tonight," said Bruce at the fourth of five nights under the New Jersey sky. Despite a little autumn chill in the air, it was indeed a beautiful night for this second-to-last outdoor show of the tour, and the penultimate show at Giants Stadium ever. "Wrecking Ball" opened once again, this time with the houselights all the way up. Also returning was Bruce's crowd surfing in "Hungry Heart," as impressive a feat of derring-do as last time.

As for the Album of the Night, we've cycled back around to Born to Run. "This is the one that really kind of brought us here tonight," Bruce said, recalling, "I remember when I wrote it — I was trying to create this picture of one long summer day... and night." In addition to Curt Ramm on trumpet, "Tenth Avenue" was fleshed out further by Ed Manion and Clarence's nephew Jake, for the first horn section on this one since the Super Bowl.

Rather than relegate the requests to the encore, as he did on Night One, Bruce gathered signs after "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" (it's a rare show that drops "The Promised Land"). A nice selection followed, including "Saint in the City," "My Love Will Let You Down," and "Because the Night," featuring another stellar solo from Nils. "Human Touch" was a definite high point of the night, an all-too-rare chance for the E Street Band to bring their power to one of Bruce's '92 compositions. It killed, as it did in its Greensboro premiere earlier in the year. "Human Touch" also put the spotlight on Patti Scialfa, who returned to the stage tonight after a lengthy leave of absence.

Beginning the encore, Bruce expressed his appreciation for all the overseas fans who came from afar to the swamps of Jersey: "They've come a long way to see these shows... from Spain, Italy, Holland, Germany... Ho-Ho-Kus!" Taking the band into "Sandy," he said, "We're gonna send this one out to Danny," also talking about the Danny Fund and the fight against Melanoma. Following "Rosalita, which closed the first two nights of this stand, Bruce and the band reached into their bag for one more... sense of occasion fully intact, it was the stadium breaker: "Twist and Shout." Wrapping up the night at exactly the three-hour mark, Bruce hollered, "We love you! We'll be back tomorrow night with Born in the U.S.A.!"

Setlist:

Wrecking Ball (with Curt Ramm)
Out in the Street
Outlaw Pete
Hungry Heart
Working on a Dream
Thunder Road
Tenth Avenue Freeze-out (with Jake Clemons, Ed Manion, Curt Ramm)
Night
Backstreets
Born to Run
She's the One
Meeting Across the River (with Curt Ramm)
Jungleland
Waitin' on a Sunny Day
Raise Your Hand (instrumental)
It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City
My Love Will Not Let You Down
Because the Night
Human Touch
Lonesome Day
The Rising
Badlands
No Surrender

Encore

4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)
Bobby Jean
American Land (with Curt Ramm)
Dancing in the Dark
Rosalita
Twist and Shout

I Thought This Was a Daily Blog?

Yikes!



I wish I could tell you what was going on with Tony Romo, it seems to me that somebody has handcuffed him with the idea that to be good in the NFL you have to be a pocket passer. I'm not sure if that someone was him or the coaches. The coaches say it isn't them.

Dallas Cowboys see Tony Romo as playmaker, not game manager

08:51 PM CDT on Wednesday, October 7, 2009

By DAVID MOORE / The Dallas Morning News
dmoore@dallasnews.com

IRVING – The Cowboys don't want to change Tony Romo. They don't want to strip the quarterback of what makes him special.

They want to help him be more consistent so he can once again be mentioned among the NFL's elite quarterbacks.

Head coach Wade Phillips elaborated on his quarterback Wednesday afternoon once he finished his daily press conference. First of all, Phillips makes it clear the club has no interest in turning Romo from gunslinger into game manager.

"[Media] are making that change, or people are trying to say that," Phillips said. "We're just trying to make him be a good quarterback and do the things he has done in the past, and do it a little bit better. That's what we're trying to do with him.

"We're not trying to change him. We're protecting the ball in the pocket more. We're not trying to change the offense. We've just got to get it accomplished."

Phillips was asked if being too careful or cautious with the ball could hinder Romo's play-making ability.

"Sure it could," Phillips said. "But I don't think he's doing that.

"He's working through it and we're working through it. He's not playing terrible. We've just got to get him playing as one of the top guys in the league, which he is.

"We've just got to get him back there."

Phillips sees no difference in Romo's natural instincts or ability to make big plays. He doesn't want to tie his quarterback's hands on those plays. What Phillips did say was that Romo has, "got to be more consistent on the other stuff."

Have the two spoken since the Denver loss?

"He's going to do well because he works hard at what he does and is a talented guy who cares," Phillips said. "He'll do better and better."

He just doesn't seem very good to me in the pocket, apparently other people have noticed it too.

The most basic throw is suddenly beyond Romo’s range

By Randy Galloway
Ft. Worth Star Telegram
rgalloway@star-telegram.com

The big debate around here last week:

Let Romo be Romo, or not?

The big debate this week?

Should Romo even be starting?

I’m serious. And no, I’m not a Jon Kitna next-of-kin.

OK, a quarterback change won’t happen. Maybe it shouldn’t happen. But after what was observed Sunday in Denver, there’s something else that shouldn’t be happening, at least not to a QB who has reached the veteran level in the NFL, and done so with an immense amount of fanfare, overblown or not.

Actually, all previous concerns about Tony have quickly become yesterday’s cat box liner. Right here, right now, it’s not about letting the man go hully gully, and be allowed to Freebird his way through the weekly rigors of life in the NFL.

That thing Sunday came down to one very disturbing fact:

In crutch and clutch time, Tony failed repeatedly to deliver a basic throw to an open receiver.

So, as many have declared, the Cowboys’ wideouts are void of big-play potential. Really? But how do you know that?

If a receiver is running open in the middle of the field and the ball comes whistling in his direction, high, low, two feet inside, three feet outside — in other words, uncatchable — then where is the opportunity to make a big play?

The Sam Hurd grab late in the game, resulting in 53 yards, gave the Cowboys the opportunity to force an overtime that never came. It was, of course, fourth-down freelancing, draw-it-up-in-the-schoolyard-dirt, and a flashback to vintage Tony. We love him for that stuff.

But the Cowboys ended up end zone-less, and ended up losing, because, in the big picture, Romo repeatedly did not stand and deliver the most basic of strikes.

You could have flanked out Michael Irvin, Drew Pearson and Bullet Bob, all at once, on Sunday, and it wouldn’t have mattered. The quarterback couldn’t get them the ball.

This was a loss that created a mushroom cloud over the Cowboys, and, really, over the remainder of the season. Got to get to December before there can be December-collapse worries.

In the second-guess aftermath, many were harpooned.

Throwing to the seldom-seen Sam twice in the end zone, with Champ Bailey on him, was a focal point that indicted either Romo or Jason Garrett. I’m not sure which, but the best guess is Romo.

The Romo red-zone pick, by Bailey early in the third period, was a killer, and certainly there was a route mixup between Romo and Miles Austin. Why is that still happening?

The Romo blindside sack and lost fumble in the second quarter got Denver into a game that had been going very poorly for the Broncos.

Linebacker Anthony Spencer not bailing out Romo by somehow missing an interception to prevent that first touchdown is a mystery.

Lone Star Park is now owned by the injuns.

Lone Star goes to the Chickasaw Nation

Ft. Worth Star Telegram

Global Gaming Solutions emerged from today’s auction in New York as the buyer of Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie. The sale awaits approval of the Delaware bankruptcy court next week. John Elliott, the CEO of Global Gaming, said he believes and hopes that will largely be procedural.

Magna Entertainment, the parent company of Lone Star, filed for bankruptcy in March.
Last month, also as part of the bankruptcy, Global Gaming purchased Remington Park in Oklahoma City. Global Gaming is a wholly owned enterprise of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma.

Global Gaming had made the initial “stalking horse,” or high, bid of $27 million for Lone Star. Penn National was also expected to enter into today’s bidding, but without elaboration Elliott said the $27 million bid was accepted.

“We look forward to having a great relationship with the horsemen,” Elliott said, “and with the city of Grand Prairie.”

The transfer of the Lone Star license, of course, requires approval of the Texas Racing Commission. And state law requires that a majority of the ownership be Texan.

“We have a plan to satisfy that (requirement), and we will satisfy it,” Elliott said. He in the past has indicated that Global Gaming would be eager to involve Texas horsemen.

Jay Leno's ratings are dropping just about every day, his ratings are about 25% lower than the shows NBC had in the same slot last year, most of those shows were cancelled mid-stream. The worse sign is that NBC affiliates are struggling with the 10 PM newscasts. NBC says they aren't worried yet.

Prime-time 'Jay Leno Show' numbers take precipitous slide

By Gary Levin, USA TODAY

Jay Leno, the former king of late night, is turning into the pauper of prime time.

Three weeks into NBC's addition of a weeknight Jay Leno Show, the comedian isn't leaving much of a mark. Since the TV season began Sept. 21, he has finished in last place every night, and Monday he claimed a lowest-yet 4.5 million viewers.

From the start NBC said it would be difficult for Leno to compete against first-run 10 p.m. ET/PT dramas, and it promised to judge the show on a year-round basis. Because Leno will air originals 46 weeks a year, the network hopes to improve its standings over time while benefiting from lower costs.

"The big test will be how he does when repeats begin, and if he sees a surge," says John Rash of ad firm Campbell Mithun. "If not, it's particularly troublesome."

Averaging 5.9 million viewers for the first two weeks of the TV season, Leno is down 25% from the dramas NBC aired in that hour last year, several of which were later canceled. Among adults ages 18 to 49, it's down 41%.

Ad buyers say they anticipated lower ratings for Leno and negotiated ad prices accordingly. But "more alarming than Leno's ratings is the result the show has had on the rest of the schedule," says analyst Sam Armando of major ad buyer Starcom Media.

Well that one wasn't fun to watch

I think I've kinda been feeling like this guy lately, except I don't get that much air.



Well, the first 10 minutes or so were good. After that, ugh. I think it's going to be a tough week for Tony Romo.

Cowboys need the real Romo before it’s too late

By JIM REEVES
Ft. Worth Star Telegram
revo@star-telegram.com

reeves DENVER — Never mind Roy Williams figuring out what his role is with the Dallas Cowboys. If they’re going anywhere this season, the guy who must solve that mystery about himself is Tony Romo.

Somewhere between Conservative Tony and Gunslinger Tony hides the quarterback the Dallas Cowboys must uncover to win.

Without him, they’re dead.

By late in the second half Sunday at Invesco Field, I’d already planned the caveat that would have to come with this column. You know, the one that said, "but for all that, the Cowboys did manage to pull out a win."

All afternoon I thought the Cowboys would win, that Romo somehow would make the play that would, in the end, make the difference in the game.

So much for those happy thoughts.

Almost just doesn’t quite do it.

Like Romo, and Jerry Jones, and Wade Phillips and everyone else in Colorado who slobbered all over the Broncos after the game, I give them all the credit in the world for their 17-10 victory Sunday.

But is there any doubt in anyone’s mind that the Cowboys should have won this game?

They didn’t because, yes, the Broncos have a very nice defense, but mostly because the Cowboys’ offense had nothing, especially once Denver shut down Dallas’ running game in the second half.

That comes down to Romo and his receivers, especially his wide receivers, and until the Cowboys admit that to themselves and address the problem, this team is in trouble.

Romo simply doesn’t look right. Some of that had to do with the Broncos and their excellent defensive backs. Some of it had to do with the pressure he was under. He was sacked five times and rarely had time to set his feet before the pass rush was on him.

Yes, Romo had two turnovers, a fumble when he was blindsided, setting up Denver’s first touchdown, and an interception by Champ Bailey on what Romo said later was a "miscommunication." That one, inside the Broncos’ 20, cost the Cowboys points. But neither was what you’d call a gamble that backfired.

Romo is struggling to work within the conservative system that Phillips and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett have stressed. Heck, we’ve all stressed it, and rightfully so. I’m just not sure he can do it and still be the Tony Romo the Cowboys need to win football games.

Believe it or not, owner Jerry Jones seems to be thinking along the same lines (which I suppose should worry me).

"You’d like him to be a threat, in other words, not be so conservative that he doesn’t give himself a chance to be a threat any more," Jones said. "We all know the threat he can be and how that can complement and make some good things happen, too.

"When we got desperate at the end, and we were behind, there he goes, then he turned it on and said, 'I’ve got to go out here and make the plays.’

But of course everybody is happy in Denver.

Broncos drop Dallas, remain undefeated

Marshall's TD reception late in the fourth quarter boosts Denver to 4-0 record
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post

When in doubt, throw it up to the $2.2 million man.

Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton looked right and saw Pro Bowler Terence Newman against Pro Bowler Brandon Marshall.

Newman, the Dallas Cowboys' star cornerback, had Marshall, the Broncos' star receiver, well covered. Orton threw the ball perfectly high. Marshall reached up and snagged it with two hands. He cut left toward the middle of the field. Broke a tackle. Then cut right toward the right corner of the end zone.

It was a very happy Marshall who crossed the goal line and gave the Broncos a come-from-behind, 17-10 win against the supposedly mighty Cowboys at Invesco Field at Mile High on Sunday.

It was a very relieved Marshall who watched Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo
line his team up from the Broncos' 2-yard line with five seconds remaining and throw a pass that clanked off receiver Sam Hurd's hands.

Incomplete. The Broncos are easily the NFL's biggest surprise with a 4-0 record.

Ordinarily, the Cowboys are a three-bill fortress.

From left to right, their offensive line weighs 338 pounds, 307, 318, 353 and 318.

Total weight: .817 ton.

So much girth. All that mass. So many pounds. And they couldn't stop the Broncos defense from penetrating.

The Cowboys may have been massive, but the Broncos often had them outnumbered with their varied blitz packages.

Entering the fourth quarter, the game was an offensive dud. The Cowboys had a couple nice swing passes to their running backs in the first quarter, but their offensive line seemingly spent the rest of the game outnumbered.

Their vaunted running game was only getting 3.0 yards per carry. And they couldn't stop Elvis Dumervil or the Broncos' varied blitz packages long enough to give Romo time to throw.

When Romo did have time, his wideouts couldn't get open against Broncos cornerbacks Champ Bailey and Andre Goodman, or even linebackers D.J. Williams and Wesley Woodyard for that matter.

Bruce has played 3 of 5 shows this past week at Giants Stadium. Each show he has done an album in it's entirety. The summaries and setlists are below but the first show he did Born to Run, Darkness on the Edge of Town the 2nd night and the 3rd night he did Born in the USA.

September 30 / Giants Stadium / E. Rutherford, NJ

Notes: "Evenin', New Jersey! Nice to be in my back yard!" Springsteen hollered out to the crowd on opening night, going on to reference the fact that this five-night E Street stand will be the stadium's final concerts. "Join us tonight to shut the old lady down! We've had a lot of great nights here, let's make this another one." And then some magic words: "This is something I wrote for tonight..."

Yes, Bruce opened with a brand new song, the first new one of the tour, written just for the occasion: I was raised out of steel here in the swamps of Jersey, some misty years ago / Through the blood and the beer, and the mud and the cheers, I've seen champions come and go..." Springsteen began "Wrecking Ball" solo, just strumming a telecaster, but the mighty power of the E Street Band soon kicked in, even adding a trumpet solo from Curt Ramm. "Bring on your wrecking ball," Bruce spat in the chorus, "Take your best shot, see what you've got... Bring on your wrecking ball."
Bruce Springsteen performs his new song Wrecking Ball at Giants Stadium

From there into "Seeds" [video here], Bruce rearranging the set as in Chicago, moving the recession arc to the beginning and the requests to the encore, to fit the Born to Run album sequence mid-set. "I was trying to think of something to make our last stand here at Giants Stadium special," he said beforehand. "Friday night, we're gonna play Darkness top to finish, and Saturday we're gonna play Born in the U.S.A. top to finish. But tonight..." his voice drifted off as the opening strains of "Thunder Road" began. Ramm was back on trumpet for "Tenth Avenue Freeze-out" and "Meeting Across the River," Garry on electric bass this time for the latter.

At the end of the album sequence, Bruce brought the original E Streeters down front for an extra hand—Garry, Clarence, Max, Roy, and Steve, too. "These are the guys who made the music... and Phantom Dan Federici." They basked in the glow of the crowd for a moment before Bruce barked, "Back to work!"

"Into the Fire" was a nice highlght of the back part of the set. Moving into the encore without leaving the stage—"It's too cold to stop now!"—Bruce began collecting signs to "Raise Your Hand." Performing the full song, Bruce again added lines from "You Sexy Thing." Ramm returned for the first song request, "The E Street Shuffle." "It's a dance with no dance step," Bruce explained. "It's just a dance that you do every day to get through the bullshit. And every night."

Another oldie followed by request, a perfectly apropos "Growin' Up" for the first show following Bruce's 60th birthday. He even went into a lengthy story for the occasion. "Clarence... I had one of the weirdest dreams I ever had a few nights ago... It was one of those dreams where you wake up and you say, 'Oh, fuck!'" In his dream, Bruce was surrounded by relatives, by a lot of people—"and I don't like a lot of people!... The lights went out, and there was this cake. This is the part you won't believe: there were 60 fucking candles on that cake!" Maybe this wasn't a dream after all. The Giants Stadium crowd began singing "Happy Birthday" and Bruce added, "And there were thousands of people reminding me of something I was trying to forget!" Finally, Bruce went back to sleep and took month-long vacations in the stratosphere...

Willie Nile joined in for "American Land," and stayed out for "Dancing in the Dark." "Willie, grab a guitar—there's only three chords, that's all we play, how hard can it be?" Fireworks hailed over Giants Stadium after the band intros, punctuating the E! Street! Band! Bruce declared, "That's right, we splurged for the fireworks!"

Finally, they wrapped it all up with "Rosie": "We're sending this out to Patti, she's gonna be here Friday night. Patti, wherever you are, come out tonight!" The lengthiest show of the tour yet, this one clocked in at 3:15.

Setlist:

Wrecking Ball (with Curt Ramm)
Seeds
Johnny 99
Atlantic City
Outlaw Pete
Hungry Heart
Working on a Dream
Thunder Road
Tenth Avenue Freeze-out (with Curt Ramm)
Night
Backstreets
Born to Run
She's the One
Meeting Across the River (with Curt Ramm)
Jungleland
Waitin' on a Sunny Day
The Promised Land
Into the Fire
Lonesome Day
The Rising
Badlands
No Surrender

Encore

Raise Your Hand
E Street Shuffle (with Curt Ramm)
Growin' Up
American Land (with Willie Nile)
Dancing in the Dark (with Willie Nile)
Hard Times
Rosalita

October 2 / Giants Stadium / E. Rutherford, NJ

Notes: Night two at Giants Stadium proved to be an entirely different animal from its Wednesday night predecessor, featuring Bruce and the band powering through a balanced set that, at times, was both loose and intense. Tonight was all about Darkness on the Edge of Town, which was performed for only the second time ever in full album sequence, and for the first time since a May 2008 benefit show at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank.

Darkness was the evening's highlight and emotional centerpiece. While show staples such as "Badlands," "The Promised Land," and "Prove it all Night" received a new vitality when played in the original album context — "Prove It" including an incredible, searing solo by Nils Lofgren — the true highlight of the Darkness sequence was Springsteen's delivery of album cuts, "Adam Raised a Cain," "Something in the Night," and "Streets of Fire."

Springsteen played these oft-overlooked tracks with a renewed vigor and almost draining emotion. His vocals and lead guitar carried the intensity of these songs, almost appearing at times that the Boss had pushed himself to the point of exhaustion. Maintaining the passion and intensity of an album like Darkness in the spacious Giants Stadium was no easy task, but it was evident from the start that Bruce and the Band realized their challenge, and they rose to the occasion.

Given the emotional intensity behind Darkness, it seemed as if Bruce wanted to let loose and have some fun with the remainder of the set. Missing was the recession suite of "Seeds" and "Johnny 99," and in the encore, he dropped "Hard Times" and a setlisted "Kitty's Back" for the fun and frivolity of "Cadillac Ranch," "Dancing in the Dark," and "Rosalita."

For requests, Bruce and the Band picked out "I'm Goin' Down," "Be True," and the tour premiere of a Leiber/Stoller classic. While Bruce may have needed a few seconds to figure out the key to "Jailhouse Rock," the song simply rocked live and sent the crowd into a frenzy, dancing along with its swingin’ beat. Audibled immediately after "Jailhouse" was "Long Walk Home," getting a long overdue reprise in the set since its lone appearance in the March rehearsal shows in Asbury Park.

Special guests tonight included the Sessions Band’s Eddie Manion, Art Baron, Larry Eagle, and Curt Ramm (who also played trumpet on "Tenth Avenue Freeze-out" and the show-opening "Wrecking Ball").

Setlist:

Wrecking Ball (with Curt Ramm)
Tenth Avenue Freeze-out (with Curt Ramm)
No Surrender
Outlaw Pete
Hungry Heart
Working on a Dream
Badlands
Adam Raised a Cain
Something in the Night
Candy's Room
Racing in the Street
The Promised Land
Factory
Streets of Fire
Prove It All Night
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Waitin' on a Sunny Day
Raise Your Hand (instrumental)
I'm Goin' Down
Be True
Jailhouse Rock
Thunder Road
Long Walk Home
The Rising
Born to Run

Encore

Cadillac Ranch
Bobby Jean
American Land
Dancing in the Dark
Rosalita

October 3 / Giants Stadium / E. Rutherford, NJ

Notes: There's no denying Springsteen's sense of timing. By deciding to perform in full (and for the first time ever) the same album that gave him the star power and mass appeal that first allowed him to play Giants Stadium back in August of 1985, Springsteen was bringing it all back to where it started in his relationship with Giants Stadium — and those fans who were first introduced to him 25 years ago through Born in the U.S.A. and its seven Top 10 singles.

Even before the Born in the U.S.A. sequence began, Springsteen was reveling in the communal stadium experience, going for full-on crowd surfing in "Hungry Heart." In an impressive feat from both the Boss and the crowd, he one-upped his usual entry into the pit by allowing himself to be fully carried aloft back to the stage. Not bad for an appetizer. Then, after "Working on a Dream," came the main course.

For any fan who wore out his or her cassette of Born in the U.S.A., tonight was a dream realized. Sure, there may not have been any rare album cuts that were to be unearthed in the live setting; many of the 12 songs on the album have been staples of Springsteen's sets since the beginning of this tour, and all of them have been played along the way. Nor did the performance, aside from the song sequence, feature any special nuances or subtle changes as compared to other shows on the tour. But that didn't matter. Unlike last night's Darkness show, where the music demanded a certainly level of intensity from the band and the fans, tonight gave Springsteen and the band a chance to revisit a collection of anthems tailor-made for a football stadium. Tonight was an opportunity to see how far we've all come since 1985 and give everyone, singer and fan, a chance to revisit the glory days, raise their hands in the air and sing along.

"I’m on Fire" was enhanced by its performance after "Downbound Train," and the lost friendship in "Bobby Jean" seemed more vital when played after the message of "No Surrender."

Perhaps in a decision to illustrate how far we've really come since 1985, "Last to Die" received its Working on a Dream tour premiere following "The Promised Land" and prior to "Long Walk Home" and "The Rising," for a powerful combination reminiscent of the "five-pack" that closed the main set during 2007 and 2008 on the Magic tour

But the singing and dancing (and camera flashing) didn't stop after the last chords of "My Hometown," as Springsteen soon powered through a request-based encore stretch of "Jersey Girl," "Kitty’s Back," and "Detroit Medley." Once again, Springsteen's sense of the occasion — I mean, c’mon, we're talking Giants Stadium on a Saturday night — made "Jersey Girl" a perfect selection. And "Kitty" showcased the band in fine form, including another night of consistent and outstanding contributions — not to mention some literature hawking on the side — from the Big Man.

To close out the show, "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" seemed a little out of place after a rollicking "American Land," but Springsteen and the band finished on a high note with a beautiful "Thunder Road" to cap off the first week of their stand in the Meadowlands.

Setlist:

Wrecking Ball
Out in the Street
Outlaw Pete
Hungry Heart
Working on a Dream
Born in the U.S.A.
Cover Me
Darlington County
Working on the Highway
Downbound Train
I'm on Fire
No Surrender
Bobby Jean
I'm Goin' Down
Glory Days
Dancing in the Dark
My Hometown
The Promised Land
Last to Die
Long Walk Home
The Rising
Born to Run
Jersey Girl

Encore

Kitty's Back
Detroit Medley
American Land
Waitin' on a Sunny Day
Thunder Road