REVIEW Reflective Springsteen mesmerizes audience

Another poignant moment came during 'Youngstown,' with Springsteen's rust-belt guitar fury and jarring vocals.
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
CLEVELAND -- One of the many themes explored by Bruce Springsteen on his latest solo album "Devils & amp; Dust" is the relationship between mothers and sons. As with this family bond, ever protective and always proud also details the connection between the New Jersey musician, currently in his fourth decade of rock-'n'-roll royalty, and his adopted Buckeye family audience.
Northeast Ohio's favorite Garden State son returned to friendly territory Sunday night with a rousing yet intimate solo performance at the Wolstein Center at Cleveland State University. A starker affair than when he's joined on-stage by the electrifying E Street Band, Springsteen presented an impressive mainly acoustic 21/2-hour, 23-song set that reworked, rewrapped and reinterpreted his past into a compelling melange of technique, vision, style and emotion.
Powerful intimacy
From the moment of his arrival, it was obvious Springsteen had reverted back to his "The Ghost of Tom Joad" solemnity from a decade ago as audiences were told to be in their seats by 8 p.m. or they'd have to wait until the third song to be seated. Concession stands were closed early, beer sales be damned, and those "Broooooce" fans were on their best behavior when he arrived on stage dressed in black to quiet cheers. He quickly launched into "My Beautiful Reward," with a pump organ grind and a harmonica rage, setting the stark tone for the evening.
Next was arguably the most memorable aspect of the entire set, clearly confirming Springsteen's courageousness within a live setting where he's a solitary figure, either succeeding or failing on his own merit.
Typifying a blue-collar sensibility, Springsteen stomped out a percussive beat with his foot, while his harmonica burned notes through a microphone with a backwoods effect sending the music back 80 years to the time of Robert Johnson's blues.
The song was "Reason to Believe," from his 1982 album "Nebraska," but it was completely revamped and deconstructed as Springsteen yelped into the same altered microphone for what became a visceral experience, a tribute of sorts to the root of music, of melody, of percussion and the blues.
There was a palatable sense of mystique and rawness, as if such emotion and sound had never been heard before, thus forcing the audience to savor every beat, every note for all of its angst and passion.
Hometown appeal
Another poignant moment came during "Youngstown," when Springsteen, amid the rust-belt guitar fury and jarring vocals, was caught between a red spotlight to his right, a blue spotlight to his left and whiteness in the middle. Considering his political message, this folk singer-turned-rock idol was caught once again in the middle of another tragic American tale.
Other highlights included the obscure, piano-driven "Incident on 57th Street," from his 1973 disc "The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle," the banjo-supported "I'm on Fire" and fiery spirit of his new disc's title track.
Interspersed with the obligatory political messages were insightful stories into Springsteen's past, which furthered the intimacy on this solo evening. While the casual Springsteen fan may have been disappointed none of his anthems ( & quot;Born to Run," "Thunder Road," "Born in the U.S.A.") received stage time, the show didn't disappoint, proving loyal sons can leave home, but they'll always receive a warm reception upon their return.