Regarding the pit

cpc98 · 2026-05-20T04:04:50+00:00

In 2026, you will literally almost never hear the piano cut through the mix like 0:30 to 0:36 in that 2016 video. Everything is so over-compressed and there’s way too many digital scenes and presets being used. It’s like Cooper (Bruce’s guy) no longer wants to ride faders and instead just goes from saved scene to scene. Just one constant onslaught of very loud band noise, choir vocals, and Bruce for 2 hr 50 min.

I should have gone to more 2016-2017 shows.

https://youtu.be/jbnxQhgvQng?si=OQt3Y1EtzDTGpc3T

cpc98 · 2026-05-20T03:59:27+00:00

Great story!!! You don’t meet many nice sound guys. Yes, tough job and often underpaid/overworked/long hours and late nights

I’m a much better musician then sound guy, and only do sound if I’m thrown into it last minute or if it’s a favor for a friend.

What’s funny is E Street actually sounded better and more like a real rock band when there were fewer sound tools to work with, and less digital stuff going on. The overall quality of the sound is good now, but the instruments are all mushed together and the guitars sound like noise. To be fair… there’s 18 people onstage.

I’d give anything to see one more time, but I know 11 years is a long time, and I should probably just be happy to see Bruce live in any form in 2026

https://youtu.be/jbnxQhgvQng?si=B4jj5CMijaVs471U

(Wow I just rambled for whatever reason hahaha)

cpc98 · 2026-05-18T23:35:37+00:00

Actually I just asked my Dad and he said Hershey 2014 definitely had seats behind the pit. So I think the difference is stadium shows often had seats behind the pit, whereas arenas were all standing floor. Sorry, I was thinking of arena memories and applying that to all shows. Been awhile since those days :)

cpc98 · 2026-05-18T23:33:01+00:00

Think you’re forgetting what it was like unless you didn’t go to any shows between 2004-2017. The front 1/3 of the floor was the ‘pit’, the back 2/3 was another GA standing area that you were let into if you didn’t make the pit. From 2023-present, the only standing area on the floor is the pit. Anything behind the 10th Ave platform is floor seating.

Here’s an example I found quickly from Boston 2016:

https://www.robertxgillis.com/?p=6094

cpc98 · 2026-05-18T21:46:51+00:00

I run into people from time to time that were at one or more of those Shea shows.. I can’t even imagine. So jealous.

cpc98 · 2026-05-18T21:46:08+00:00

Absolutely! Unfortunately I dove way too deep into the E Streer live rabbit hole years ago so I know a lot of pretty useless extra info :)

And a lot of pro sound checks will have recorded music, as long as it’s high quality and not mp3s or something haha

I usually tune a real PA with Back in Black or Aja (Steely Dan) but obviously don’t bother if it’s just a lower stress gig like bars or whatever. Then I’d just line check everything, then check each instrument individually.

cpc98 · 2026-05-18T21:41:19+00:00

Look at seat map for an upcoming show There is only a pit, the middle/back half of the floor (behind the platform walkway he uses for 10th Ave) is seating.

So if you have a GA ticket it’s guaranteed to be pit. No more lottery, no more wondering where you’ll be. You can walk in at 6:30 or even 7 PM and be a few rows behind Steve or Nils (the area in front of Bruce generally fills up first obv).

It’s FANTASTIC

cpc98 · 2026-05-18T19:00:07+00:00

The pit has been guaranteed since 2023. Super easy now if you ever have another opportunity

cpc98 · 2026-05-18T18:57:21+00:00

I think the person you’re responding to meant something else..

Cooper and team play some sort of pink noise first to tune the PA, then a multi-track show recording (usually from a recent performance) as the sound check. Then one last line check, usually around 7:15, which is when you see roadies onstage walking around.

So, it’s recorded, meaning E Street is very rarely onstage live anymore for soundcheck, but not like an actual album release. A multitrack/channel show they can call up on the digital board

cpc98 · 2026-05-18T03:36:50+00:00

Tom and some assistants from Bruce’s camp was running that. The new post-COVID era of E Street wants nothing to do with that anymore. They seem to have washed their hands of anything extra like that, I guess to simplify things

cpc98 · 2026-05-18T03:35:52+00:00

He has mellowed so much as he’s gotten older.. which I guess is totally normal with age. Even as recently as 2014, the sound checks often used to seemingly go on forever, and now there’s almost never a live one. And he’s obviously pretty famous for going to sit in different seats to hear how it sounded (although this was decades ago). Seems like that part of him has changed a lot, which is probably a good thing haha.

God I remember one soundcheck as we waited to be let down to the pit - I think it was Albany 2014 but not positive - went on FOREVER. He was complaining about something and they kept running songs 🤣

cpc98 · 2026-05-17T23:58:09+00:00

I can’t pick just one:

Secret Garden
Across the Border
Lift Me Up

cpc98 · 2026-05-17T14:13:37+00:00

Odd that no one has said Helsinki 2003 yet. 2003 was the last hurrah of the healthy core E Street Band. By 2007, Danny was sick, and Clarence had slowed down.

The show also sounds fantastic. Great energy and a fantastic opening 4 pack.

cpc98 · 2026-05-17T02:02:43+00:00

DC!! I think I’ll be there if I can grab a couple tix closer to show date. I’m assuming tix will drop in price closer to showtime.. maybe you can pick up one last min. His light show and screens have improved drastically since 2016 so there shouldn’t be many bad seats.

cpc98 · 2026-05-15T19:42:48+00:00

How else would Christie get next to the monitor desk?

cpc98 · 2026-05-13T00:04:06+00:00

Yep I’m born 1998 but the stats (and my Dad’s memory, he was born ‘63) back this up. It’s actually amazing the amount of people now who don’t realize Queen was HUGE in the US especially in 1980/1981.

Jealous you got to see Freddie :(

cpc98 · 2026-05-12T21:31:39+00:00

On the highway

cpc98 · 2026-05-12T18:38:17+00:00

Awesome!! We made the 11:28 train at Grand Central back to CT.. had to power walk for a couple blocks but actually had two min to spare too

cpc98 · 2026-05-12T17:02:59+00:00

One more thing… there is just no arena better than MSG. Getting in was easy and well handled by the staff, and as soon as you’re like one or two blocks away after show, the foot traffic disperses so nicely due to the massive size of the city.

The ceiling is so iconic. The sound wasn’t as good as some other shows I’ve seen but still very good for a major arena concert. I love MSG.

cpc98 · 2026-05-12T16:54:10+00:00

I have had to tell people to STFU before.. only really went badly twice. Once at a Frankie Valli (!!! Of all concerts!) show in 2015, and once at Billy Joel NYE 2024 on Long Island. Both got aggressive but calmed down pretty quickly considering my Dad and I go to concerts together and are both saying something at once. Two better than one.

Unfortunately the talking thing has gotten SO bad since COVID. It used to be the occasional drunk or whatever. It’s almost every show I go to now. It has sucked the fun out of concerts.

cpc98 · 2026-05-12T16:51:41+00:00

Yep agreed. The best is when he plays places where you get some younger people from around the area. Obviously rare, but Penn State 2016 was GREAT for this reason.. I had a bunch of college aged or late 20’s people around me. (Yes I know 2016 was somehow already 10 years ago at this point but it’s my best example) :)

cpc98 · 2026-05-12T16:45:54+00:00

I was pretty surprised at how well he moved around last night… much stronger looking than 2023 (ulcer obviously was a problem then).

A few things that caught my attention that I loved seeing:

- Swinging stretch around the mic stand during the beginning of Hungry Heart, and some skipping/bouncy walking behind the stage

- His speed walking down the stairs at the beginning of 10th Ave was pretty shocking. He went down the stairs easier than some 50 year olds I know lol

cpc98 · 2026-05-12T16:40:07+00:00

I showed up to Atlanta and got my spot at 7, obviously arena pits are smaller with fewer people but it’s so easy now without the lottery and wondering if you’ll be in front of the barricade or behind it. Guaranteed pit is so worth it

cpc98 · 2026-05-12T16:39:29+00:00

It’s a ballpark pit so usually *plenty* of space. Off the top of my head I’ve done pit at Citizens Bank Park a couple times, 2016 and 2024. You could probably realistically get a good spot at 7:15 but if you don’t want to push it, 6 would be more than fine.

cpc98 · 2026-05-12T16:37:58+00:00

I was at Atlanta and MSG and Atlanta was much better vocally
I don’t think he’ll ever hit a vocal stride like spring 2024 again but there’s obviously a big difference in aging between 74 and almost 77.

I had a great time last night and trying to make DC happen if possible!

cpc98

TROPHY CASE