My friend Joe and I have always had a knack for getting toward the front of the stage and we found our way to the orchestra of Madison Square Garden during my first Bruce Springsteen show. This concert would be one that I will never forget because of what happened at the end of this epic performance.

Somehow Joe and I got separated near the end of the show and I was about ten rows back to the right side of the stage while Bruce was firing up the crowd during the encores.

The front of the stage stepped down ostensibly so Bruce could get up close and personal with his fans. During the encore girls were climbing onstage, running at Bruce until security would pull the rabid female fans off of the stage. Bruce Springsteen was a rock star channeling his inner Elvis Presley and the crowd was near delirium.

As I watched the concert play out from near the front of the stage, the band played on as Springsteen manically ran the stage while the girls continued to sporadically climb on stage to be near their hero- then I spotted Joe directly in front of the left side of the stage. Unbelievably I saw Joe lift his left leg onto the stage, push himself upright and begin walking toward Bruce with his right hand extended as if to shake Bruce’s hand. If I did not see it myself I would never believe what happened next.

Bruce grabbed Joe’s right wrist and ran off with him to the back of the right side of the stage. My first thought was that when security got a hold of Joe back stage he was going to get a beating for being so bold as to climb onstage with the E Street Band. The band never stopped playing; Bruce Springsteen came running back onstage still gripping my friend’s wrist with Joe running slightly behind Bruce.

Bruce then triumphantly raised his and Joe’s arms as they stood center stage at the world’s greatest arena and they both ran off stage a second time, this time for good.

The image of Joe in his white T-shirt with “Chicago” written in red standing onstage with Bruce Springsteen is emblazoned in my memory. Joe has told me that he was glad I witnessed it go down because when he tells others the story no one believes his incredible tale; this is the ultimate rock and roll “big fish story”.

There were no no cell phone cameras to memorialize the event but but I did read a newspaper review at the time that included the story of that night.

This past summer I was at a barbecue and I told my Bruce Springsteen story to Mark. who not only owns the phenomenal website “This Week in New York” but is the biggest Bruce Springsteen fan that I know. Mark knew of the story and could not believe that I was with the guy who was the subject of this legendary concert; as it turns out this particular show was the subject of one of Mark’s favorite Bruce Springsteen reviews and helped to make him a Bruce fan for life.

This event was an amazing set of circumstances that encapsulates Bruce Springsteen as a man of the people and a rock and roll icon for the working man. On this night we were all in together, performer and spectators, live in the moment.

Born to Run

Rock on

GQ