The Boss and E Street Bring It - Super Bowl Halftime Show

Wants to prove it all night, only had 12 minutes.

Bruce Springsteen is a living god...

Remember a couple years back when Prince performed at the Super Bowl halftime show, and the tiny purple lady willed it to rain during "Purple Rain"? Not only willed it to rain, but then played a helluva set in the pouring rain? That was amazing. This was something else entirely - this was Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at the top of their game, totally owning your ears, eyes, and soul.

The band played a high-energy set featuring abbreviated versions of "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" (a song which, as anyone who knows anything, can take a good 20 minutes in a concert), "Born to Run," new single "Working on a Dream" (replete with gospel choir), and "Glory Days."

NBC had massive audio problems, with the sound cutting out several times, and Bruce's mic turned waaay down, but no one could hamper the undeniable charm and power of the E Street experience. The entire thing was a Springsteen concert boiled down to its essence: a group of professional musicians that have been playing together for over a quarter of a century, having the time of their life, and taking you along for the ride.

My favorite moments include:
- Bruce demanding you to put your chicken fingers down!
- Bruce's bromantical sax-player, Clarence Clemons, dressed in a bedazzled caftan robe.
- The security guards barely able to contain the crowds. Seriously, one seemed as if he was giving himself a hernia.
- The Boss sliding, crotch-first, into the camera guy.
- The banter between Springsteen and Van Zandt. And cheesy interlude with the ref.

Ignore what the haters have to say: any chance to see The Boss do what he does best is worth it. No matter what the venue.

Update: Now with video!