Livin' in the future

None of this has happened yet. How could it?

Bruce Springsteen’s best album since The River comes out and the prospect of seeing the boss live, one last time, perhaps, with the E Street Band, seems impossible. Tour dates announced in Chicago and St. Paul are but a tease.

I’m broke, for starters, and Christmas is coming. And, geez, doesn’t anyone know it’s football season? I’ve seen Springsteen in concert a handful of times and enjoyed every one (save, perhaps, the Tunnel of Love tour).

My last experience was at the Vote for Change concert in St. Paul – with REM, John Fogerty and, surprise guest Neil Young! – and if I never saw a concert again that would have been fine. But St. Paul lured me back for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers with Pearl Jam as the “warmup” band. WOW!

Then I get this e-mail from the Xcel Energy Center announcing Bruce’s return on March 16. A Sunday, St. Patrick’s Day eve! Tickets on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. I’m in.

We’re livin’ in the future and none of this has happened yet. But it’ll get me through the winter.