The Boss aka Bruce Springsteen took his performing to a different level during 2017 and 2018 as he performed on Broadway. This recording is the final performance of the shows run, completing 236 shows.
Preview performances starting on October 3rd 2017 with the official opening on October 12th 2017. After extending the run he closed on December 15th 2018. It was the hottest show on Broadway and pretty much impossible to get a ticket. To be in with a chance you had to be in the lottery for a ticket and when it extended you couldn't add yourself to the lottery. The resale prices for tickets were easily over $1000 each!
So having the final performance filmed and shown on Netflix really is such a special event and something else to be truly thankful to Netflix for, I feel they have pulled out the stops so much this year and this could really be the perfect ending to just that. Springsteen on Broadway is a truly emotional journey through Bruce's life and music in a very unique manner. Everything about it is special and to go for over two and a half hours on a stage alone is outstanding. Although his wife Patti Scialfa does join him for a couple of songs.
I have been lucky enough to catch the boss twice on UK Tours in Sunderland and Coventry in recent years and he really does know how to put on a show in a stadium and thrives on energy from the crowd. Doing a show in a theatre and it being pretty silent a lot of the time would certainly have been a big change and something I am sure helped him learn even more about himself and the songs. Done with an acoustic guitar and without the world-famous E Street Band!
From start to finish I was engaged with this and I am sure it will be much-loved by all Springsteen fans, seeing him stripped back and hearing more intimately about his life, growing up and how it was never easy. I think that is something which should be highlighted, if you want something really badly you have to work very hard and keep going. I feel those are morals and views that are slipping away from society now, people believe they just deserve something without putting up any fight.
With a running time of 2 hours and 33 minutes make sure that does not put you off as that time really does just easily fly over as you listen to his story and sing along with the songs. I will certainly be watching this again soon, even better that we have it in 4K Ultra HD, which makes us feel even closer to the Boss. I also loved how it opened with him talking about Born To Run but we were kept hanging on until the final song to actually hear it, I thought it was a very good touch to do that. I am sure it will be a very popular film on Netflix, from those like myself who were not lucky or rich enough to see it on Broadway and those who did and want to relive it!