Thanks to backstreets.com for this review and photos….
AUGUST 24, KANSAS CITY, MO:
With the E Street Band headlining the Harley-Davidson anniversary festival next weekend, most of us have looked at the Magic tour as ending there in Milwaukee. But as the tour neared its close, the Harley show began to look more and more like a separate thing. Saturday night’s St. Louis barnburner had the feel of one of Springsteen’s penultimate night specials. Indeed, in Kansas City on Sunday, Bruce confirmed that they wouldn’t be saving the last dance for Milwaukee: “This is the last official night of our Magic tour,” he said from the Sprint Center stage, “so anything can happen!” And just about everything did — from opening and closing the 3:10 show with tour premieres (the first time that’s happened since, necessarily, opening night), to lead vocal turns from both Soozie and Max. Yes, Max Weinberg on the mic! The night before was the rock ‘n’ roll blow-out, with Kansas City more of a sprawling, celebratory, everything’s-out-the-window-now romp — the way Springsteen seems to like to wrap up a tour these days. Not with a neat bow, but with ribbons everywhere.
Up first was a world premiere, “Ricky Wants a Man of Her Own,” a deep Tracks cut that got its first live airing ever. That led into “Cynthia,” Bruce telling the crowd, “We’re gonna do back-to-back Farsifa songs tonight!” Starting the show this way, with two obscurities (and”Cynthia” slower than usual), may have been a bit tough on the audience; Bruce soon brought them back in with “Hungry Heart” (an enormous cheer for this crowd-pleaser) and some more familiar sign requests, like “Cadillac Ranch” and “Working on the Highway.” In between, though, was a truly unique performance, and the kind of thing that would only happen on a night like this: the vocal stylings of Mighty Max Weinberg. 
“We have multiple requests here,” Bruce said, going through the signs after “Spirit.” “This is a very important one — his has never been done before…” And he revealed a sign reading, “Let Max Sing.” “Get that man a microphone! Oh, we’re really flying by the seat of our pants now!… A little tutoring, be right back.” Bruce went back to the drum riser to confer with the Mighty One. And maybe there was really only one song this could be — the one, perfectly fitting song to break out for a sign like that. But in any case, damn impressive that they came up with it on the fly:
it was “Boys,” originally a Shirelles song, but most know it as sung by Max’s hero, Ringo Starr, as Ringo’s first recorded vocal with the Beatles. Max made the most of it, hollering out to “Kansas City!” as the song began. Musically, it sounded fantastic. Vocally… well, there’s a reason Max isn’t a singer, but he acquitted himself nicely. “You asked for it!” Bruce laughed afterward. A brilliant sign moment.
Breaking out another oldie just a few songs later, Bruce put the spotlight on another E Streeter. “This is for Soozie Tyrell,” Bruce said, singing her praises and giving her the lead vocal on “It’s All Over Now,” the Bobby Womack song made big by the Stones (and often performed by Soozie with her own band).
A great performance, with Bruce taking a verse and sharing the mic with Soozie on the chorus. “Gypsy Biker” got another play, surely warming it up for the Harley show. Bruce finally squeezed one in from the Devils & Dust record, playing “Devils & Dust” solo acoustic for the “safe return of our troops.” And continuing E Street Band Appreciation Night, he looked over at Clarence before “Long Walk Home” and said “This is for the Mighty C.”
A poignant “Sandy” opened the encore “in honor of our good friend Dan,” Bruce said, with Charlie moving over to piano and Roy on the accordion. Bruce mentioned a donation that Sprint made to the Danny Federici Melanoma Fund and continued, “We’re closing out our first tour ever without him. Gonna send this one out to you… and to Terry.”
“Tenth Avenue Freeze-out” told the legend of the band one more time, lights-up standbys “Born to Run” and “Rosalita” rocked the house, and soon the last “American Land” tom beats were rolling out across the arena. “Mighty Max Weinberg — the Singin’ Fool!” Bruce hollered during the band intros at song’s end. But of course that wasn’t all she wrote just yet. “It ain’t over til it’s over!” said Springsteen, with still a couple premieres up his sleeve. “Save the Last Dance for Me” was a unique intro to “Dancing in the Dark” on this final night, Bruce starting the song solo before being joined by the keyboards, then Garry and Nils. A wonderful, soulful moment before the hopping commenced. 
Hannah, a little girl who had the honor a couple times before on this tour, came back for one last dance — she upped the ante for Bruce with a cartwheel, and he responded with a somersault of his own. Finally, the E Street Band wrapped up their year-long tour with one more blast from the past, John Fogerty’s “Rockin’ All Over the World.” “Thank you for suuporting our tour,” Bruce told the crowd at the end. “Thank you for supporting the Magic album. Thank you Kansas City! Thank you E Street Nation!” After they all left the stage, cheers brought Bruce out for one last wave before disappearing again into the darkness. And it sure would be a whole lot more bittersweet if we didn’t know they were going to be back on stage in less than a week!
Next: Five days off, then back to work: Bruce and the E Street Band
