The New Rockstar Persona: Mr. Nice Guy, parts I and II

If I were a rockstar, I'd want to be Craig Finn (small scale) or Bruce Springsteen (world-domination scale).

Part I
In a world where we have musicians known for bad behavior and ungracious performances, Finn was downright giddy with appreciation during the Hold Steady concert at the State Theater on Thursday, Nov. 4. He personifies "nice guy," offering a new take on what it means to be a rockstar. The whole rockstar persona is given new meaning with Finn and the rest of the Hold Steady. The band consists of five guys -- four of whom I understand are Minneapolis-area natives -- who seem to be bound together by a simple love of fun times and head-bobbing music. Their latest release, Boys and Girls in America, is one of my favorite CDs, so seeing them live was a thrill, and they didn't disappoint.

The show? Bone-shakingly awesome. The music was solid and fun in that clap-your-hands and sing-along-at-the-top-of-your-lungs sort of way. Or was it just Finn? Hard to separate the two...he is the heart and soul of the band. From the get-go, when the show started with "Party Pit," Finn was high energy, running around and clapping his hands in a maniacal but lovable sort of way. Minnesota loves him, and he wasn't shy about showing his love for us. Every round of applause and cheers evoked true appreciation from Finn, evident in his hands covering his mouth, clasped in fists under his chin, or his fast-forward dance moves. He even said, at one point, how much joy and love he felt. Could this guy be any nicer? I'd almost expect to receive a thank-you note for coming to the show.

The guy's a true poet, setting years of his life and a multitude of experience to music that exudes tales of a fun, carefreeyouth. I could almost taste the keg beer and feel the crowded house party around me while listening to the bar-band songs. That's just the way of the Hold Steady: Guilty pleasures and irresponsibilities of the past have never sounded like so much fun. And while we may have grown up from our, say, irresponsible college days (for some of us), or entire decades of haze ("The 80s almost killed me," Finn sang at one point), that's just what they are -- memories of the past, safe for revisiting in song.

Part II
And now we move on to Bruce Springsteen, also Mr. Nice Guy and Brilliant Poet -- THE ORIGINAL. I'll admit that I don't know many Springsteen songs beyond the classic 80s standards (Born in the USA, I'm on Fire, Born to Run, etc.) or his movie soundtrack songs (Streets of Philadelphia, Secret Garden [from Jerry Maguire]). But when my dad called Friday afternoon offered Derek and I free tickets he came upon through a friends -- well, I would have felt like quite a prominent schmuck in musical history for turning them down. Luckily Derek felt the same! Add to the fact that they were first row and, well, I was very spoiled in my first Springsteen experience.

I probably can't ever see another show of his again, for fear that it will never live up to this one. His opening line -- "Is anyone alive out there?" or something like that (I know, Springsteen lovers everywhere are cringing at my ignorance) -- was enough to jolt the GINORMOUS crowd into collective cheers and screams, and from there it never stopped or let up for the entirety of the show. For a bunch of guys pushing 60 (some might even be there), Springsteen and the E Street Band wore me out with their power rock but won me over with their cohesiveness and infectious music. Add to that Springsteen's thoughtful lyrics -- apparent both when he was shaking the arena with his thunderous vocals or soothing the crowd with his more lyrical, acoustic songs -- and the show was a lesson from Rockstar Performance 101. Some of Springsteen's songs took a political tilt (it's no secret that he's no fan of the Bush administration), but he always countered with a hard-rocking, soul-shaking song that had the crowd singing in unison -- an unbelievable sound in itself. It's clear why New Jersey's favorite son has become a timeless piece of American culture.

The crowd in itself was a sight to behold. I would have fit in with a) 80s bangs b) a jean miniskirt and stilletos c) Tony Danza hair and a muscle shirt (if I were a guy) or d) a polo shirt and khakis. Springsteen attracted an eclectic crowd filled with fashion throwbacks to decades past, harley lovers, regular middle-aged business men and people such as yourself. You know you're in the presence of rock royalty when a diverse crowd like this can come together and sing and dance in unison to your musci for 2+ hours, demanding encore after encore.

I've never been to an arena concert like this before, and I'm not sure if I will again...I tend to favor more intimate venues (and let's be honest -- I ain't rich, so cheaper shows are more my style). But like the Hold Steady's Craig Finn during Thursday's show, Springsteen's sincerity, love for what he does and genuine appreciation for his fans transcended space and venue. The result? Another excellent show that felt more like an event, which will forever be etched in my memory as one of the best shows I've experienced. I may not know most of his songs, and I don't own any of his albums, but Springsteen is a true superstar, and I'm glad to have experienced a show from such a legend.