Bruce Springsteen just wrapped up his latest tour in support of Working On A Dream. Sadly WOAD is my least favorite Springsteen album. I was so disappointed by my one listening of it, I haven't been able to bring myself to listen to it again.
Nevertheless I am much more disappointed that my cash flow has been such that I was unable to see any of the shows on this tour. He started here in the bay area, kicking the tour off in San Jose. He finished one leg in his homeland of New Jersey including a date on my birthday. At recent shows he has been playing complete albums (a somewhat controversial trend [Devo performed two such shows recently here in the bay area] as some view it as cheap and lazy but I think would be fun to see) and at Madison Square Garden on November 8 he and the E Street Band played the double album of The River (aff), all 20 songs for a couple of hours, straight through (plus more, of course - this is Bruce we're talking about!).
I could weep. My first Springsteen concert was on The River Tour. I was casual teen fan at the time. I had a picture of him in my locker because I thought he was cute as much if not more than for loving his music. But I won tickets in the mail lottery and so I went. The raw, dark power of Point Blank was the precise moment I was transformed into a hardcore tramp. I've since seen him a few dozen times since then and I am constantly amazed by the power and the energy he and the band maintain. He could relax on his laurels, turn his shows to oldies revues but he continues to create and entertain and serve his audience.
But there is reality. Bruce just turned 60. The Big Man, Clarence Clemons, has had both knees replaced. Keyboard player Danny Federici and other members of Springsteen's team (family, really) have passed away. Bruce is not quitting, not saying farewell but the reality is that this train cannot roll on forever. He has said that performing The River in its entirety was a one-time-only thing as it's too long to repeat. Apparently the final stop of the WOAD tour in Buffalo was legendary and awesome (I'm certain Barney Stinson would agree with Brian Williams on that).
Though I am, in the word of Tim Gunn, woeful that I missed this tour and these specific and many other shows along the way, I do have my memories of my first show and many, many others. And I have hope that there will be more to come and that next time I will be there in the audience rocking along for however long the shows go on.
Fast Company has a profile of Lifetime CEO, Andrea Wong. You might remember her as the visionary that brought UK sensation, Strictly Come Dancing, to the U.S. and ABC in the form of Dancing With The Stars. She's smart, connects with consumers and has a great eye and intuitive sense for what attract viewers.
A couple of interesting facts in this article tell me a lot about why Project Runway feels different on Lifetime than it did on Bravo despite no major obvious changes in the format of the show. It's all about the production. It's why a wearable-by-real-women design by Shirin won and good television, obviously-should-go-home-but-totally-would-have-stayed-on-Bravo characters like too-conceptual-for-America Malvin and I-want-a-partner-who-can-carry-me Mitchell were Auf'ed.
First fact is that (I had forgotten) original producers Magical Elves have been replaced by Real World creators and spawners of much of contemporary reality television Bunim-Murray. Project Runway has always reeked of the heavy hand of producers in its decision making (along with the judges "would I wear it?" tastes). But new producers appears to equal outcomes that will better appeal to the demographics of the Lifetime audience than the Bravo audience, i.e. wearable vs. drama.
Second fact has to do with those audience demographics. I would have guessed they would be substantially different but wow, I wouldn't have guessed the differences would be this vast:
It won't be easy for Lifetime to make the Runway halo effect work. ["O]nly 4% of Lifetime viewers are cognizant of Runway," says Lifetime marketing head Bob Bibb.
I guess the subtle changes are evidence of Project Runway and Lifetime making it work. Carry on.
Good Sound!!! Bruce Springsteen opens with London Calling at Hyde Park's Hard Rock Calling,
One of my all time favorite reality show competition winners was Artist on Groomer Has It. And I happily stumbled on his return tonight. Discovery's Animal Planet knew they had a good thing in Artist and has created a new show for him called Beverly Hills Groomer following him as he charts his post win journey. It is interesting to watch him because he's someone you root for and cheer on but it's also a side of reality show competitions we rarely see.
Nicely done! And in just a few hours.
