On Tour With the Boss in Houston

I’m currently the opening act for Bruce Springsteen’s “Working On a Dream” tour. I go on stage for fifteen minutes and talk about the kinds of things that you read in this blog.

Yesterday we did a show in Houston. When I got on stage there were about fifteen people sitting in their seats, and maybe 50 or so milling about. I asked people if they wanted to come on stage. One woman came up. I held out a hand and helped her climb on stage. She was nervous. I told her, “So am I, but since I’m getting paid for it, I look at it like I’m selling those feelings, which means they don”t belong to me anymore, and then I’m okay.” She laughed and said she felt better.

Two couples came to the stage. We helped them up. One of the people stood in front of the microphone and sang, “Born in the USA.” He sounded horrible. Some people in the audience booed him. I said, “Don’t worry, that’s just people warming up to later on say, ‘Bruuuuuuce, Bruuuuuce!” That got some good laughs.

Now everyone was waiting in front of the stage. We helped them all up. Some took pictures of each other. A few ran around playing air guitar. One lady got on the microphone and said, “Wait, I thought this was supposed to be the Bruce Springsteen show. What the hell is this?!” Lots of people laughed. They thought she was just being funny. But she meant it.